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
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