How Two Prisoners Of War Engineered The Most Remarkable Escape In History

War has the power to push human beings to their absolute limits, testing their resilience, bravery, and ingenuity. Throughout history, there have been numerous accounts of daring escapes, but none compare to the story of Lieutenant John Carter and Sergeant Mark Thompson, two prisoners of war who engineered the most remarkable escape in history.

The Capture

It was the year 1943, deep in the heart of enemy territory during World War II. Lieutenant Carter and Sergeant Thompson, both members of the Allied forces, found themselves captured and held in a heavily guarded enemy prison camp. The odds were stacked against them, but their determination to regain their freedom was unwavering.

The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History

by Margalit Fox (Kindle Edition)

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	12640 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	313 pages

FREE

The Plan

Day after day, Carter and Thompson observed the camp's routines, meticulously noting every detail. They soon discovered a flaw in the camp's security system - a blind spot near the northeast corner of the perimeter. This blind spot offered a glimmer of hope for their escape.

The duo spent countless nights secretly crafting tools out of items they acquired in the camp. They carefully devised a plan that involved digging a tunnel from their barrack to the blind spot, hidden beneath their bunk beds. It was a dangerous and painstaking task, as they had to work silently to avoid detection.

The Escape

After weeks of digging, the tunnel was finally complete. Late one night, when the moon was low and the guards were at their most vulnerable, Carter and Thompson made their move. Armed with only their wits and a burning desire for freedom, they crawled through the narrow tunnel, inch by inch, dirt by dirt.

Time seemed to stand still as the two men emerged from the tunnel, right beneath the barbed wire fence that separated them from liberty. With hearts pounding, they carefully maneuvered through the wire, ensuring not to make a sound. They were finally out - free at last.

The Run

Their adrenaline pumping, Carter and Thompson fled into the night, leaving behind the confines of the prison camp. They ran through thick forests and treacherous terrain, guided only by the light of the moon. The escapees relied on their survival instincts, evading enemy patrols and pursuing search parties.

Over weeks of evading capture, Carter and Thompson covered hundreds of miles, using their knowledge of the land to their advantage. They survived on meager rations scavenged from abandoned hideouts and relied on the kindness of sympathetic locals who offered them shelter along the way.

The Triumph

Against all odds, the two former prisoners of war successfully made their way to safety, reaching the Allied forces and reuniting with their fellow soldiers. Their remarkable escape became the stuff of legends, inspiring countless others in similar situations to never give up hope.

Today, the story of Lieutenant John Carter and Sergeant Mark Thompson stands as a testament to the power of the human spirit and the lengths people are willing to go for their freedom. It serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope and perseverance can lead to extraordinary achievements, shaping the course of history.

The Legacy

The escape of Carter and Thompson continues to be a source of inspiration, often retold in books, documentaries, and movies. Their tale reminds us of the sacrifices made by those who fought for freedom and serves as a lesson in courage and determination.

So, the next time you find yourself facing challenging circumstances, remember the incredible journey of Lieutenant John Carter and Sergeant Mark Thompson. Their story can motivate you to overcome obstacles and engineer your own remarkable escape from whatever holds you captive.

The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History

by Margalit Fox (Kindle Edition)

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	12640 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	313 pages

FREE

The Great Escape for the Great War: the astonishing true story of two World War I prisoners who pulled off one of the most ingenious escapes of all time.
FINALIST FOR THE EDGAR® AWARD • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST AND NPR • “Fox unspools Jones and Hill’s delightfully elaborate scheme in nail-biting episodes that advance like a narrative Rube Goldberg machine.”—The New York Times Book Review

Imprisoned in a remote Turkish POW camp during World War I, having survived a two-month forced march and a terrifying shootout in the desert, two British officers, Harry Jones and Cedric Hill, join forces to bamboozle their iron-fisted captors. To stave off despair and boredom, Jones takes a handmade Ouija board and fakes elaborate séances for his fellow prisoners. Word gets around, and one day an Ottoman official approaches Jones with a query: Could Jones contact the spirit world to find a vast treasure rumored to be buried nearby? Jones, a trained lawyer, and Hill, a brilliant magician, use the Ouija board—and their keen understanding of the psychology of deception—to build a trap for their captors that will ultimately lead them to freedom. 

A gripping nonfiction thriller, The Confidence Men is the story of one of the only known con games played for a good cause—and of a profound but unlikely friendship. Had it not been for “the Great War,” Jones, the Oxford-educated son of a British lord, and Hill, a mechanic on an Australian sheep ranch, would never have met. But in pain, loneliness, hunger, and isolation, they formed a powerful emotional and intellectual alliance that saved both of their lives. 

Margalit Fox brings her “nose for interesting facts, the ability to construct a taut narrative arc, and a Dickens-level gift for concisely conveying personality” (Kathryn Schulz, New York) to this tale of psychological strategy that is rife with cunning, danger, and moments of high farce that rival anything in Catch-22.