GeTaWay The Only NZ Airman to Escape from Nazi Prison Camp (Signed)

Description

GeTaWay by Gordon Thomson Woodroofe
The only New Zealand airman to escape from a Nazi prison camp and make his way back to England during WWII

Paperback, 1998, 320pages, good condition, crease in spine, signed by author for ex-owner

Gordon Thomson Woodroofe was the only New Zealand airman known to have escaped from a Nazi prison camp and make his way back to England during World War II.

Born in Te Aroha and schooled in Matamata, Gordon Woodroofe left Auckland Teachers Training College in 1940 to train as a pilot in the RNZAF at Taieri and Wigram. On his sixth operational trip from England he ditched in the North Sea and was made a prisoner of war. “GeTaWay” tells the story of the ensuing three years to his arrival back in England via Sweden in September 1944.

The RAF historian lists out of the 10,000 British airmen prisoners the 30 who “successfully escaped from set German prison camps”, the author is the only New Zealander named.

From the start on a Luftwaffe aerodrome in Denmark he made many moves before his chance came – when he promptly lay down and went to sleep instead of escaping.

His bicycle ride across Czechoslovakia and Austria provides many exciting moments. His planning and execution of a train ride to the Baltic and escape on a Swedish collier entailed much adventure.