Northumberland Second World War veteran, part of The Great Escape inspiring prison break, has story told in exhibition

Squadron Leader Dudley Craig survived being caught in a tunnel on March 24, 1944 during the mass prison break that inspired the 1963 film The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen and Richard Attenborough.

A virtual exhibition created from letters and papers that his family have entrusted to Northumberland Archives will be shown on a screen in the County Hall reception until April 14.

Coun Jeff Watson, cabinet member for culture, heritage and libraries, said: “I am sure we have all seen the film over the years but to think one of our own was involved and to see this first-hand evidence is fascinating.

“Dudley must have been a very brave man and it is great to know he played a part in such a pivotal event in World War II.”

After Dudley’s aircraft was hit by flak while flying over Le Touquet, France he crash landed at sea and swam ashore, only to be arrested by German soldiers.

He attempted to escape from imprisonment on multiple occasions before being transferred to Luftwaffe-run prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III, near the town of Żagań, Poland.

It was here that he took part in the war’s most notorious escape attempt where three tunnels, nicknamed Tom, Dick, and Harry, were dug by more than 600 men.

Ultimately, only the Harry tunnel was used in the attempt, which led to 76 prisoners escaping the camp and Dudley being caught in the tunnel by guards.

73 escapees were later captured by the Germans, 50 of which were executed, but Dudley survived to return to his pre-war job practising law in Newcastle and receive an OBE in 1949. He died in 1974.

The exhibition features photographs, documents, and accounts from Dudley of his time as a prisoner, and is also online at northumberlandarchives.com/archive-exhibitions

Dudley’s family was originally from Corbridge but lived abroad when he was born, as his father was a legal advisor to the King of Siam.

Dudley went on to join the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in 1937 and got married in 1940 to Anne Monica Charlton, with whom he had two children.