Herbert Martin Massey was by any measure, a remarkable man. He was
wounded three times in three separate conflicts, the first of which, in
the First World War, almost killed him. Brought down in flames by one of
Germany's great aces, Werner Voss, he somehow recovered from his
horrific, life-threatening injuries to continue his flying career in the
Royal Air Force, only to be nearly killed once more in the Palestine
Emergency of 1936, when his life was saved by the thin metal of his
cigarette case. Then, at the age of 44 and having risen through the
ranks to Group Captain, he was shot down over Holland on the second of
the Thousand Bomber Raids in June 1942.
Massey was taken prisoner by the Germans and sent to Stalag Luft III at
Sagan. Here, he was to excel as the Senior British Officer, vigorously
defending the rights of his fellow prisoners of war, the men now under
his command. Respected and admired by his comrades and captors alike,
fate handed to him the decision to authorize the Great Escape, the
famous breakout from Sagan in March 1944.
Too badly wounded to join the escape himself, Martin Massey was the man
to whom the Germans first broke the news of the execution of fifty of
those who had been recaptured. Repatriated to Britain because of his
wounds shortly afterwards, it was Massey who brought home the details of
the murders which began the process of bringing the perpetrators to
justice post-war.
Decorated for his gallantry and leadership six times, men like Martin
Massey come along only rarely. This book, using previously unseen
documents and photographs, tells his story.
