Halifax Pilots

POW 3267

Stalag Luft Three (Belaria) 1944









Copyright Simon McIlroy 2008© Designed By: Liam Nolan

Books Contents

THE LAMENT

Here we are at Stalag Luft Three, drinking at the bar,
With lovely girls to buy us beer,
Like bloody hell, we are!

We travelled here in luxury, the whole trip for a quid,
A sleeping-berth for each of us,
Like bloody hell, we did!

Our feather-beds are two foot deep, the carpets almost new,
In easy chairs we lounge all day,
Like bloody hell, we do!

The Goons are really wizard chaps, their hopes of victory, good,
We’d change them places any day,
Like bloody hell, we would!

Extract from poem written by Bill Lott in Stalag Luft III. October 1944.

The poem conveys a brilliant insight into the "British" sense of humour, and definance, under such adverse conditions.

First published in Great Britian in 2008 by:

Knights of The Ream
PO Box 3255
South Croydon
CR2 1HA

ISBN 978-0-9559716-0-0

This Book is dedicated to Ian MacKenzie, my father, William McIlroy and the crew of JB 909, 408 Squadron, RCAF

CONTENTS

List of Photographs
List of Illustrations
List of Maps
Acknowledgements

Preface
Chapter 1        Introduction
Chapter 2        Background,                          Enlistment                          and Training
Chapter 3        Operations
Chapter 4        Shot Down
Chapter 5        Reims
Chapter 6        Stalag Luft III
Chapter 7        March to                          Luckenwalde                          and Escape
Chapter 8        Vienna
Chapter 9        Ian                          MacKenzie
Chapter 10      LaNeuvillette                          Reims
Postscript
Appendices
Bibliography