Great Escape war hero Jimmy James dies aged 92

Published on Sunday 20 January 2008 00:26

TRIBUTES were paid last night after the death of an RAF veteran who took part in the Second World War prison camp breakout that was immortalised in the film The Great Escape.

Squadron Leader Jimmy James, of Ludlow, Shropshire, died yesterday at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital after a short illness. He was 92.

Military historian Howard Tuck, who was working on a book with James before his death, said

: "The one thing people tend to focus on with him is his role in the Great Escape, but in fact he actually tried to escape 13 times from different camps and prisons during the Second World War.

"People often used to describe him as the greatest living Englishman, and I think they were right."

James became well known after his attempt to dig a tunnel out of a Nazi prison camp in Poland was recreated in the 1963 film The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen.

He was one of 76 men to escape from Stalag Luft III on March 24, 1944, 50 of whom were executed after they were caught. Only three men successfully made their way to freedom.

After his recapture, he was interrogated and sent to Sachenhausen concentration camp, near Berlin, from which he made another escape bid only to be caught again days later.

He retired as a squadron leader in the RAF in 1958, and held posts in Africa, Europe and London as part of the Diplomatic Service until 1975. James is survived by his wife of 61 years, Madge.