Helpers, Escapers & Evaders
Meet the people behind the escape lines—helpers who risked reprisals, escapers who walked hundreds of miles to freedom, and modern-day researchers retracing their journeys. Browse the collections below to explore biographies, memoirs and personal stories organised by theatre.
- An Escaper or Evader – Understanding the difference between escapers and evaders, and the duty to escape.
- Escapers & Evaders in Europe – Campaigns, raids and rescues across the Western Front.
- Personal Stories – First-hand accounts from families and ELMS members.
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An Escaper or Evader
By Roger Stanton Escapers and Evaders – what is the difference? An Escaper is one who has managed to escape from ‘secure enemy custody’, whether it be a prison, POW camp, prison train, or from guards…
Read moreEscapers & Evaders in Europe
From the wire fences of POW camps to the beaches of occupied France, Allied servicemen found countless ways to outwit their captors. Naval pick up operations, forest encampments, mass breakouts and le…
Read morePersonal Stories
Personal testimonies that honour the helpers, escapers and evaders who sustained the WW2 escape lines.
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