For You The War Is Over

One of the very last escapes of the entire war, Jack Collarbone would make four escape attempts in total during his three and a half years as a prisoner of war, in both Italian and German hands. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. Hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, each episode looks at a new esc...

Donald Lowry Boyd is one of those remarkable individuals who not only escaped captivity but he would also successfully evade capture altogether on an entirely separate occasion! For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. Hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, each episode looks at a new escape. If you would...

Sean Scullion, author of " Churchill's Spaniards ", joined us to tell us all about the incredible life of Francisco Gerónimo, AKA Frank Williams, a Spaniard who fought in the Spanish Civil War, as well as the French Foreign Legion and the SAS, during the Second World War, squeezing an escape into his busy war! For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories o...

Welcome to Series 9 of For You The War Is Over. We are delighted to be back after the bumper 'Great Escape' series, and to bring to you a brand new series with three amazing guests, and even more amazing escape stories. We hope you will enjoy this new series! For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. H...

Having asked our guests - families, biographers, researchers, historians, and others - for their reflections on the Great Escape, we felt it only fair that after a series running for nearly two years, and almost 100 episodes, that we ourselves also reflect upon the Great Escape, what we have learned in doing this series, and what our highlights were as well. For You The War Is Over is a podcast th...

It is a little known aspect of the Great Escape that many of the survivors started to hold reunions together in later life, which Bob Nelson styled the "Sagan Select Subway Society", or "SSSS" for short. Beginning in the late 1980s, they would reminisce about their experiences together, remember those they had lost, but also enjoy each others company and catch up on their respective lives. Dick Ch...

There have been many books written on the Great Escape, whether looking at the story of the escape itself, like Brickhill's original, or the investigation, or even biographical books about individual Great Escapers. We were joined by one such author, Guy Walters, to discuss his experience of researching and writing his book, as well as his reflections on The Great Escape as well. For You The War I...

The long-term impact of the Great Escape film cannot be underestimated, remaining in people's consciousness, and entering into worldwide popular culture. We were re-joined by Steve Summers, director of the " War Movie " documentary, to discuss the process behind its creations, and the long-term cultural impact the film has had. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stori...

Without Paul Brickhill the Great Escape would not be as famous a story as it is, as his book in turn led to the film, which led to the worldwide fame the Great Escape enjoys today. We were joined by Brickhill's biographer, Stephen Dando-Collins, to discuss his life, and his crucial contribution to ensuring the story of the Great Escape became known in the first place. For You The War Is Over is a...

Russell Kent, author of "The Curiohaus Trials" joined us to tell us about the Great Escape trials which were held in Hamburg's Curiohaus to prosecute the perpetrators of the Great Escape murders. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. Hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, each episode looks at a new es...

Paddy Flint, former RAF Police Officer and relative of Great Escape Big X, Roger Bushell, joined us to tell us all about the RAF Police Investigation into the Great Escape murders and those who committed the murders. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. Hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, each epis...

Bob McBride was the last man to exit tunnel Harry on the night of the Great Escape, indeed his head was popping out of of the mouth of tunnel when the guard discovered the escape attempt! We were joined by his son, Peter, who shared his father's story with us. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. Hosted b...

Leonard Trent was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the mission in which he was to be shot down and taken prisoner of war. For the Great Escape he was in charge of security for Hut 104, the hut from which tunnel 'Harry' was to be dug. Trent would also be one of those to be captured at the mouth of the tunnel exit upon its discovery by the guards, something which probably saved his...

Mick Shand was the last person out of the tunnel to get away from the camp, and he was on the run for several days before he was eventually recaptured. We were joined by his daughter, Sarah, and son, Peter, to share their father's remarkable story with us. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. Hosted by Da...

Inspired by Charles Lindbergh to take up flying, 'Skeets' Ogilvie was one of “The Few”, as a veteran of the Battle of Britain. He would be one of the last to get out of the tunnel, staying on the run for two days before being recaptured. His son and biographer, Keith Ogilvie, joined us to share his father's story. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Pri...

Laurence Reavell-Carter was a two-time Olympian who represented the United Kingdom at the 1936 Berlin and 1948 London Olympics. However, in between those two events, he was to be involved in the Great Escape, to be one of those caught at the mouth of the tunnel, asking the guard to not shoot them. We were joined by Olympic journalist and historian, Philip Barker, to tell us about Reavell-Carter's...

RAF Historian, Dai Lawrence, from 'Tales of the Air' , joined us to tell us about the life of Ian Cross, his illustrious family history, and who overcame a sickly childhood to join the RAF, being shot down during the Kriegsmarine's 'Channel Dash', and getting involved in dispersal for the Great Escape. For You The War Is Over is a podcast, hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, which looks at...

Guido Almekinders joined us to tell us about Chaz Hall, a photo reconnaissance pilot who had trained to be a photographer before the war, but he had to bail out after engine failure on only his third flight. As a trained photographer he was tasked with taking and developing the photographs for the escapers ID cards. After his recapture, he wrote in Latin, on the wall of his cell in Gorlitz prison,...

Porokoru Patapu Pohe, known as 'John' or 'Johnny', was a true trailblazer, being the first Maori pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the first to attack occupied Europe, and the first to attack Germany itself, as well as being the only Maori in the Great Escape. A truly remarkable life story which deserves to be much better known. For You The War Is Over is a podcast, hosted by Dave Robertso...

Tom Leigh was Australian born, but spent most of his life in the UK. A tragic life story, he was to experience the loss of both his parents in childhood, while his brother would also be killed in service during the Second World War, shortly after Tom himself was murdered for his part in the Great Escape. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War es...

One of only two Scots in the Great Escape, Alastair McDonald was an inveterate escaper who took part in nine different escape attempts while a prisoner of war. He escaped alone for the Great Escape but gave himself up after the conditions proved to be too challenging, although he was to be one of those who survived. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prison...

George Wiley was one of the youngest Great Escapers, just 22 when he escape, having required his father to sign his enlistment papers. Jean-Michel Turcotte, a Canadian POW historian, joined us to tell us more about Wiley's life. For You The War Is Over is a podcast, hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, which looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World...

Brian Evans had a short but very eventful operational career, but he was to utilise his pre-war surveying skills for the Great Escape, helping to estimate the length required for the tunnel digging. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-War escapes from the the Second World War. Hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, each episode looks at a new...

Although Albert Hake was an NCO, as a Spitfire pilot the Germans assumed he must be an officer, and so they promoted him to an officers rank when they captured after being shot down. His main contribution to the Great Escape was producing hundreds of hand-made compasses for his fellow escapers, stamping on each compass “Made in Stalag Luft III - Patent Pending”. We were joined by author and h...

For the launch of his new book, "SAS: Great Escapes Five" we were re-joined by author and historian,  Damien Lewis , to share with us the story of Lance Corporal George Arnold of the SAS, who was deployed behind enemy lines in Italy to rescue and exfiltrated escaped prisoners-of-war who had left the camps following the Italian Armistice. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the...