In spring 1943, Squadron Leader Roger Bushell devised a bold plan for a mass escape from Stalag Luft III, a German POW camp in what is now Żagań, Poland. Believed to be escape-proof due to its sandy soil and remote location, the camp housed Allied airmen. Bushell’s plan involved digging multiple tunnels, and on the night of 24 March 1944, 76 men broke free. This daring operation inspired the 1963 film The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and Richard Attenborough.
To mark the 70th anniversary of the escape and the 50th anniversary of the film, the Aviation Archive released the Great Escape Collection, featuring aircraft flown by the captured airmen.
Among the escapees was Per Bergsland, a Norwegian pilot who fled to England after Nazi occupation and flew with RAF 332 Squadron. Shot down during the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942, he was captured and concealed his identity to protect his family. Bergsland was one of only three men to successfully escape Stalag Luft III, using his orienteering skills to reach neutral Sweden with fellow Norwegian pilot Jens Muller. He returned to Britain and later continued a distinguished aviation career.
