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David James
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Escaper's Progress: The Remarkable POW Experiences of a Royal Naval Officer Kindle Edition

by David James (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 1,549 ratings
A British naval officer details life as a prisoner of war and his courageous and suspenseful escape attempts during World War II.

David James was in Motor Gunboats (with Robert Hichens of Gunboat Command). Captured in February 1943 after abandoning ship due to fierce engagement with three German armed trawlers in the North Sea, he was imprisoned in Dulag Marlag.

His first tunnel was discovered before completion. In December 1943 he succeeded in escaping during the weekly bath house visit and was on the run for almost a week disguised as an officer of the Royal Bulgarian Navy. He was captured after several close calls while attempting to board a ship at Lubeck.

In February 1944 he escaped again this time dressed as a Swedish sailor and traveled by train to Bremen, Hamburg, Lubeck, Rostock finishing up in Danzig, all the while searching for a suitable ship. He eventually succeeded in reaching Stockholm after two and a half days in the extreme heat of a ship’s engine room. His superbly written narrative is full of suspense and excitement.
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  1. Print length
    186 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pen & Sword Military
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    21 April 2009
  6. File size
    1.5 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0091WDTN8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Military
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 21 April 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.5 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 186 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1844684472
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 1,549 ratings

About the author

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David James

David James

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
1,549 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and engaging, describing it as a boy's own adventure. Moreover, the story receives positive feedback as an amazing true escape narrative, and customers appreciate the detailed and insightful account.

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72 customers mention ‘Readability’72 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a great page-turner that reads like a boy's own adventure.

"it is an amazing story rather than an amazing book - written I understand not long after the events and it shows in the Boy's Own style of writing...." Read more

"...A great read in every way , and if the sadly late Airey Neve had lived he would have written in a similar vein...." Read more

"...An outstanding read." Read more

"Well written and the writer takes you there. It shows the great ingenuity of the P.O.W.s to try to escape" Read more

39 customers mention ‘Story quality’39 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's narrative engaging and well-told, describing it as an amazing true escape story.

"it is an amazing story rather than an amazing book - written I understand not long after the events and it shows in the Boy's Own style of writing...." Read more

"Not much else to add, the real camp goings on are interesting, the lengths the captured would go to escape." Read more

"...The story is astonishing in its depth and detail and aptly provides a clear understanding of the background to the escape attempts and the..." Read more

"This book is a compelling account of the author's two attempts to escape from a prisoner- of-war camp in northern Germany during World War II...." Read more

17 customers mention ‘Detail’17 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's detailed and insightful content, with one customer specifically highlighting its thorough treatment of prisoner experiences.

"Of great interest as my father spent time in the camp, useful information and details of how the prisoners were treated and how they got on with the..." Read more

"...The story is astonishing in its depth and detail and aptly provides a clear understanding of the background to the escape attempts and the..." Read more

"...He provides a very detailed description of the many preparations needed for an escape and of his journeys, mostly by train, to reach the Baltic..." Read more

"The determination to escape is amazing, the thoroughly researched preparations are brilliant reading. The suspense the escaper is feeling is palpable." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • somewhere in England
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good reading, not too heavy. How Naval POWs fared.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 January 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Of great interest as my father spent time in the camp, useful information and details of how the prisoners were treated and how they got on with the guards.
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  • CaZy
    4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing true escape story.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 March 2017
    Verified Purchase
    it is an amazing story rather than an amazing book - written I understand not long after the events and it shows in the Boy's Own style of writing. David James had a privileged background but you can't knock his grit and determination to escape the warmth and relative comfort (his own words) of the officers POW camp. The story would make a great war film, although such genre is probably no longer in demand by today's audience, which is a pity when you consider such greats as the Great Escape and The Guns of Naverone. Indeed, if this wasn't fact I could well imagine such a story having been written by the late Alistair MacLean, although it would probably have involved the main character having to shoot his away out of a few tricky situations.

    Although not exactly riveting story writing, nevertheless I think the actual events exciting enough to keep the reader engaged.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 May 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This the stuff of Boys Own , and other tales of dare do. They do not make people like this anymore , a tale told in a beautifully understated style , no fuss made and every effort to thank everyone who helped on the way .
    A great read in every way , and if the sadly late Airey Neve had lived he would have written in a similar vein.The country is a less rich place for the passing of people such as this . What we offer now in government pales in insignificance.
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  • Nick Tite
    3.0 out of 5 stars Fairly good
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 June 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Not much else to add, the real camp goings on are interesting, the lengths the captured would go to escape.
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  • arbut
    4.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding read which keeps you glued to the page!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 May 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Although written many years ago, not long after the events described, the style of writing takes the reader back to that era and is all the better for it. The story is astonishing in its depth and detail and aptly provides a clear understanding of the background to the escape attempts and the claustrophobic tunneling undertaken. Later, the reader can almost feel the frustration of the escaper when the boat he is hoping to use sets sail seconds before he could have boarded and is on tenterhooks regarding his next attempt. Moreover, you can just feel the heat when he is secreted under the boiler. An outstanding read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Edcase
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well told story of derring do much lacking today
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 January 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Well written and the writer takes you there. It shows the great ingenuity of the P.O.W.s to try to escape
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  • Floyd
    5.0 out of 5 stars Time to go home
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 August 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is a very good and humorous tale,I found it written with a very large dose of self efacing sense of humour covering a period of incarceration.That he was in a camp run by the Kreigsmarine was a very big plus as the guard's and camp commandant were not brutal unlike many of the other camps manned by the other arms of the state forces.That he managed to get back to England relatively unscathed is a tribute to this very remarkable man.c
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Escape to freedom
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 March 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a compelling account of the author's two attempts to escape from a prisoner- of-war camp in northern Germany during World War II. He provides a very detailed description of the many preparations needed for an escape and of his journeys, mostly by train, to reach the Baltic coast where he eventually finds a ship that takes him to Sweden and freedom. An exciting book to read full of grit and determination to succeed at all costs.
    4 people found this helpful
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