70th anniversary of 'Great Escape' remembered in Poland
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
24.03.2014 16:46
Survivors, families, British and Polish officials gathered in Zagan, western Poland, 70 years after the mass escape Stalag Luft III in 1944, the story of which was told in the movie 'The Great Escape'.
Reenactment of "The Great Escape" on 70th anniversary in Zagan: photo - Lech Muszynski/PAP
Seventy six prisoners escaped from the prison camp in an area that up until 1945 was in Germany: 73 prisoners were later caught by the Nazis and 50 were shot.
Attending Monday's ceremony from Great Britain were the Uk's ambassador to Poland Robin Barnett, RAF's Air Vice-Marshal Stuart Atha and former prisoner of war Charles Clarke.
On Sunday, a 'picnic', including reconstructions of the escape and capture, was put on in Zagan in honour of the men who constructed three tunnels - Tom, Dick and Harry - as part of their bid for freedom. (pg)