麻豆社

It is seventy years since British servicemen held in the German prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft lll, took part in 'the Great Escape' of the Second World War.

They were celebrated and romanticised in the 1963 Steve McQueen film, but only three men got away successfully and fifty were shot after being recaptured.

Jack Lyon kept watch during the construction of the tunnel and was waiting to escape when the breakout was discovered:

"We hadn't been there very long until the air raid siren, and then when that sounded the lights went out, from then on we were in total darkness, the time passed very slowly, until I heard a single shot," said Mr Lyon.

Andrew Wiseman said relations changed between guards and prisoners after the escape.

There was "a feeling of horror amongst prisoners of war, a feeling of disbelief that 50 RAF escapees had been murdered by the Germans,鈥� said Mr Wiseman.