I'm just listening to the audiobook now and enjoying it very much. He was brave to take on the narration and is doing a fine job. As in his other books, he brings a unique perspective to the topics he chooses.
Just 1 warning on ebooks. Anymore changes can be made to fit the current narrative on history. Look at the classics being changed. You are better off buying them. It's much harder to change what's already in your possession.
I had done research on Colditz as a project. I learned that the Polish could pick almost any lock. For awhile, the French and Polish more adept with escaping than the British. Eventually each country took turns. I also learned that the myth was, like in the GREAT ESCAPE, everyone wanted out which wasn't true. Some would have tried escaping daily if given the opportunity. Some were: we are lucky to be alive especially after the SHOOT TO KILL ORDER by Hitler. Some were I just want to survive and go home. It was a very eclectic group
And yet after all the escapes and intelligence being passed back and forth from Colditz the allies still allegedly didn't know about the castle when they were attacking it ahead of its liberation, I don't know, the more time goes on the more I think Oflag 4c was much like many wartime legends, just fictional propaganda that did its job in times of national hubris, I mean Reid patented the board game but his opportunism seemingly didn't extend to detailing his escape much, beyond one picture of him in his getaway gear there's hardly any interviews, you'd think one who could lend his patronage to such trivial things as a game would hardly be cagey about the meatiest part of the story ie. the escape itself - if not for his own amusement then certainly at the hungry-eared request of others, it being so audacious you'd think there'd have been more out there but as with most who claim involvement or association with any of the notable wartime escapades 'they never talk about it', also there's the magical disappearance of the glider, "oh the Germans must've burnt it" they say... so they've enough sense of respect for novelty and audacity that they'll keep every scrap of wire and rope for a museum but readily torch a 30ft glider made from beds and jam? Just too many inconsistancies when you weigh it all against natural human behaviour, the same can be said about the Wooden Horse escape, the 3 protagonists, where are their testaments? All these men with such fantastic stories that just seem to vanish into obscurity
You mean people exaggerated, embellished and outright lied before, during and after the war? That’s pretty much standard for the time, and any time. 🤷 I love a good story though, don’t you?🤣
um you are insulting a Canadian-Brit, Oliver Philpot who indeed did escape from Stala Luft III via Wooden Horse and received Military Cross and Distinguished Flying Cross--so instead of writing bs vs actual soldiers, learn to verify basic things. Captain Richard Michael Clinton Codner MC died in the Malayan Emergency, After his escape via Wooden Horse in Stalag Luft III, he rejoined the Royal Artillery in Itally and later his brother, Christopher John Codner, in India and thereafter went to serve in Malaya where he was killed. Think that's a lot more admiral than your whinging that the story of the Wooden Horse isn't true because blah-blah. People who serve in war often prefer to leave it behind and if you die in war, often you are forgotten or simply MIA and body never recovered. On other hand there are a lot of fake diaries, fake accounts, including the infamous diaries, that are swallowed whole hog. But when men are listed with medals, it's pretty damn hard to say they didn't exist or they didn't esscape Stalag Luft III.
Ben Macintyre tend to switch from Imperial to metric measure for no obvious reason, even in the same sentence. This lack of consistency is some what disconcerting. Also, there's the usual confusion between cement and concrete you get with middle class Brits. Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
The Colditz Story, a 1955 film was in Black and White but the 1970's BBC TV series Ben refers too was in colour. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colditz_(1972_TV_series)
Why does MacIntyre keep rehashing tales from the past? All he needs to do is recommend the original versions. I bought and read The Colditz Story’ at school in the mid-50s, then the follow-up books. Ditto ‘The Man who never was’ tale much later.
Your comments are actually very modern and left wing, Apart from Homosexuality, Virtually EVERYTHING you talk about is in Major Pat Reid's book, And was even mentioned in the early 70s TV series of Colditz, You are misleading modern Historians, into thinking they were racist, How could an Indian Officer get away with escaping in Nazi Germany,? It would have been a waste of their resources at the time, And the subject of None commissioned officers was also dealt with in the book, and in the series, they were at much greater risk, of either being shot or put in hard labour camp's.
@@markburkin8750 He escaped from a prison in _France_ , where a sympathetic local population provided him and Singh with food, shelter and guidance so that they could reach the Swiss border.
The first qualification to be considered for anything at the BBC is to be a middle class socialist. The BBC is very “inclusive” as long as you tick all the boxes. The fact that Ben is a white male in his 50s+ is a rarity at the BBC but his educated establishment socialism qualifies his inclusion.
Frankly, I thought MacIntyre's book on Colditz very tendentious - clearly written to pander to a post-Brexit Tory Establishment. I struggled to get through it, and have had the same trouble with all his books. His account of Operation Mincemeat was particularly tedious, and the film was a crushing bore.
Just read the Saturday Times article that Ben wrote about Douglas Bader…. Whilst it was an interesting article and dealt rather heavily on his failings as a human being, I felt is was rather flawed and quite disingenuous. He may well have been a difficult and irascible individual but it was those very flaws that made him such a remarkable and brave pilot and leader of men. Society needs people like this to lead the majority through adversity. Sadly the article also besmirches him over his views (at that time) over Rhodesia and South Africa. In this matter I take considerable offence. If you read his actual comments he says quite rightly that both of these countries would struggle if the status quo failed…. And he was totally correct. Look at these two countries now, both complete and utter basket cases. Please let us stop the platitudes to the Pc and Woke brigades who seem incapable of seeing the wood from the trees and deal solely with the facts. Bader may well have had some flaws as a man..but who doesn’t…. In his case, any failings he had as an individual are utterly irrelevant and fatuous when compared to the leadership, ability and inspiration he gave to those pilots during the Battle of Britain, without whom this Country may never have won the war ! So please Ben Macintyre, I urge you to reevaluate your article. Like Douglas Bader you to have failings of judgement !
The loss of his legs actually made him a better pilot because he didn't black out as quickly as others since his blood couldn't go as far into his legs.
Just finished the book today, my second Macintyre book. Excellent read. Shabash! Looking forward to my next.
Have just finished Colditz. Another great read...
Just bought it. Look forward to it. All of his books are great
Absolutely a great read very keen to read eggers account
I enjoyed reading his books.
Great presentation. Just finished watching the 1970 BBC production. Love this stuff! Got to get more of his books!
Fascinating, thank you!
Stunning series on bbc radio 4. Ben... You are a star. Please write another book real soon.
I'm just listening to the audiobook now and enjoying it very much. He was brave to take on the narration and is doing a fine job. As in his other books, he brings a unique perspective to the topics he chooses.
Just 1 warning on ebooks. Anymore changes can be made to fit the current narrative on history. Look at the classics being changed. You are better off buying them. It's much harder to change what's already in your possession.
Looking forward to reading Colditz 📚 😀
Read this book. Couldnt put it down. Thank uou
You are right. Once you start reading one of his books you can't put it down.
I had done research on Colditz as a project. I learned that the Polish could pick almost any lock. For awhile, the French and Polish more adept with escaping than the British. Eventually each country took turns.
I also learned that the myth was, like in the GREAT ESCAPE, everyone wanted out which wasn't true. Some would have tried escaping daily if given the opportunity. Some were: we are lucky to be alive especially after the SHOOT TO KILL ORDER by Hitler. Some were I just want to survive and go home.
It was a very eclectic group
If only everyone at Mar-a-Lago could be in such climes.
The Colditz series of the 70s was in colour, you must have had a black and white tv .
where is the audio?
The recorded audio is too low.
Considering what this story is about, I think her words on the author being the real hero a bit strange to say the least🤷♂️
I understand that it was a collision which brought down Badar. M
And yet after all the escapes and intelligence being passed back and forth from Colditz the allies still allegedly didn't know about the castle when they were attacking it ahead of its liberation, I don't know, the more time goes on the more I think Oflag 4c was much like many wartime legends, just fictional propaganda that did its job in times of national hubris, I mean Reid patented the board game but his opportunism seemingly didn't extend to detailing his escape much, beyond one picture of him in his getaway gear there's hardly any interviews, you'd think one who could lend his patronage to such trivial things as a game would hardly be cagey about the meatiest part of the story ie. the escape itself - if not for his own amusement then certainly at the hungry-eared request of others, it being so audacious you'd think there'd have been more out there but as with most who claim involvement or association with any of the notable wartime escapades 'they never talk about it', also there's the magical disappearance of the glider, "oh the Germans must've burnt it" they say... so they've enough sense of respect for novelty and audacity that they'll keep every scrap of wire and rope for a museum but readily torch a 30ft glider made from beds and jam? Just too many inconsistancies when you weigh it all against natural human behaviour, the same can be said about the Wooden Horse escape, the 3 protagonists, where are their testaments? All these men with such fantastic stories that just seem to vanish into obscurity
You mean people exaggerated, embellished and outright lied before, during and after the war? That’s pretty much standard for the time, and any time. 🤷 I love a good story though, don’t you?🤣
um you are insulting a Canadian-Brit, Oliver Philpot who indeed did escape from Stala Luft III via Wooden Horse and received Military Cross and Distinguished Flying Cross--so instead of writing bs vs actual soldiers, learn to verify basic things. Captain Richard Michael Clinton Codner MC died in the Malayan Emergency, After his escape via Wooden Horse in Stalag Luft III, he rejoined the Royal Artillery in Itally and later his brother, Christopher John Codner, in India and thereafter went to serve in Malaya where he was killed. Think that's a lot more admiral than your whinging that the story of the Wooden Horse isn't true because blah-blah. People who serve in war often prefer to leave it behind and if you die in war, often you are forgotten or simply MIA and body never recovered. On other hand there are a lot of fake diaries, fake accounts, including the infamous diaries, that are swallowed whole hog. But when men are listed with medals, it's pretty damn hard to say they didn't exist or they didn't esscape Stalag Luft III.
Starred Robert Wagner as I recall.
And David McCallum.
The TV series wasn't in black and white
This is word for word the same as the BBC Radio documentary from 1974
Mmm... BBC? Then take it with a pinch of salt. And Macintyre should be ashamed!
Ben Macintyre tend to switch from Imperial to metric measure for no obvious reason, even in the same sentence. This lack of consistency is some what disconcerting. Also, there's the usual confusion between cement and concrete you get with middle class Brits.
Jack, the Japan Alps Brit
The Colditz Story, a 1955 film was in Black and White but the 1970's BBC TV series Ben refers too was in colour.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colditz_(1972_TV_series)
People still had black and white tvs in the ‘70s.
Not a documentary. IT"S A BOOK LECTURE filmed on a home camera by amateurs. VERY DULL and static.
Just in case anyone wonders if the glider flew or not...... th-cam.com/video/5cTcyXKWRys/w-d-xo.html
Why does MacIntyre keep rehashing tales from the past? All he needs to do is recommend the original versions. I bought and read The Colditz Story’ at school in the mid-50s, then the follow-up books.
Ditto ‘The Man who never was’ tale much later.
Yes, but it happens all the time, doesn’t it? Chancers the lot of them!
Your comments are actually very modern and left wing,
Apart from Homosexuality,
Virtually EVERYTHING you talk about is in Major Pat Reid's book,
And was even mentioned in the early 70s TV series of Colditz,
You are misleading modern Historians, into thinking they were racist,
How could an Indian Officer get away with escaping in Nazi Germany,?
It would have been a waste of their resources at the time,
And the subject of None commissioned officers was also dealt with in the book, and in the series, they were at much greater risk, of either being shot or put in hard labour camp's.
He escaped from another prison so he proved it could be done.
@@markburkin8750 He escaped from a prison in _France_ , where a sympathetic local population provided him and Singh with food, shelter and guidance so that they could reach the Swiss border.
The first qualification to be considered for anything at the BBC is to be a middle class socialist. The BBC is very “inclusive” as long as you tick all the boxes. The fact that Ben is a white male in his 50s+ is a rarity at the BBC but his educated establishment socialism qualifies his inclusion.
And Macintyre knows he’s being misleading. How disingenuous, he’s just virtue signaling.
Frankly, I thought MacIntyre's book on Colditz very tendentious - clearly written to pander to a post-Brexit Tory Establishment. I struggled to get through it, and have had the same trouble with all his books. His account of Operation Mincemeat was particularly tedious, and the film was a crushing bore.
The 2021 film was awful but this mans doc was really good. Far better than others.
Yes very anti French
Just read the Saturday Times article that Ben wrote about Douglas Bader…. Whilst it was an interesting article and dealt rather heavily on his failings as a human being, I felt is was rather flawed and quite disingenuous. He may well have been a difficult and irascible individual but it was those very flaws that made him such a remarkable and brave pilot and leader of men. Society needs people like this to lead the majority through adversity. Sadly the article also besmirches him over his views (at that time) over Rhodesia and South Africa. In this matter I take considerable offence. If you read his actual comments he says quite rightly that both of these countries would struggle if the status quo failed…. And he was totally correct. Look at these two countries now, both complete and utter basket cases.
Please let us stop the platitudes to the Pc and Woke brigades who seem incapable of seeing the wood from the trees and deal solely with the facts. Bader may well have had some flaws as a man..but who doesn’t…. In his case, any failings he had as an individual are utterly irrelevant and fatuous when compared to the leadership, ability and inspiration he gave to those pilots during the Battle of Britain, without whom this Country may never have won the war ! So please Ben Macintyre, I urge you to reevaluate your article. Like Douglas Bader you to have failings of judgement !
The loss of his legs actually made him a better pilot because he didn't black out as quickly as others since his blood couldn't go as far into his legs.
Ha, facts! 🤣If only people relied on facts. The truth gets a rough deal too. 🤷
Just finished "Prisoners of the Castle"
Something of a Imperial-metric mishmash. Don't use this copywriter/proofreader again, Ben.
Such a non factual history teller. Just write everything towards your own woke believe system
Bader: 9th AUGUST 1941, not 1943.....