Stalag Luft III Williams, the book "Stolen Journey" by Philpot and the 1950 film "The Wooden Horse". There had been escape attempts (one of which inspired the film "The Wooden Horse") and many tunnels had been started and discovered before completion. In March 1943, Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Roger Bushell conceived a plan for a mass escape from the North Compound, which took place on the night of 24/25 March 1944. He was being held with the other British and Commonwealth airmen and he was in command of the Escape Committee that managed all escape opportunities from the north compound. Falling back
Roger Bushell Spitfire on German-occupied ground and was captured before he had a chance to hide. He became a prisoner of war and was sent to the Dulag luft transit camp near Frankfurt with all other captured aircrew. On arrival at Stalag Luft III he was made part of the permanent British staff under the senior British officer Wing Commander Harry Day. The permanent staff's duty was to help newly captured Allied aircrew to adjust to life as a prisoner of war. Escape, which was regarded as a duty of all prisoners of war of officer rank, was never far from his