The first movie I ever saw via VCR. My favorite movie of all time. Watch it several times per year and recently read the book and a book that was about what happened afterward in the hunt for the nazis who killed the escapees. Awesome and humbling.
Last real life Great Escape prisoner dies aged 99
99 years is a darn good run....Godspeed Flight Lt. Churchill......
===========
The Great Escape
- Stalag Luft III opened in spring 1942, and held air forces personnel only
- At maximum it held 10,000 prisoners of war, covered 59 acres, with five miles (8km) of perimeter fencing
- Some 600 prisoners helped dig three tunnels, which were referred to as Tom, Dick and Harry
- The "Great Escape" happened on the night of 24 to 25 March, 1944
- Seventy-six men attempted a getaway through tunnel Harry, which was 102m (336ft) long and 8.5m deep
- Seventy-three of them - including Mr Churchill - were recaptured by the Germans within three days. Two-thirds of them were executed on Hitler's orders
- The camp was liberated by Soviet forces in January 1945