THE ENTRANCE
by Ley Kenyon
The night of 24 March 1944 has gone down in history as one of the bravest and most daring escape attempts of the entire war. This was the night of 'The Great Escape'.
The senior British officer asked fellow prisoner and artist Ley Kenyon to make a visual record of 'Harry' – the tunnel that would ultimately be used for the escape. Kenyon completed six drawings, all of which were sealed in a watertight container fashioned from old milk tins, and stored in the abandoned tunnel 'Dick'.
Now stored at the RAF Museum in Hendon, London, these drawings are of historical importance and 'The Entrance' shows the opening of tunnel 'Harry', hidden beneath the stove in Hut 104, one officer helping another into the 30-foot vertical shaft, as a 'stooge' keeps an eye out for patrolling German guards.
What makes this release so special is its exceptional link to the past, a drawing, made at the time by a POW right under the guards' noses, showing the epitome of determination, the desire to overcome oppression and the relentless drive towards freedom.
The Limited Edition
Every print in this highly collectable edition carries the original signatures of original 'Great Escapers'.
- Flight Lieutenant Alan Bryett
The Escapers Edition
Just 76 copies – representing the 76 men who managed to escape the camp – are conservation matted to include an authentic metal uniform button from one of the prisoners in the camp - these were recovered the area of Hut 104 - issued with a full certificate of authenticity from the Great Escape Museum in Zagan, Poland. Each Escaper Edition print has been additionally signed by:
- Squadron Leader Dick Churchill
Matted Collector's Piece
Now just a handful of the Escaper's Edition are available, so we've matted these to full conservation standards to include an authentic RAF tunic button found at the site of Hut 104 alongside a fragment of the Hut itself.
The Artist Proofs
Includes all the components of the 'Escapers Edition'; plus an original forged German security stamp made by prisoners in Stalag Luft III, issued with a full certificate of authenticity from the Great Escape Museum. It is further matted with the original signature of a Battle of Britain pilot, number 76 from the tunnel:
- Flight Lieutenant Mick Shand
- Media:
- Lithograph
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