Thaindian News

London, Jan. 19 (IANS) The unknown entrance to the George tunnel, believed to have been dug up by war prisoners of Nazi camp during World War-II, as part of the historical Great Escape, has been discovered in Poland. The entrance has been found to be located in the old theatre, Stalag Luft III of the Nazi prison camp in Zagan, which was earlier under German occupation and is 160 km southeast of Berlin, the Daily Telegraph reported here.

George was built by men bitter that they did not escape through Harry on the night of March 24, 1944. Only later did they learn that the Gestapo murdered 50 of the 76 escapees, made famous by the film starring Steve McQueen, Sir Richard Attenborough and Charles Bronson.

Sqadron Leader Ivor Harris, now 90, who operated the air pump at the entrance of the George tunnel, returned to the theatre last year and identified the hollow in the ground where the route started. It is from this point that the team will begin excavating in the spring.

George was never used because, when the Red Army moved nearer, German guards put the prisoners on a forced march back into Germany. About 200 men died during the march.

Howard Tuck, an RAF historian involved in the project, said the excavation team would visit the site when the harsh winter was over.

They will take equipment not only to explore George, but also to examine the possibility of excavating Harry. “We have it from veterans that they were stashing equipment in George,” he said. “There could be personal effects. Some said they used to stash equipment to use to fight the Germans if they had to.”

Air Commodore Charles Clarke, who went into George while he was held in Stalag Luft III and is now president of the Ex-Prisoner of War Association, said that some prisoners left more personal items such as pictures in the tunnels.

It is hoped that the artefacts found in further excavations will eventually be displayed in the camp museum, as well as other exhibition sites in Britain.