The Wooden Horse The Wooden Horse The Wooden Horse is a 1950 British Second World War war film starring Leo Genn, David Tomlinson and Anthony Steel. It was directed by Jack Lee. It is based on the book of the same name by Eric Williams, who also wrote the screenplay. The film depicts the true events of an escape attempt made by POWs in the German prison camp Stalag Luft III. The wooden horse in the title of the film is a piece of exercise equipment the prisoners use to conceal their escape attempt as well as a reference to the Trojan Horse
Stalag "Luftwaffe" (German air force) operated "Stalag Luft" in which flying personnel, both officers and non-commissioned officers, were held. The "Kriegsmarine" (German navy) operated "Marlag" for Navy personnel and "Milag" for Merchant Navy personnel. Civilians who were officially attached to military units, such as war correspondents, were provided the same treatment as military personnel by the Conventions. The Third Geneva Convention, Section III, Article 49, permits non-commissioned personnel of lower ranks to be used for work in agriculture and industry, but not in any industry producing war material. Further articles of Section III detail conditions under which they should work, be