Original Stalag Luft III Great Escape Log for Sale
The Y.M.C.A. Wartime Log of F/LT R W Keen contains writings and artwork created during his time as a POW in the North Compound of Stalag Luft III. An RAF Radio Operator, F/LT Keen ‘s Halifax II (W7931) was shot down on a bombing raid over Duisburg on 26 March, 1943, and within a few days he found himself behind the wire in the maximum security Luftwaffe run camp. He arrived just at the point when plans for what would come to be known as The Great Escape were being hatched. Quartered in Hut 122, one of the three key tunnel locations, Tunnel Dick, he soon became involved in preparations for the escape, serving as a Stooge (lookout) and Penguin (earth disposer). His Log also contains one of, if not, the earliest firsthand account of the night of The Great Escape.
The Sale also includes F/LT Keen’s RAF Flying Log Book.
Description
Firsthand Account of The Great Escape written within Stalag Luft III
A Collection of Stalag Luft III POW Watercolour/Crayon/Sketches – 15 in all
List of fellow POWs in the historic Hut 122 (Tunnel Dick)
Double Page Memorial listing all the murdered escapees.
Cricket Scoresheet with F/O Zillessen (The Scrounger – James Garner’s character in the 1963 movie)
History of the War 1939-1945 as chronicled by F/LT Keen within the North Compound of Stalag Luft III. It ends abruptly on 23 January, 1945, just days before the camp’s evacuation.
The Communique of the German Supreme Command of 6 June, 1944 – Invasion
D-Day Map
Lie in The Dark and Listen – Poem by Noel Coward
Code to a Civilian – Poem
Barbed Wire – Poem
Mabel – Poem (Tribute to a Halifax Bomber)
Crew of ‘J’ for Jane – RAF 78 Squadron – on its last ill-fated mission, including details of casualties. Then F/O Keen is listed as Radio Operator
Excerpts from POWs Mail – Both humorous and poignant
Headline from the Volkisher – Beobachter
Several Press Photos from German Newspapers
The Long March – Personal Account of the evacuation of Stalag Luft III.
Epic march to Spremberg, then journey by train to Marlag und Milag Nord. Finally, on 2 May, 1945, the day of Liberation near Lübeck
F/LT Keen’s RAF Flying Log Book records his entire training and combat history from 1937-1945. As well as chronicling the night his aircraft (W7931) was shot down on a bombing raid over Germany, it also records his part in that most historic of WWII events, the First Thousand Bomber Raid on 30 May, 1942
