Escape from Stalag Luft III cover art

Escape from Stalag Luft III

The True Story of My Successful Great Escape: The Memoir of Bob Vanderstok

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Escape from Stalag Luft III

By: Bram Vanderstok
Narrated by: John Lee
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About this listen

On the night of March 24, 1944, Bram Vanderstok was number 18 of 76 men who crawled beyond the barbed wire fence of Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland. The 1963 film The Great Escape was largely based on this autobiography but - with Vanderstok's agreement - filmmakers chose to turn his story into an Australian character named Sedgwick.

His memoir sets down his wartime adventures before being incarcerated in Stalag Luft III and then, in extraordinary detail, describes various escape attempts which culminated with the famous March breakout. After escaping, Vanderstok roamed Europe for weeks, passing through Leipzig, Utrecht, Brussels, Paris, Dijon, and Madrid, before making it back to England.

He reported to the Air Ministry and two months after escaping returned to the British No. 91 Squadron. In the following months, he flew almost every day to France escorting bombers and knocking down V1 rockets.

In August, 1944, he finally returned to his home. He learned that his two brothers had been killed in concentration camps after being arrested for resistance work. His father had been tortured and blinded by the Gestapo during interrogation. He had never betrayed his son.

©1983 Estate of Bram Vanderstok; Foreword copyright 2019 by Robert Vanderstok; Simon Pearson Preface copyright 2019 by Greenhill Books (P)2019 Tantor Europe Great Britain Historical Military Military & War World War II Memoir War Veteran England Air Force

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All stars
Most relevant  
If you want to hear the true events of the “Great Escape” this is the book for you. Not the Hollywood hijacking of the characters and story.

I wanted to listen to this book as Stalag Luft III is on my list of places to visit. I will go there now with a full understanding of the camp and the real people who were there.

Thank you Sir for your service and sharing your truly awe inspiring life story with us. I wonder how many stories went untold and we will never be able to understand the real challenges this generation faced.

Mike

Wow, just wow!

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Absolutely fantastic book,but misleading title which was changed from its original title, It's a pilot's account of his entire war story , and only a few chapters about the actual escape and being a prisoner of war. Other than that absolutely brilliant

misleading title

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Almost unbelievable true story of war and escape. Truly eye opening to the brutality of WW2 and acts of heroism which occurred.

Epic true story

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A full account of world war II, by an extraordinary individual. This is a piece of history. So interesting to hear an account from a Dutch perspective.

True exciting account of the war

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Highly recommended for all. A gripping tale of remarkable courage, ingenuity, resourcefulness and luck in staying alive.

Excellent and fascinating account

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A brilliant and detailed account of the great escape, also the story of one man's unbelievable and compelling journey through the second world war,

fabulous account of the great escape

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The story itself is very interesting and informative.

The narrator, presumably in an attempt to enliven the narration, has a cadence and rhythm that I found extremely annoying and distracting.

Very interesting story, very annoying narrator

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We all know the story. But the story after the escape is as compelling. Bram Van Der Stok had a life that was full of adventure and he was rewarded so by both his own country but Britain too. The pilot who nearly wasn’t allowed to fly again got the help from high up. A fighter pilot from Holland who truly loved and fought for the colour Orange.

Great escape

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Fantastic chain of events that are at times almost unbelievable.
The only downside was the narration. It almost sounded like AI because of the robotic and uncharismatic delivery.

Great to hear the real story, pity about the narrator.

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Editing could be a little tighter but well paced delivery by narrator
Story of a well connected man who through bravery and determination did his best while caring about the wider world
Most people have seen the Great Escape but this is the true story of the third man who survived that scheme and it’s awful outcome

Talent and perseverance

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