Memories of Service 3 - John Wilkinson

John Wilkinson didn’t realise until after the end of World War ll that he’d broken his back when the plane he was piloting in North Africa was shot down. Captured and beaten up by Italian soldiers, interrogated by the Gestapo, John eventually ended up in the notorious Stalag Luft III prison camp in what is now Poland. He was involved in the Wooden Horse Escape, one of the most famous of the war. Later he would meet his future wife at the camp, a displaced person from Lithuania. Now 95, John’s memory of his wartime experiences remains undimmed.

The Italians caught us when we got to the beach, bashed us up and gave us a pretty good hiding. And luckily a German officer came over the sand dunes and spoke perfect English, and said ‘come with me.’

– John Wilkinson

Key Cast & Crew

David Blyth

Producer, Director, Interviewer

Patricia Stroud

Producer, Research

Jed Town

Composer

Edward Larsen

Editor

Simon Schueller

Camera, Sound