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A transcription of a poem from a wall within Stalag Luft III originally written by Flight Lieutenant Edward Gordon Brettell.
ESCAPE
If you can quit the compound undetected,
and clear your tracks nor leave the slightest trace
and follow out the programe you've selected,
nor lose your grasp f distance time and place.
If you can walk at night by compass bearing,
or ride the railways by night or day,
and temper your illusiveness with daring,
trusting that sometime bluff will find a way.
If you can swallow sour frustration
and gaze unmoved at failures ugly shape,
remembering as further inspiration,
it was o is your duty to escape.
If you can keep the great Gestapo guessing
with explanations only partly true
and leave them in their heart of hearts confessing
he didn't get the whole truth out of you.
If you can use your cooler fortnight clearly,
for planning methods wiser than before,
and treat your first miscalculations merely,
as hints let fall by fate to teach you more.
If you scheme on with patience and precision
It wasn't in a day they builded Rome
and make escape your only one ambition
The next time you attempt it you'll get home.
By. F/Lt. Bretel.
(After poem)
Originally copied from the wall of a cell in which would be escapees served sentences of solitary confinement for their abortive escape attempts.
F/Lt. Bretel was among the band of R.A.F. Officers ruthlessly shot when recaptured after escaping from the north compound Stalag Luft III on 25th March 1944.
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An untitled pencil sketch of a fairy and squirrel among leaves and flowers.
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A colour illustration of a bird and rabbit and possibly fairies with toadstool mushroom. Created at Stalag Luft III by F/L Andrew N Orr.
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A pencil sketch of barbed wire against a background of cloud drawn by F/L Andrew N Orr.
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A colour illustration of a set of bunk bed within the barracks at Stalag Luft III by F/L Andrew N Orr.
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Photographs of officers in prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III.
Interior of Room 4 Block Y. North Camp. Stalag Luft III.
November 11th 1943
Names and rank include: F./Lt. Silverston, F./Lt. Orr, F./O. Jeffries, F./O. Heggtevite, F./Lt. Lyons, F/Lt. Douglas.
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A coloured pencil sketch of the North Compound of the prisoner of war camp in which F/L Andrew N Orr was held prisoner.
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A pencil sketch of F/L Andrew N. Orr in solitary confinement or "cooler," at Dulag Luft on April 18-19, 1945.
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A pencil sketch of F/L Andrew N Orr being captured after parachuting from his Tail turret of a Handley Page Halifax.
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A pencil sketch of F/L Andrew Orr bailing out from the Tail turret position of a Handley Page Halifax by moonlight.
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A Wartime Log, sent to prisoners of war by the Y.M.C.A. (Gifted from The War Prisoners' Aid of the Y.M.C.A. 37, Quai Wilson, Geneva - Switzerland) which belonged to F/L Andrew N Orr
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Portrait of Flight Lieutenant Andrew Neilson Orr wearing a great coat over top of his uniform jacket.
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A metal pin of a winged goldfish with a painted green surface below the fish's belly.
