I just wanted to do a quick salute in the wake of the passing of one of the final members of the group of British fliers and airmen who participated in the “Great Escape.” On March 8, 2019, Jack Lyon died at 101. He was part of the audacious effort to tunnel out of a German prisoner-of-war camp that was immortalized in the Hollywood big-screen, big-cast World War II classic “The Great Escape” that starred Steve McQueen.
However, as Lyon noted in interviews, no flier or airman from the United States took part in the real thing. As for McQueen’s beautiful stunts on a motorcycle, here’s Lyon’s own
words: “… it never existed.” However, as to the real facts, 76 escaped and 73 were recaptured, with 50 being executed by the Nazis for the escape. Lyon was a lookout during the escape and hadn’t managed to get out of the camp via the tunnel when the Germans closed in.
I like the movie “The Great Escape” and hope that Mr. Lyon knew deep down that it was a Hollywood effort and needed a star of the magnitude of McQueen to be a hit. It is memorable because of McQueen. At least in the film they
had another prominent character (played by James Garner) as an American who had been serving as a Canadian flier.
No offense intended by Hollywood, I’ll say to the memory of the late Mr. Lyon. If that isn’t enough, then I’d tell him that no American ever wanted to claim any heroism by an ally and to always remember it’s just a movie.
The book by Paul Brickhill tells the real story of the escape from Stalag Luft III in eastern Germany and Mr. Lyon summed up the movie’s attempt at telling the story as “rubbish.” Still, it is a real story now remembered because of the inaccurate movie. With apologies to Mr. Brickhill, his effort couldn’t have achieved the result found on celluloid.
So, rest in peace, Mr. Lyon. You and your generation earned it and I’m sorry that a great British actor, two-time Oscar winner Richard Attenborough, couldn’t have carried it to the heights the story deserved and that McQueen helped it earn. I’m fortunate to be able to use my blog to hopefully introduce a few people to your memory and the story.
As for yourself, Mr. Lyon, you’re a true hero in the purest sense of the word. Today is just a little less … well, a little less because of your passing.
Click here to read my review of “The Great Escape”
Click here to read the BBC’s obituary about Mr. Lyon
Click here to read the Wiki entry about “The Great Escape”
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