The Sand Pebbles

[MichaelG]

I am a longtime fan of Mr. Steve McQueen, I love his movies, all of them.

One movie stands out, it is "The Sand Pebbles", a modern classic to me, I have watched this movie several hundred times, and I am not tired, to watch it again.

A true Masterpiece it is!

Link: http://www.thesandpebbles.com/

CU Steve, only the good die young...


Michael

[Helmut Von Moltke]

I still remember him in "The Great Escape'. Other than the typical Gestapo stereotypes, the movie was OK, actually, including the Luftwaffe guard characters. I still remember the friendly guard there!

K

[DDLDSDB]

I agree .The Sand Pebbles was a great movie. As usuall, Steve McQueen was superb. He was more on his own there than with all the stars in the Great Escape though.

[Lancer44]

Originally Posted by DDLDSDB

I agree .The Sand Pebbles was a great movie. As usuall, Steve McQueen was superb. He was more on his own there than with all the stars in the Great Escape though.

"All the stars" in The Great Escape were debiutantes - THEY BECOME STARS AFTER "The Great Escape"...

I remember premiere, mate... no one knew Charles Bronson! He was nobody this time!

I'm looking for "The Great Escape" on DVD - any news?

And BTW - do you know that real "Great Escape" was from Sagan - Zagan in Polish?

It is in Poland now, there is a museum and a lot of interesting things.
I have to check, but last year I found that they were excavating and get to the the tunnels.

Cheers,

Lancer44

[Jim O]

Originally Posted by Lancer44

And BTW - do you know that real "Great Escape" was from Sagan - Zagan in Polish?

It is in Poland now, there is a museum and a lot of interesting things.
I have to check, but last year I found that they were excavating and get to the the tunnels.

I did not know that...but now I do.

[Lancer44]

Originally Posted by Jim O

I did not know that...but now I do.

A bit more about it. I can't find real "enthusiasts" site - died with my last HD...

here a bit more: Vladimir Kroupnik. The great escape

Cheers,

Lancer44

[Jim O]

Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply. Any further info on Scharpwinkel?

[Lancer44]

Originally Posted by Jim O

Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply. Any further info on Scharpwinkel?

I'm working on it.

Cheers,

Lancer44

[Lancer44]

Hi Tom,

Sorry I forget about it....

At first a grea link to Rob Davis site:

The Great Escape : Rob Davis

The most comprehensive site about Stalag Luft III

Links to museum in Zagan. Serwis Muzeum

Museum of Allied Prisoners of War Martyrdom in ¯agañ, Stalag Luft 3,Stalag VIIIC,VIIIE, Poland - Zagan

here you an learn what they have there: stove under which was entrance to tunnel "Harry". Concrete cover from entrance to tunnel 'Dick", digging tools, lamps, digging tools, rubber stamp made from shoe sole and others like stools, bunks etc..

Now important for members not familiar with the name Scharpwinkel.

After Great Escape gestapo shot in many different places 50 Allied pilots.
Amongst the executed were 22 British, 6 Canadians, 6 Polish, 4 Australian,
3 South Africans, 2 New Zealanders, 2 Frenchmen, 1 Lithuanian, 1 Greek, 1 Czech.

Full list here:

J5233 F/L Henry J Birkland, Canadian, born 16-Aug-17, 72 Sqdn, (shot down 7-Nov-41, Spitfire Vb, W3367), recaptured near Sagan, last seen alive 31-Mar-44; murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Liegnitz.

61053 F/L E Gordon Brettell DFC, British, born 19-Mar-15, 133 (Eagle) Sqdn (shot down 26-Sep-42, Spitfire IX), recaptured Scheidemuhl, murdered by Bruchardt 29-Mar-44, cremated at Danzig.

43932 F/L Lester G Bull DFC, British, born 7-Nov-16, 109 Sqdn (shot down 5/6-Nov-41, Wellington IC, T2565) recaptured near Reichenburg, murdered 29-Mar-44 by unknown Gestapo, cremated at Brux.

90120 S/L Roger J Bushell, British, born 30-Aug-10, 92 Sqdn (shot down 23-May-40, Spitfire I, N3194) recaptured at Saarbrucken, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Schulz, cremated at Saarbrucken.

39024 F/L Michael J Casey, British, born 19-Feb-18, 57 Sqdn (shot down 16-Oct-39, Blenheim I, L1141), recaptured near Gorlitz, murdered 31-Mar-44 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Gorlitz.

400364 S/L James Catanach DFC, Australian, born 28-Nov-21, 455 Sqdn (crash landed in Norway, 6-Sep-42, Hampden I AT109), recaptured at Flensburg, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Post, cremated at Kiel.

413380 F/L Arnold G Christiansen, New Zealander, 26 Sqdn, born 8-Apr-21, PoW 20-Aug-42, recaptured at Flensburg, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Post, cremated at Kiel.

122441 F/O Dennis H Cochran, British, born 13-Aug-21, 10 OTU, PoW 9-Nov-42, recaptured at Lorrach, murdered 31-Mar-44 by Priess and Herberg, cremated at Natzweiler.

39305 S/L Ian K P Cross DFC, British, born 4-Apr-18, 103 Sqdn (shot down 12-Feb-42, Wellington IC, Z8714 PM:N), recaptured near Gorlitz, murdered 31-Mar-44 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Gorlitz.

378 Lt Halldor Espelid, Norwegian, born 6-Oct-20, 33 Sqdn, PoW 27-Aug-42, recaptured at Flensburg, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Post, cremated at Kiel.

42745 F/L Brian H Evans, British, born 14-Feb-20, 49 Sqdn (shot down 6-Dec-40, Hampden I, P4404 EA:R), recaptured at Halbau; last seen alive 31-Mar-44, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Liegnitz.

742 Lt Nils Fugelsang, Norwegian, 339 Sqdn, PoW 2-May-43, recaptured at Flensburg, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Post, cremated at Kiel.

103275 Lt Johannes S Gouws, South African, born 13-Aug-19, 40 Sqdn SAAF, PoW 9-Apr-42, recaptured at Lindau, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Schneider, cremated at Munich.

45148 F/L William J Grisman, British, born 30-Aug-14, 109 Sqdn, (believed shot down 5/6-Nov-41, Wellington IC, T2565) recaptured near Gorlitz, last seen alive 6-Apr-44; murdered by Lux, cremated at Breslau.

60340 F/L Alastair D M Gunn, British, born 27-Sep-19, 1 PRU, PoW 5-Mar-42, recaptured near Gorlitz, last seen alive 6-Apr-44, murdered by unknown Gestapo, cremated at Breslau.

403281 F/L Albert H Hake, Australian, born 30-Jun-16, 72 Sqdn, PoW 28-Dec-41, recaptured near Gorlitz, murdered 31-Mar-44 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Gorlitz.

50896 F/L Charles P Hall, British, born 25-Jul-18, 1 PRU, PoW 28-Dec-41, recaptured near Sagan, murdered 30-Mar-44 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Liegnitz.

42124 F/L Anthony R H Hayter, British, born 20-May-20, 148 Sqdn, PoW 24-Apr-42, recaptured near Mulhouse, murdered 6-Apr-44 by Schimmel, cremated at Natzweiler.

44177 F/L Edgar S Humphreys, British, born 5-Dec-14, 107 Sqdn (shot down 19-Dec-40, Blenheim IV, T1860), recaptured near Sagan, last seen alive 31-Mar-44, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Liegnitz.

J10177 F/L Gordon A Kidder, Canadian, born 9-Dec-14, 156 Sqdn (shot down 13/14-Oct-42, Wellington III, BJ775) recaptured near Zlin, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Zacharias and Knippelberg, with drivers Kiowsky and Schwartzer, cremated at Mahrisch Ostrau.

402364 F/L Reginald V Kierath, Australian, born 20-Feb-15, 450 Sqdn, PoW 23-Apr-43, recaptured near Reichenburg, murdered 29-Mar-44 by unknown Gestapo, cremated at Brux.

P0109 Maj Antoni Kiewnarski, Polish, born 26-Jan-1899, 305 Sqdn (shot down 28-Aug-42, Wellington X, Z1245), recaptured at Hirschberg, murdered there 31-Mar-44 by Lux, place of cremation unknown.

39103 S/L Thomas G Kirby-Green, British, born 28-Feb-18, 40 Sqdn (shot down 16/17-Oct-41, Wellington IC, Z8862 BL:B), recaptured near Zlin, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Zacharias and Knippelberg, with drivers Kiowsky and Schwartzer, cremated at Mahrisch Ostrau. Described to me as "a tall, suave aristocrat."

P0243 F/O Wlodzimierz Kolanowski, Polish, born 11-Aug-13, 301 Sqdn (shot down 8-Nov-42, Wellington IV, Z1277 GR:Z), recaptured near Sagan, shot at Liegnitz 31-Mar-44 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Liegnitz.

P0237 F/O Stanislaw Z Krol, Polish, born 22-Mar-16, 74 Sqdn (shot down 2-Jul-41, Spitfire Vb, W3263), recaptured at Oels, shot at Breslau 14-Apr-44 probably by Lux, cremated at Breslau.

J1631 Patrick W Langford, Canadian, born 4-Nov-19, 16 OTU, (shot down 28/29-Jul-42, Wellington IC, R1450) recaptured near Gorlitz, last seen alive 31-Mar-44, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Liegnitz.

46462 F/L Thomas B Leigh, Australian in RAF, born 11-Feb-19, 76 Sqdn (shot down 5/6-Aug-41, Halifax I, L9516), recaptured in Sagan area; last seen alive 12-Apr-44, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Breslau.

89375 F/L James L R Long, British, born 21-Feb-15, 9 Sqdn (shot down 27-Mar-41, Wellington IA, R1335 WS:K), recaptured near Sagan, last seen alive 12-Apr-44, murdered by Lux; cremated at Breslau.

95691 2/Lt Clement A N McGarr, South African, born 24-Nov-17, 2 Sqdn SAAF, PoW 6-Oct-41, recaptured near Sagan, last seen alive 6-Apr-44, murdered by Lux, cremated at Breslau.

J5312 F/L George E McGill, Canadian, born 14-Apr-18, 103 Sqdn. (I was puzzled because I could not tie him up with an aircraft loss. He and 3 others baled out of a damaged Wellington R1192 10/11-Jan-42 over Germany, on an operation to Wilhelmshaven. The Wellington managed to limp back to Elsham Wolds.) Recaptured in Sagan area, last seen alive 31-Mar-44, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Liegnitz.

89580 F/L Romas Marcinkus, Lithuanian, born 22-Jul-10, 1 Sqdn, recaptured at Scheidemuhl, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Bruchardt, cremated at Danzig.

103586 F/L Harold J Milford, British, born 16-Aug-14, 226 Sqdn, PoW 22-Sep-42, recaptured near Sagan, last seen alive 6-Apr-44, murdered by Lux; cremated at Breslau.

P0913 F/O Jerzy Tomasc Mondschein, Polish, born 18-Mar-09, 304 Sqdn (shot down 8-Nov-41, Wellington IC, R1215), recaptured in Reichenburg area, murdered Brux 29-Mar-44 by unknown Gestapo, cremated at Brux.

P0740 F/O Kazimierz Pawluk, Polish, born 1-Jul-06, 305 Sqdn (shot down 29-Mar-42, Wellington II, W5567 SM:M), recaptured at Hirschberg, shot there on 31-Mar-44 by Lux, place of cremation unknown.

87693 F/L Henri A Picard Croix de Guerre, Belgian, born 17-Apr-16, 350 Sqdn, PoW 2-Sep-42, recaptured at Scheidemuhl, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Bruchardt, cremated at Danzig.

402894 F/O John P P Pohe, New Zealander, born 10-Dec-21, 51 Sqdn (shot down 22/23-Sep-41, Halifax II, JN901) recaptured near Gorlitz, murdered 31-Mar-44 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Gorlitz. Also known by his Maori name of Porokoru Patapu.

30649 Sous-Lt Bernard W M Scheidhauer, French, born 28-Aug-21, 131 Sqdn, PoW 18-Nov-42, recaptured at Saarbrucken, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Spann, cremated at Saarbrucken.

213 P/O Sotiris Skanzikas, Greek, born 6-Aug-21, 336 Sqdn, PoW 23-Jul-43, recaptured at Hirschberg, murdered 30-Mar-44 by Lux, place of cremation unknown.

47341 Rupert J Stevens, South African, born 21-Feb-19, 12 Sqdn SAAF, PoW 14-Nov-41, recaptured at Rosenheim, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Schneider; cremated at Munich.

130452 F/O Robert C Stewart, British, born 7-Jul-11, 77 Sqdn (shot down 26/27-Apr-43, Halifax II, DT796) recaptured near Sagan, last seen alive 31-Mar-44, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Liegnitz.

107520 F/L John G Stower, British, born 15-Sep-16, 142 Sqdn (shot down 16/17-Nov-42, Wellington III, BK278, QT:C), recaptured near Reichenberg, murdered 31-Mar-44 by unknown Gestapo; place of cremation unknown.

123026 F/L Denys O Street, British, born 1-Apr-22, 207 Sqdn (shot down 29/30-Mar-43, Lancaster I, EM:O), recaptured near Sagan, last seen alive 6-Apr-44, murdered by Lux; cremated at Breslau.

37658 F/L Cyril D Swain, British, born 15-Dec-11, 105 Sqdn (shot down 28-Nov-40, Blenheim IV, T1893), recaptured near Gorlitz, last seen alive 31-Mar-44, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Liegnitz.

P0375 F/O Pawel Whilem Tobolski, Polish, born 21-Mar-06, 301 Sqdn (shot down 25/26-Jun-42, Wellington IV, GR:A), recaptured at Stettin, shot at Breslau 2-Apr-44 probably by Lux, cremated at Breslau.

82532 F/L Ernst Valenta, Czech, born 25-Oct-12, 311 Sqdn (shot down 6-Feb-41, Wellington IC, L7842 KX:T), recaptured near Gorlitz, last seen alive 31-Mar-44, murdered by Lux and Scharpwinkel; cremated at Liegnitz.

73022 F/L Gilbert W Walenn, British, born 24-Feb-16, 25 OTU, PoW 11-Sep-41, recaptured at Scheidemuhl, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Bruchardt, cremated at Danzig.

J6144 F/L James C Wernham, Canadian, born 15-Jan-17, 405 Sqdn (shot down 8/9-Jun-42, Halifax II, W7708 LQ:H), recaptured at Hirschberg, murdered 31-Mar-44 by Lux, place of cremation unknown.

J7234 F/L George W Wiley, Canadian, born 24-Jan-22, 112 Sqdn, PoW 12-Mar-43, recaptured near Gorlitz, murdered 31-Mar-44 by Lux and Scharpwinkel, cremated at Gorlitz.

40652 S/L John E A Williams DFC, Australian, born 6-May-19, 450 Sqdn, PoW 31-Oct-42, recaptured near Reichenberg, murdered 29-Mar-44 by Lux, cremated at Brux.

106173 F/L John F Williams, British, born 7-Jul-17, 107 Sqdn (shot down 27-Apr-42, Boston III), recaptured near Sagan, last seen alive 6-Apr-44, murdered by unknown Gestapo; cremated at Breslau.

(Polish officers have their RAF ranks quoted)

As you can see reality was different than movie. They were not shot together but individually, in different places, before final shots most of them tortured.

In this list two names of murderers are repeated many times - Lux and Scharpwinkel.

[Lancer44]

After the end of war a group of the Special Investigation Branch (SIB) RAF under command of lieutenant MacKenna (died in April 2002) launched an investigation of circumstances of death of POW airmen. Persistent search for the murderers succeeded and 13 participants of the executions were trailed and hanged in Hamburg in February 1948. Some participants of the events who had not taken part in shootings, were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment. At least five Gestapo murderers committed suicides before arrest or in investigation jails. One of the murderers – police commissar Hunter Abasalom died in a Soviet jail in May 1948. Some Gestapo men from Breslau including Lux, who had not less than 27 shot escapees on his conscience, including the Australians Williams and Hake, died in fighting against the Soviet troops during the last days of war. Three more were hanged by the Czechs.

Gestapo Chief Dr Wilhelm Scharpwinkel was masquerading as a Lt Hagamann in the No 6 Hospital at Breslau when Frau Gerda Zembrodt, corroborated by Klaus Lonsky, saw Russian officers remove him at gunpoint. During the enquiry into the murders, the Russians refused to co-operate with the Allied investigation, although after much prodding they allowed Scharpwinkel to make a statement, in Moscow, during August and September 1946. Soon afterwards, Scharpwinkel disappeared and although reported dead by the Russians on 17-Oct-1947, was believed to have found a high position in the Soviet administration. He is almost certain to have died by now.

Strangely enough, no known photograph of him exist...

He and his associate Lux murdered Cross, Casey, Wiley, Leigh, Pohe and Hake. The next day Lux executed Humphries, McGill, Swain, Hall, Langford, Evans, Valenta, Kolanowski, Stewart and Birkland. The day after that, he executed Kiewnarski, Pawluk, Wernham and Skanzikas. On April 6th, Lux murdered Grisman, J E Williams, Milford, Street and McGarr. Long followed soon after. Lux is also believed to have killed Tobolski and Krol, who vanished in the same area as the others. Lux, with at least twenty-seven murders on his soul, died in the fighting around Breslau at the end of the war. Gunn, killed at Breslau, is likely to have been another of their victims.

The Murderers and their Accessories

Stalag Luft 3, Zagan - Poland

I cannot find what was Scharpwinkel's special field in which he was a doctor...
One thing is sure, he was a professional murderer...

Look here: http://www.deathcamps.org/occupation...zkommandos.htm

On the list of arch-murderers and Einsatzkommando chiefs, Dr. Sharpwinkel is also visible. Most of those murderers were doctors... Of what? Not medicine for sure. Philosophy???

Cheers,

Lancer44