Posted on Feb 22, 2017
BBC News Great Escape Secret film documents WWII prison camp breakout
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How French secretly filmed prison camp life in WWII.
They had been defeated in the Battle of France and marched to the furthest reaches of the Reich. In 1940, Oflag 17a must have felt a bleak, unforgiving place for the 5,000 French officers who were now prisoners-of-war.
The Austrian camp, close to the border with Czechoslovakia, was originally built for troops taking part in military exercises.
There were 40 barracks, 20 each side of a central aisle. The land was bound by two lines of barbed wire, the perimeter illuminated by floodlights.
Escape seemed almost impossible. Almost.... and it is remarkable that we can see it.
Through some extraordinary ingenuity - and cunning - the men filmed their efforts.
Their rarely seen footage is called Sous Le Manteau (Clandestinely). So professional is it that on first viewing you would be forgiven for thinking it is a post-war reconstruction.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-23423329
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ capt Marty Maj Marty Hogan @ Smsgt minister SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ sfc Joe SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL @ sfc George SFC George Smith @ tsgt Joe TSgt Joe C. PO2 (Anonymous) @ po2 Robert PO2 Robert M. @ sgt David SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
They had been defeated in the Battle of France and marched to the furthest reaches of the Reich. In 1940, Oflag 17a must have felt a bleak, unforgiving place for the 5,000 French officers who were now prisoners-of-war.
The Austrian camp, close to the border with Czechoslovakia, was originally built for troops taking part in military exercises.
There were 40 barracks, 20 each side of a central aisle. The land was bound by two lines of barbed wire, the perimeter illuminated by floodlights.
Escape seemed almost impossible. Almost.... and it is remarkable that we can see it.
Through some extraordinary ingenuity - and cunning - the men filmed their efforts.
Their rarely seen footage is called Sous Le Manteau (Clandestinely). So professional is it that on first viewing you would be forgiven for thinking it is a post-war reconstruction.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-23423329
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ capt Marty Maj Marty Hogan @ Smsgt minister SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ sfc Joe SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL @ sfc George SFC George Smith @ tsgt Joe TSgt Joe C. PO2 (Anonymous) @ po2 Robert PO2 Robert M. @ sgt David SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth
POW/MIA
WWII World War Two
Film
Innovation
Austria
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 8
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Thanks for sharing SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL a clear example of ingenuity in wartime of French POWS in a German POW camp.
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It seems like the people during WWII, especially the military, have the biggest set of balls. I would have to say that they are truly the Greatest Generation. Thank you for all your sacrifices.
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