Wing Commander Tom Baker played part in Great Escape in WW2

This was delivered by Wing Commander's Baker's daughter-in-law Lorna and his granddaughter Helen (left) to club diners at the Slepe Hall Hotel, in St Ives.

Using excerpts from Tom’s War Diary, Flying Log Book and his own post-war account Lorna and Helen told the audience about his fascinating life.

The photo shows Tom’s crashed aircraft as reported in the local Dutch German-controlled press. (Image: Baker family.)

In May 1943, Flt Lt Tom Baker was a Blenheim navigator whose aircraft was shot down returning from a mission over Holland.

Of the three members of the crew, only Tom was severely injured when he was thrown through the perspex front cockpit window.

The Luftwaffe looked after Tom at the Queen Wilhelmina Hospital, in Amsterdam, before transferring him in December of that year to Stalag Luft III from where the Great Escape took place in March 1944.

Tom was too severely injured to take part in the escape but he played his part by being a ‘penguin’ and they were responsible for scattering 200 tons of pungent sand dug out from the three tunnels Tom, Dick and Harry.

Consequently, to disguise the smell, groups of pipe smokers were positioned around the compound.

A total of 76 prisoners escaped from the camp but only three actually made it back to the UK.

Regrettably, on being recaptured, 50 were privately executed on Hitler’s personal orders.

In January 1945, as the Russians approached, 10,000 prisoners from all five Stalag Luft compounds were force-marched West in freezing conditions along icy roads for around 100km with thousands perishing along the way. Tom and other injured prisoners were transported in cattle trucks to arrive in Nuremburg 5 days later and eventually being liberated by the Americans on 29 April 1945.

Despite his injuries, on repatriation in May 1945, Tom returned to flying duties, notably Lancasters.

Wing Commander Tom Baker DFC DFM retired from the Royal Air Force in 1958. He died in March 2006, aged 93.