Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight marks the 70th anniversary of the great escape of 76 air force officers from Stalag Luft III at Sagan in Silesia, Germany—now in Poland—approximately 120 kilometres east of Berlin. The account of this most renowned escape of World War II was first published by Australian ex-prisoner of war, Paul Brickhill, but is best known today from the American screen version based on his book. The incredible ingenuity and courage of the escapees should be remembered today.

The Stalag Luft III prisoner-of-war camp was built early in the war, as the Nazi general, Goering, promised Hitler that he would build an escape proof camp for Allied air force officers. As the air war increased, four compounds were required, containing 10,000 prisoners of war. The north compound of 2,500 prisoners of war was strictly under the command of the senior British officer. On arrival at the camp, the adjutant first had you identified and verified by your fellow prisoners of war. You would then be asked privately if you wished to participate in escape activities—600 volunteered, including many Australians. Each was given his job to do under the most secure instructions—from digging to disposal of soil and from forging documents to being on the lookout for the ever watchful and suspicious German guards.

The escape tunnel used, named Harry, was 110 metres long, was over half a metre square and lay 7.6 metres under the ground. In March 1944 it became urgent to make the break, since the German commandant had notified Nazi headquarters that he had reason to believe a tunnel escape was planned but could not find the tunnel.

Thirty key men involved in the planning were chosen to escape. Of the 600 volunteers, 200 names were drawn by ballot. Seventy-six men escaped before the German guards stumbled upon the exit, which had unfortunately come up short of the planned spot. Only three men made it to freedom. Seventy-three men were recaptured. On Hitler's personal orders, 50 were murdered, including five Australians. This was despite the Geneva convention recognising that it was an officer's duty to escape if they could. The perpetrators of the murders were mainly brought to justice after the war.

It is unfortunate that this whole amazing event was filmed with ludicrous distortion of the truth in the final scenes of the movie. Although meticulous detail shows the ingenuity and genius of technical aspects of the escape, the necessity to sell the film using an American star as a hero in part of the ending has created the story many people now believe. In reality, there was snow on the ground and no motorbikes jumping wire fences. The film actually begins, 'Every word in this film is the truth', yet there were no American servicemen involved in the escape.

Tonight, I pay tribute to those five Australians who were murdered: Al Hake; Jimmy Catanach; Reg 'Rusty' Kierath; John Williams; and Thomas Leigh. I also pay tribute to all those courageous Australians who were prepared to put their lives at risk in this amazing but tragic episode. The Great Escape highlights the courage and determination of so many brave Allied airmen at Stalag Luft III; the courage that overcame insurmountable odds; the courage of those who reached safety; the courage of those captured; the courage of those who were brutally murdered; and the courage of those who were part of this magnificent effort. In the same way that we acknowledge courage in the heat of battle, it is appropriate that tonight of all nights we acknowledge and never forget the courage of these brave men. Our allies, particularly those from the United Kingdom and Canada, have arranged a special reunion in London today for the very few survivors and their relatives. Of the 600, we have only one Australian still alive. I salute them all.