For You The War Is Over

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...

Harold Milford managed to survive a bad crash landing in Northern France, from which his pilot managed to make a ‘Home Run’ back to the UK, while he ended up being taken prisoner and sent to Stalag Luft III. Following the Great Escape, he was told during his interrogation that he would never see his wife, Marion, again; a threat which sadly came true. Stacey Astill, a POW historian, joined us to s...

The second John Williams to take part in the Great Escape, Jack, as he was known, was a keen amateur actor who took part in 'amdrams' and musical theatre plays before the war. He joined the Great Escape team a little late due to an appendectomy he had to have while in camp, but he was to be a member of the dispersal team for the Great Escape. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the...

Ahead of the paperback release of his book, " The Glass Mountain ", we were joined by Malcolm Gaskill for this bonus episode to discuss the escape of his uncle, Ralph Corps, which he covers in his book. Malcolm's book is as much about his discovery of his uncle's adventure as it is about Ralph's escape through Italy. For You The War Is Over is a podcast, hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins,...

We were joined by the current Commanding Officer of 9 Squadron, Wing Commander Chris Pearson, to share the story of James 'Cookie' Long. Long was a crewmate of John Shore, whose escape we covered in Episode 1 of Series 5, when they were both shot down. He would earn his nickname from his skill at brewing 'kriegie hooch', becoming a tunneller for the Great Escape, and he was to be the last of 'The...

We were joined by Rafe Bethell, the son of Richard Anthony 'Tony' Bethell, to tell us about his life as a pilot, Great Escaper, Rugby 'Barbarian' and his life in Canada after the war. Rafe also shared about his father's legacy through the Bethell Hospice , which bears his name, and cares for people in their days of life. If anyone wishes to support the work of the Bethell Hospice, you can do so he...

Michael Casey became a prisoner of war very early on, and so became involved in many escape attempts, including one in which he escaped with the future Carry On actor, Peter Butterworth. For the Great Escape he was both the ‘trapfuhrer’ for tunnel Tom, and then in charge of the safeguarding of the escape contraband. Using previously unseen letters sent to his escape partner’s father, we can also r...

A Photo Reconnaissance Spitfire pilot from Scotland who was shot down while photographing the Tirpitz in Norway, he would become a tunneller and escape with Mike Casey. His biographer, and regular co-host, Tony Hoskins, shared with us his life story. 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 Dav...

Shot down before his native Canada had even declared war on Germany, he was taken to meet Goering as one of the very earliest Allied servicemen to be taken prisoner of war. He was involved in scrounging, talking to guards, bribing them to get the contraband needed for the Great Escape. We were joined by his son, Andrew Thompson, and grandson, Jesse Beauchamp, to share his story with us. For Y...

We were delighted to be joined by three members of Bill Cameron's family, his daughter, Vanessa, his son, Fraser, and his nephew, Ron, who kindly shared his fascinating story. One of the more unassuming members of the Great Escape, Bill Cameron was a Canadian of few words, which belied an incredible life story. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of...

Inspired by his uncle’s service in the Royal Flying Corp during the First World War, Cyril Swain became a pilot even before the outbreak of the Second World War. Shot down after spending some time as an instructor following an eye injury, we believe he became involved in the carpentry team for the Great Escape, helping to cut and prefabricate the bed boards used for shoring the length of the tunne...

Robert Campbell 'Bob' Stewart worked for a tunnelling company prior to the war - a useful employment to have as a future POW escaper - before being shot down on his thirtieth operation, on what would have been his last mission before completing a tour of duty in Bomber Command. For You The War Is Over is a podcast, hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, which looks at the real life stories of...

Patrick Nelson joined us to tell us about his father, Bob Nelson, whose experience as a mechanical engineer was put to good use by the carpentry team for the Great Escape, helping Jens Muller with the making of the air pumps. After the war he would also go on to work for the UN as an aircraft accident investigator. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisone...

Dick Churchill's sons, David and Roger, join us to tell us about the long life of their father, the last surviving Great Escaper. He had originally been due to escape with Tom Kirby-Green, but Kidder was deemed the better fit, and so he escaped with Bob Nelson instead. After the war, he was instrumental in organising the reunions attended by the surviving Great Escapers. For You The War Is Over is...

A crewmate of Johnny Bull who was shot down at the same time as the first man out of the tunnel, Grisman would also become an enthusiastic tunneller for the Great Escape. We were joined by Jackson Van Uden from the "History with Jackson" Podcast to share the story of Jack Grisman with us. For You The War Is Over is a podcast, hosted by Dave Robertson and Tony Hoskins, which looks at the real life...