Blighty or Bust: The Extraordinary Escape of a Young WWII Soldier
During World War II, a young British soldier named Raymond "Ray" Bailey embarked on an audacious 2,000-mile escape to freedom after being captured by German forces in France. Initially a factory worker, Bailey was one of the first men drafted into the conflict, serving with the Kensington Regiment. His journey began when he slipped away from a column of POWs and hid in a cornfield.
In June 1940, as British soldiers were being evacuated from Dunkirk, many, including Bailey, were left behind. Captured near St. Valéry along with thousands of other British troops, he found himself amidst a grim march through the French countryside. However, Bailey, ever the opportunist, took advantage of a rare moment when the guards were distracted. Without a second thought, he leaped over a hedge into a cornfield, beginning a daring solo journey that would take him across Nazi-occupied France, Vichy France, and finally to Spain.
The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.
The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.
Next page
