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The Grand Escape

By Frondeau
  • Period: to

    Word War 1

  • David Gray

    Born in India, he was an army engineer.
    1915: Enrolling in Royal Flying Corps.

  • First Escape of David Gray

    David Gray spoke fluent German. He got his hand on a German uniform and managed to walk out the front gate.
    He accidentally went to the wrong village and got recaptured at the police station.
    As a result, he got put in solitary for 2 months.

  • Cecil Blain

    Cecil Blain was captured after his plane crashed on August 7, 1916 (Cambrai prison).

  • Caspar Kennard

    Caspar Kennard was captured after a crash landing on October 9, 1916. (Gutersloh prison). After his capture, Kennard was transferred to Osnabruck.

  • Holzminden prison

    Holzminden prison
    In 1917, the Holzminden prison is finished and escape artists are sent to it as does David, Kennard and Blaine. It is also called “escape university”.

  • Tunnel

    Tunnel
    It was expected to be finished in December 1917 and was supposed to be a length of 15 yards. But some complications happened and the length was extended to 70 yards. David Gray was in charge and was called the “father of the tunnel”. To prevent any collapses, they were taking bed board from beds throughout the whole camp. In June 1918, you could not sit on beds without going through it.

  • The Grand Escape

    The Grand Escape
    Around mid July, the tunnel was almost ready to go. The escape happened on the night of the 23rd. 80 prisoners wanted to escape but only 29 managed to get out safely before the tunnel collapsed. If anyone were to think the were suspicious and questioned them, Gray had a plan: Gray would act as an orderly from an insane asylum while Blaine would be his assistant and Kennard would be a escaped lunatic.

  • Reaching the border

    Reaching the border
    Gray, Blaine and Kennard reached the border on August 5th, 1918 after 14 nights of marching. http://nealbascomb.com/books-bascomb/the-escape-artist/

  • The German were shocked

    The German were shocked
    Eight hours after the escape started, the tunnel was discovered by the Germans. https://vslmblog.com/2008/09/24/holzminden-camp-the-great-escape-of-1918/

  • The exposed escape tunnel leading from the Holzminden Prisoner of War in Germany

    The exposed escape tunnel leading from the Holzminden Prisoner of War in Germany
    https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P03473.003