The march

2010-01-21T11:22:00.067+11:00

CLICK to see Google Earth view of march.

Google Maps route of march. Day 1 --- Day 2 --- Day 3 --- Day 4

DAY 1

A - Harry's Exit……………………………………..51°36'01.71"N 015°18'31.80"E 28 JAN 1945

HARRY shorten route...………………51°36'05.72"N 015°18'05.72"E

B - HARRY'S Western Turnoff………..51°36'08.73"N 015°17'46.12"E

C - ILOWA………………………………………………………….51°30'00.08"N 015°11'58.66"E

D - Morison - Attempt A/c theft.51°27'43.49"N 015°06'52.59"E

E - GOZDNICA………………………………………………….51°26'08.06"N 015°06'01.19"E

F - PRIEBUS/Przewoz…………………………………51°28'38.10"N 014°56'57.40"E 29 JAN 1945

G - PRZEWOZNIKI……………………………………………51°32'25.24"N 014°47'42.15"E

H - Edge of forest………………………………….51°32'30.03"N 014°45'46.42"E

I - LENICA short route…………………………51°32'25.08"N 014°43'53.75"E

J - LEKNICA - German border………….51°32'32.09"N 014°43'42.83"E

K - MUSKAU Glassworks chimney………51°31'57.21"N 014°43'01.78"E

L - MUSKAU CINEMA Approx………………….51°32'32.83"N 014°43'31.71"E

M - MUSKAU Castle Von Armin………….51°32'51.16"N 014°43'24.69"E

N - GRAUSTEIN……………………………………………….51°34'16.67"N 014°28'30.15"E 22 FEB 1945

O - SPREMBERG RAILWAY STATION………51°34'28.76"N 014°23'49.43"E START RAIL COMPONENT

P - NEUHAUSEN Rail Crossing……………51°40'36.49"N 014°25'11.59"E

Q - COTTBUS Rail Crossing…………………51°45'5.27"N 014°19'42.67"E

R - ALLMOSEN Rail Crossing………………51°34'28.01"N 014°04'47.49"E

S - SENFTENBERG Rail Crossing…….51°30'29.76"N 013°57'27.13"E

T - RHULAND Rail Crossing……………..51°27'51.98"N 013°52'45.57"E

U - PLESA………………………………………………………..51°27'50.31"N 013°37'10.29"E

V - FALKENBERG Rail Crossing……..51°35'08.22"N 013°12'48.82"E

DAY 2

A - TORGAU Rail Crossing…………...51°33'5.05"N 012°58'01.47"E

B - EILENBERG…………………………………………..51°27'35.69"N 012°37'57.59"E

C - DELITZSCH Rail Crossing……..51°30'48.83"N 012°18'31.08"E

D - Domnitz Rail Crossing…………..51°37'42.10"N 011°51'44.77"E

E - ASCHERSLEBEN Rail Crossing.51°46'30.32"N 011°25'28.74"E

F - HILDESHEIM………………………………………..52°09'03.24"N 009°57'03.60"E

G - HANNOVER Rail Crossing………..52°20'04.74"N 009°46'55.39"E

DAY 3

A - Rubenberge Rail crossing...52°31'00.50"N 009°27'20.90"E

B - NIENBURG…………………………………………...52°38'12.09"N 009°12'34.46"E

C - TARMSTEDT Railway station….53°13'25.42"N 009°05'13.69"E - END RAIL COMPONENT 4 FEB 1045

D - MARLAG M Camp……………………………...53°13'53.70"N 009°07'33.14"E 10 APR 1945 Departed Camp

E - OSTERIMKE………………………………………...53°15'28.40"N 009°11'00.29"E

F - ZEVEN…………………………………………………...53°17'45.64"N 009°16'53.11"E

G - Heeslingen……………………………………...53°19'00.96"N 009°20'09.86"E

H - HARSEFELT (Mud hut)……………...53°27'09.32"N 009°30'08.65"E 11 APR 1945

I - HORNEBURG………………………………………...53°30'23.81"N 009°34'31.72"E

Mud hut#1………………………………………...53°27'36.77"N 009°31'48.93"E

Mud hut#2………………………………………...53°27'57.94"N 009°30'49.63"E

Mud hut#3…………………………………………..53°28'07.36"N 009°30'32.28"E

J - JORK……………………………………………………...53°31'56.01"N 009°40'49.40"E

K - CRANZ…………………………………………………...53°32'12.65"N 009°46'49.66"E 15 APR 1945

DAY 4

A - BLANKENESE…………………….53°33'30.42"N 009°48'40.51"E

B - SULLDORF………………………..53°35'06.08"N 009°47'38.88"E 16 APR 1945

C - ELLERBEK……………………...53°39'26.05"N 009°52'10.90"E 17 APR 1945

D - TANGSTEDT…………………...53°40'39.19"N 009°51'23.12"E 18 APR 1945

E - GARSTEDT……………………...53°40'58.45"N 009°58'46.26"E

F - ELMENHORST…………………..53°45'54.88"N 010°15'48.75"E 19 APR 1945

G - NERITZ…………………………...53°47'08.51"N 010°17'16.91"E

H - LITTLE BARNITZ………..53°48'36.36"N 010°28'48.08"E 21 APR 1945

I - GREAT BARNITZ………...53°48'21.12"N 010°29'59.88"E

J - TRENTHORST………………...53°47'31.22"N 010°31'56.96"E 26 APR 1945 First contact with British Army

K - WULMENAU……………………...53°46'10.01"N 010°31'07.41"E 27 APR 1945 British POW Colonel arrives

Hamburg38/Lubeck20Km…..53°47'04.39"N 010°25'19.04"E

Lubeck Airfield 53°48'19.13"N 010°42'04.45"E RAF Lancasters flew prisoners home.

Route details from 2 POW diaries

28/1/45 Moved out of camp at 1 a.m. 33 km covered HALBAU ( Now ILOWA), FRIEDWALDAU (Now GOZDNICA) , LEIPPA (Lipna)(Now ?) where he was able to get warm by snuggling up to a cow in a barn.

29/1/45 to PRIEBUS (now PRZEWOZ) then MUSKAU ( now on border between Poland/Germany - Polish side now LEKNICA, German now BAD MUSKAU ) (Spent 3 days & 3 nights accomodated in a riding school & stables on the estate of the Arnhim family)

2/2/45 To GRUNSTEIN by 6 a.m. then SPREMBERG by early afternoon. Entrained in cattle trucks for BREMEN.

(Note on our trip to ZAGAN in May 2006 we drove this Route. There is a small border crossing at LEKNIKA / BAD MUSKAU at the NEISSE River. It was a beautiful day unlike conditions in 45. The roads were pretty rough )

4/2/45 Arrived at TARMSTEDT ( N.E. of BREMEN) at 5-30 PM and marched 3 km to the Marinelarger (naval prison camp), MARLAG NORD.

10/4/45 they were marched out of the camp.

10/4/45 Marched out at 6 am. to ZEVEN then overnight at HEGSLINGEN (18 km forom TARMSTEDT)

11/4/45 Overnight 2km beyond HARSEFELT / HARSFELD (in a turf hut) - Cannot locate!

14/4/45 Half day march to HEYDENDORF

15/4/45 Reached CRANZ on the ELBE River.

16/4/45 Crossed ELBE river. 20 minute crossing to BLANKENESE. (as they were crossing air raid sirens went and 6 Typhoons appeared which caused considerable consternation - they were not attacked)

16/4/45 Overnight at SULLDORF

17/4/45 To ELLERBECK

18/4/45 TANGSTEDT

19/4/45 ELMENHORST

21/4 GREAT & LITLE BARNITZ

25/4/45 Last of Luftwaffe guards left the column

26 & 27/4/45 Moved to a farming estate at TRENTHORST-WULMENAU near LUBECK

2/5/45 British scout car drove into TRENTHORST - Ratcliffe of Cheshire Regiment

3/5/45 Colonel in charge of British POWs arrived

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2010-01-21T11:15:00.032+11:00

Baleria is the lesser known part of Stalag Luft 3. It was more than twice the size of the North Compound of the 'main' camp. Today only one building remains.

Nothing to do with the march or the Great Escape but ...

...... the route of the march passes this airfield some 23 Kms from Stalag Luft 3 where Walter Morison and Lorn Welch dressed in fake Luftwaffe uniforms escaped from SL3 and were about to steal an aircraft when they were caught.

Misc. 'photos

When the existing memorial at Hut 104 was made the bricks that would have supported Hut 104 were scooped up and dumped in this nearby hole. I have souvenired about 20 bricks which are currently in France! Harry descended through a hut support.

I wonder how many of the escapers knew that Zagan railway station was only 600 metres away.

Part of the old Zagan railway station platform which didn't look right without Richard Attenborough and James Garner.

Paul Tobolski I met in 2008 at the opening of the replica of Hut 104. His Father Pawel escaped and was one of the 50 who were shot.

Prisoners overnighted at Muskau, some at the glassworks factory.

This turning point just happens to be on the route from Wulmenau to Lubeck. What a find.

Harry from the air. It was a 500 foot cloud base and poor visibility. Due to the trees you could only see Harry's memorial briefly as you passed end-on.

Why the interest in Stalag Luft 3?

A relative was a forger in Hut 120 having been shot down in early 1943. I've visited the camp a number of times including the opening of the replica of Hut 104 in August 2008 where I met Jason who's a Stalag Luft 3 buff and collector.

Last year Jason Ryanaired into Berlin and we went to the camp site and found all sorts of bits and bobs.

Jason and I will be retracing the march during the European summer in the comfort of a Renault Clio Diesel with climate and cruise control having emailed for hotel accommodation and food along the way. It'll be tough. \(._·)/

40 minutes South of SL3 is Kliczkow at 300 Zloty /£66.00 GBP / €74.00 Euro per night is very good value considering breakfast and dinner is included.
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Quiz on the Great Escape here.

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Peter Stevens was a German Jew who flew for the RAF and became a Stalag Luft 3 prisoner. He was also awarded Britain's Military Cross.