The Wooden Horse

Prisoners at Stalag Luft III conceive an escape plan centered on tunneling from a central open area near the perimeter. They decide to use a vaulting horse as cover and to conceal the tunnel entrance beneath it. The goal is to stay undetected while the tunnel tunnels toward freedom.

A vaulting horse is built largely from plywood sourced from Red Cross parcels. The entrance is hidden beneath the horse, with the digger staying beneath and the surface area kept quiet. Each day, the team fills the hole with boards and sand to maintain cover.

A team of vaulters is recruited to carry the horse out to the designated spot each day. A digger hides inside the horse while others exercise, and the excavation continues below. When the day ends, the boards are placed over the entrance and the horse is carried back to the hut.

Phil is recruited to join the digging team with the promise of a future in the escape. He becomes part of the operation and helps with the tunnel's construction while the others manage the daily routine. The collaboration expands the pool of prisoners involved.

As digging progresses, more men hide inside the horse while the exercise continues above. The crew places wooden boards over the aperture and fills the space with sand to suppress evidence of tunneling. At the end of the day, the horse is moved back, concealing the tunnel beneath.

Clinton hides in the tunnel during an Appell (roll call) while the others are carried out inside the horse. The escape proceeds with a third man replacing the tunnel trap, signaling the successful start of the breakout. The operation culminates in the three men escaping from the camp.

Howard and Clinton slip from the camp and travel by train toward the Baltic port of Lübeck, though their route actually passes via Frankfurt an der Oder to Stettin. Their journey reflects the chaotic wartime rail network as they push toward neutral or Allied-held territory. The voyage marks the first step in their flight from captivity.

Phil elects to travel solo, disguising himself as a Norwegian margarine salesman. He journeys by train via Danzig and becomes the first escapee to reach neutral territory. His solo trek highlights the varied paths taken by the escapees.

At the docks, Howard and Clinton are forced to kill a German sentry who surprises the hidden men. They connect with French workers and meet Sigmund, a Danish resistance contact, who helps smuggle them onto a Danish ship. The encounter propels their move toward safety.

The escapees transfer to a fishing boat and reach Copenhagen before being shipped to neutral Sweden. They are eventually reunited with Phil, who had already arrived in neutral territory. The voyage completes their passage from captivity to safety.

In neutral Sweden, the group is reunited and begins life outside the camp. The escapees reflect on their arduous journey and look ahead to their future beyond captivity. The sequence ends with their safety secured in neutral territory.