'Great escape' digger dies

Published: Aug. 7, 2008 at 1:55 PM
Order reprints
LONDON, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Eric "Digger" Dowling, who helped set up World War II's "great escape," has died on the eve of his 93rd birthday.

Dowling died in his sleep in a nursing home near Stoke Bishop, Bristol, The Times of London reported.

Dowling forged passports, made maps and helped dig the one tunnel the Germans didn't discover before 250 prisoners escaped from Stalag Luft III in occupied Poland. Many of those who fled in what is regarded as World War II's biggest breakout, carried documents forged by Dowling, who couldn't accompany them because he wasn't one of the 250 chosen by lot, The Times said. Three got away; 50 were reported executed on Adolf Hitler's personal order.

Dowling, a Royal Air Force lieutenant who was navigator of a Wellington bomber, was shot down in April 1942 and spent three years in Stalag Luft III. While there, he learned five languages. His nickname came from his proficiency at digging tunnels, The Times said.

The breakout was featured in the film "The Great Escape," which he had said he thought wasn't very realistic especially dealing with the hardships of the tunnel diggers.


© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Nickelodeon not buying La. Six Flags (<1 min)
Son of U.N. official kidnapped in Lebanon (2 min)
Jim Carrey to be a grandfather (5 min)
Man gored to death in Pamplona run (6 min)
Iran may have nuclear bomb in a year (12 min)
Canadian plane crashes on landing approach (23 min)
Aung San Suu Kyi's trial resumes (25 min)
fark
Over a 30-day period, U.S. Marshalls arrested over 35k figitives netting 2,356 sex-offenders, 433...
Tennessee Aquarium presents a bowl full of ugly-ass baby penguin. A little milk and we'll have a...
Judge allows Twitter-using DA to 'tweet' upcoming muder trial over defense objections. Prosecution's...
Photoshop theme: The end of the universe
NY Times thinks their website users would pay five bucks per month. Listen, for the last time, no...
Fewer calories allow monkeys to live longer. Good thing you're not a monkey