Alfie Fripp, 94, at the inner perimeter fence of Stalag Luft III
AN RAF veteran from Dorset has made an emotional return to a German Second World War prison camp to honour a comrade who was gunned down by the Gestapo after taking part in what became known as the Great Escape.
Former navigator Alfie Fripp, 94, of Southbourne, was one of six ex-prisoners to take part in a memorial event to mark the anniversary of the escape from Stalag Luft III.
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My Dad was in Stalag Luft 3 at Sagan…wondering if there is anything to see at the original POW camp site at this point in time August 2016
Hello Helen, my dad was also in North Camp Stalag Luft III, we have his wartime log and we know he was amongst the 2nd 100 to be allocated a number so didn’t get out (rather luckily for us I guess). We have lots of detail of the awful March they had to take, in freezing conditions, as they were retreating at the end of the war in Jan/Feb 1945. It snowed then too, temperatiures went down to – 25 degrees C! Would you like to get in contact and share info?
I was there last December. There is a small museum, and about 1 Km down the road, the site of the actual camp. Not much remains, but it is worth the visit
Our father, Henry (Hank) Burman was there and helped spread the sand. He was a “Penguin”. He didn’t get to make the escape as the Americans were sent to South Camp before the escape.
Hi Brian, my dad was also in North Camp Stalag Luft III, we have his wartime log and we know he was amongst the 2nd 100 to be allocated a number so didn’t get out (rather luckily for us I guess). We have lots of detail of the awful March they had to take, in freezing conditions, as they were retreating at the end of the war in Jan/Feb 1945. It snowed then too, temperatiures went down to – 25 degrees C! He was a British Mosquito pilot but shared huts with many Canadians and Americans. Would you like to get in contact and share info?
Hello Joanna, We too have the 137 page Wartime Log as our father, was a Canadian POW at Stalag Luft III for three and a half years, He survived the escape, built the memorial and survived the Long March in 1945, We are going to visit the camp in Poland in Sept 2019. We would love to connect and share info.
Bob and Sue
Victoria, BC