The Colditz Glider

en.wikipedia.org

47 points·todayiamme··7 comments

This story reminded me of a great board game in the 70's called "Escape from Colditz". Apparently theres a reprint! https://theboardgameshow.com/2016/10/18/escape-from-colditz-...

Here's a video that includes a flight of a reconstruction in front of some of the veterans who built the original.

https://youtu.be/9dles1q-CDU?t=1068

The main question for me is, who would have been chosen to fly out? I imagine that the two most senior officers would be chosen, but I have no idea how that would have been decided. Anyone have insight into RAF policies?

> RAF policies

I suspect the officers wouldn't have cared too much about policy, given the era and the situation. They'd have chosen the person with the highest chance of success, probably the smallest person with the best flying skills.

Getting out of Colditz was only step 1. Once outside the camp, the ability to act your chosen cover would have been an item for consideration, too.

So, speaking German or French without a British accent likely would have been a pre, as would being familiar with the home town of your cover.

Also, they would be reluctant to let their top craftsmen go. If you were really good at falsifying passports or ID cards, for example, your skills would be useful to keep around for future escapes.

Also mentioned in "The Colditz Story" by Pat Reid, a good book similar to the movie "The Great Escape".

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Colditz_Story.html?...

Schloss Colditz apparently now has a museum. Be neat to see that.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com