The Escape Artists: A Band of Daredevil Pilots and the Greatest Prison Break of the Great War

Though the Western Front of World War I is exemplified by trench warfare, with its ferocious fighting leading to extremely high numbers of casualties, it also included the air war. Unfortunately, many pilots found themselves in German POW camps, the most infamous of which was Holzminden. Desperate to break out and return to the fight, a group of Allied prisoners led by ace pilot David Gray hatched an elaborate escape plan. Their plot demanded a risky feat of engineering as well as a bevy of disguises, forged documents, fake walls, and steely resolve. Once they were out, Gray and his half-starved fellow prisoners made a heroic 150-mile dash through enemy-occupied territory toward free Holland. Bascomb's (The Winter Fortress: The Epic Mission To Sabotage Hitler's Atomic Bomb) work is well researched and impeccably written. The brave aviators who became German prisoners of war are portrayed with dignity and respect, and their courage and ingenuity are described in detail. L.J. Ganser's narration makes the story flow and adds to the excitement.