The Rolex
A Rolex watch worn by a British prisoner of war during the infamous ‘Great Escape’ attempt has emerged for sale for £30,000.
Despite being held in the Stalag Luft III camp in Germany, Flight Lieutenant Gerald Imeson was still able to order and take delivery of a brand new watch in 1942.
The Swiss watchmaker had offered all British officer PoWs one of their timepieces to replace the ones seized by the Germans on condition they pay after the war.
The deal was only made to British officers as they were seen as honourable gentlemen.
F/Lt Imeson wore the watch as he helped dig the three tunnels for the audacious escape attempt of 1944.
He acted as a ‘penguin’, one of the men who secretly dispersed surplus soil dug from the tunnels through holes in their trouser pockets.
He was allocated position 172 in the queue of PoWs to escape but never made it into the tunnel as the German guards discovered the break-out.
Of the 76 men who escaped, 73 were recaptured and 50 of them were executed. The attempt was immortalised in the 1963 film The Great Escape.READ MORE -http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rolex-worn-during-world-war-2528085
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Rolex worn during World War 2 "Great Escape" attempt to go on sale for £30,000
The Rolex
A Rolex watch worn by a British prisoner of war during the infamous ‘Great Escape’ attempt has emerged for sale for £30,000.
Despite being held in the Stalag Luft III camp in Germany, Flight Lieutenant Gerald Imeson was still able to order and take delivery of a brand new watch in 1942.
The Swiss watchmaker had offered all British officer PoWs one of their timepieces to replace the ones seized by the Germans on condition they pay after the war.
The deal was only made to British officers as they were seen as honourable gentlemen.
F/Lt Imeson wore the watch as he helped dig the three tunnels for the audacious escape attempt of 1944.
He acted as a ‘penguin’, one of the men who secretly dispersed surplus soil dug from the tunnels through holes in their trouser pockets.
He was allocated position 172 in the queue of PoWs to escape but never made it into the tunnel as the German guards discovered the break-out.
Of the 76 men who escaped, 73 were recaptured and 50 of them were executed. The attempt was immortalised in the 1963 film The Great Escape.READ MORE -http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/rolex-worn-during-world-war-2528085
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