The Tunnellers of Holzminden

First printed in 1930, this book tells the story of twenty nine British officers imprisoned by the Germans during WWI, who escaped through a tunnel.

H. G. Durnford (Author)

9781107636071, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 3 April 2014

234 pages
19.8 x 12.9 x 1.3 cm, 0.23 kg

First printed in 1930 as the second edition of a 1920 original, this book tells the exciting story of twenty nine British officers imprisoned by the Germans during WWI in the Holzminden prisoner-of-war camp, who escaped through a tunnel on the night of 23–24 July 1918. Durnford, who was a witness to many of the events described and interviewed many of the surviving escapees, writes in a relaxed and subjective style that is easy to read and engrossing. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in 'this simple tale of a strategically unimportant but highly successful sideshow, in Germany, in the dog days of 1918'.

Prologue
1. A camp in being
2. Niemeyer - and pinpricks
3. Introducing the main motif
4. Escapes
5. Accomplices
6. In the tunnel
7. Reprisals
8. The last lap
9. The escape and the sequel
10. Closing incidents
11. Making good
Epilogue.

Subject Areas: Military history [HBW]