For You The War Is Over

Tony Hoskins delved into the archives to dig out the life story of Douglas Poynter. He was to attempt, and very nearly succeeded in making an evasion from Occupied Norway, before eventually being captured and taken Prisoner of War. One of only two Fleet Air Arm officers involved in the Great Escape, he went on to have an interesting post-war career as well. For You The War Is Over is a podcast tha...

Joseph Quinn joined us to tell us the story of Alexander Desmond Neely, known by his middle name, of the Fleet Air Arm. He was an enthusiastic tunneller throughout his time as a prisoner of war, and some of his original documents are held by the "Their Finest Hour " project, run by the University of Oxford. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-o...

Harry 'Wing' Day is not just a legend of the Great Escape, but of Second World War Prisoner-of-War escapes in general. A hugely influential individual, he was to make many escape attempts, including from Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp only months after the Great Escape. An absolutely unmissable episode on an incredible character. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life s...

Carrie and Fyfe Scarff, the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Pawel Tobolski, joined us to tell us all about his life, escape, and the legacy he left behind with his family, who have done so much to commemorate and recognise the Great Escape. 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 Robe...

Romualdas Marcinkus was a pre-war international footballer, and he also wasn't just the only Lithuanian involved in the Great Escape, he was the only Lithuanian in the entire RAF! We were joined by his biographer, Gražina Kristina Sviderskytė, to tell us more about his life, and his tragic end in the aftermath of the Great Escape. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life st...

Tim Walenn was the Chief Forger - Head of 'Dean and Dawson' - for the Great Escape, and we were joined by the brilliant Megan Kelleher, from the RAF Museum, to look at his life, escape and moustache! 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 ne...

Tony Hoskins looked at the life of Johnny Stower, a British, Argentinian born, bomber pilot, who made repeated escape attempts, including an unlucky effort in which he was recaptured having made it all the way into Switzerland. He escaped with his close friend, Ivo Tonder, with whom he hoped he might go into business after the war, but sadly he was murdered for his part in the Great Escape. For Yo...

Ivo Tonder was one of the few Great Escapers from an occupied country to survive the experience, but the Great Escape was far from his only escape, before, during and after the war! We were joined by his daughter, Petra, who told us more about his life, and her own experiences of escaping Communist Czechoslovakia with her father. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life sto...

Alina Nowobilska , a historian of Poland during the Second World War and host of the 'Moments in Time' podcast, joined us to tell us about the life and escape of Stanisław Król, who escaped with Sydney Dowse. Together they were among the last to be captured, although sadly Król was to have an all too true premonition of his fate after capture. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the...

To look at Sydney Dowse, of 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, we were joined by legendary Queen guitarist, Sir Brian May, and author and historian, Denis Pellerin, both of the London Stereoscopic Company. A little known aspect of the war was the role stereoscopy played in helping us gather intelligence, and by extension, the role played by Dowse and his colleagues in the Photographic Reconnaissa...

In the Great Escape three of the prisoners of war successfully managed a Home Run, and in the first of our episodes to feature one of those three we look at Bram Vanderstok. A Dutch escaper, he took several months to get back to the UK, having joined an escape line, but he lived a fascinating life both before and after the war! For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stori...

For the launch of his new book, "SAS: Great Escapes Four" we were re-joined by author and historian,  Damien Lewis , to share with us the story of Captain Roy Bridgeman-Evans of the SAS, who was captured on Sicily, but escaped from Fort Bismarck, a camp near Strasbourg. As always with Damien, its an episode not to be missed! For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life sto...

Our regular host, Tony Hoskins, takes a look at the life of Great Escaper, Dennis Cochran, a Londoner who was actually born Dennis Cockram. While this name change created some difficulty when researching him, he nonetheless lived an interesting, albeit tragically short, life. 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 Wor...

Erin Gregory, the Curator at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, joined us to look into the life and escape of her fellow Canadian, Gordon Kidder, who was a linguistics expert, and who teamed up with Tom Kirby-Green for the Great Escape. Erin is responsible for managing a collection of more than 8,500 objects and has curated many exhibitions at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. She is curren...

Our regular host, Dave Robertson, takes a look at the life and escape of Tom Kirby-Green, a hugely colourful character who was the Big-S, head of security, for the X Committee. He escaped with Gordon Kidder, a language specialist, but sadly left behind a wife and child in the UK following his murder by the Gestapo. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisone...

Our regular host, Tony Hoskins, tells us about the life and escape of Bedrich Dvorak, a Czech escaper who, alongside his escape partner, Desmond Plunkett, was one of the last to be recaptured. Indeed, staying on the run so long may well have saved his life! 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 D...

Dr Lucy Inglis, Archivist at King's College School, Wimbledon, joined us to tell us about Des Plunkett, the school's former pupil. Plunkett was in charge of the map making team, which produced thousands of maps for the Great Escape, but he led an interesting and colourful life either side of the war as well. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real life stories of Prisoner-of-Wa...

Donna Robson, who grew up having no idea that Raymond Van Wymeersch was her grandfather, joined us to tell not just his story, but also her own story about how she found out who he was and the journey she has been on to learn about his life, experiences, and how the Great Escape impacted upon him, his life, and the lives of his family. For You The War Is Over is a podcast that looks at the real li...

Dave Robertson, takes a look at the life and escape of Anthony Hayter, who was operating out of Malta at the time he was shot down and taken prisoner-of-war. He was to go on to be a key member of the map making team during the Great Escape. 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...

We were joined by the niece, great niece, and great great nephew of Arnold Christensen, a New Zealander who escaped with James Catanach. They joined us to share the story of his life, service, and escape from Stalag Luft III. 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,...

We were joined by Amanda Catanach, the great niece of James Catanach, who shared the story of her great uncle, from his childhood in Melbourne, through to his time in the Great Escape. 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. ...

Our regular host, Tony Hoskins, takes a look at Nils Fuglesang, a Norwegian RAF Pilot, who flew for 332 Norwegian Squadron. However, before even joining the RAF he first had to make his escape from Norway! 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 a...

Dr Tony Insall, historian and author of "Secret Alliances: Special Operations and Intelligence in Norway 1940-1945" , joined us to share the story of Norwegian pilot and Great Escaper, Halldor Espelid. As well as having lived and worked in Norway for five years, Tony Insall also has a personal, family connection to prisoner of war escape, about which he has written a book called "The Madness of Co...

Our regular host, Dave Robertson, takes a look at the life and escape of Johannes Gouws, a South African Air Force pilot, who was a successful evader prior to being shot down, taken prisoner, and getting involved in the Great Escape. 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 H...

Karen Horn, a historian and author of "In Enemy Hands", a book about South African prisoners-of-war during the Second World War, joined us to look at Rupert John Stevens, a London-born South African Air Force pilot who was one of the very earliest out of tunnel Harry. 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....