Very Important Person

Brilliant but acerbic scientist in charge of key aircraft research, Pease engineers a high-stakes disguise to escape, revealing a calculating mind under pressure. His plan blends scientific precision with stubborn nerve, and his past memories surface during the reunion framing. He is the hinge on which both the prisoner’s plan and the television program turn.

A fellow prisoner and friend who provides steady support and moral ballast. Cooper contributes practical insight to the escape scheme and embodies resilience under captivity. His later life as a missionary in India contrasts with his wartime role, adding a note of personal redemption.

West London undertaker by demeanor, Everett is pressed into impersonating Major Stamfel to mislead the Germans. He embodies the blend of bluff and nerve needed to blur lines between guards and prisoners under duress.

The real camp officer whose authority becomes the target of a complex ruse. His imposing presence creates a formidable obstacle to the escape plan, and his vulnerability to impersonation drives much of the tension.

Flt Lt. 'Bonzo' Baines, a roommate in the hut who participates in the planning. He embodies wartime grit and loyalty, staying composed under the pressure of an audacious escape.

Escape Officer who oversees the escape committee and weighs the risks of the plan. He represents the procedural, wary side of wartime strategy within the POW environment.

Group Captain Travers, the senior British officer who recognizes the strategic importance of Pease’s mission and prioritizes the escape. He balances authority with pragmatic judgment amid camp politics.

Willoughby, the Sports Officer, adds a touch of humanity and humor to the hut while shaping social dynamics that influence the escape's feasibility.

P/OGS 'Plum' Pouding, an officer present in the camp, contributes to the network of relationships that frame the escape plan. His role adds bureaucratic texture to the POW setting.

The relentless Luftwaffe interrogator who probes Pease’s true identity, creating tension that threatens to unravel the ruse.

A fellow scientist who witnesses the tension of wartime research and the high-stakes atmosphere around Pease. His presence underscores the central theme of science within the war.

A fellow prisoner who shares the hut’s daily life, contributing to the ensemble feel of the POW community and the dynamics of group survival.

Woodcock, the Entertainments Officer, provides bureaucratic and occasional comic counterpoints to the prisoners’ schemes, enriching the camp’s social texture.