The Great Escape

So much of our understanding of the Second World War is shaped by film. Perhaps the most famous example is The Great Escape. At the heart of the Polish city of Poznan, in a small glade surrounded by undulating parkland, are the graves of the 48 men who lost their lives in the breakout from Stalag Luft III in March 1944. We visit their graves and contemplate the reality behind the legend. We find out more with historian Guy Walters and and speak to veteran Victor Gregg about his experiences as a prisoner of war. Among those who would never be liberated were War Graves Commission gardeners captured during the war. At the CWGC archive, we discover their heartbreaking stories.