A few weeks ago I mentioned a film called ‘The Blue Lamp’ which was screened at the Gaumont Cinema, Salisbury in 1950. Interestingly, another film was shown in 1950 at Salisbury’s other cinema, the Regal in Endless Street, and this film ‘The Wooden Horse’ also had a local connection which no doubt brought back stirring memories of the Second World War for a Salisbury man called Mr EW Walker.

The film was the story of three men who escaped from Stalag III, a German prisoner of war camp. In 1943, a group of British officers decided to take up vaulting to improve their fitness levels but unbeknownst to the guards, the wooden vaulting horse was designed to hold a man, who then started to dig a tunnel. Every day for over three months the horse was placed in the same position near the perimeter fence.

The film was based on the remarkable book written by Eric Williams who was one of the three men that escaped along with Oliver Philpot and Michael Codner. Prior to the film being shown, Mr. Williams was invited on to the Regal stage where he described his experiences during the dramatic escape. He appeared on the stage with Mr. E.W. Walker, of Wordsworth Road, Salisbury, who remarkably, was with Mr. Williams in the camp!

A replica of the wooden vaulting horse used as a cover in order that the escape could be made, was brought on to the stage, and the Regal manager, Mr HM Burge, introduced Salisbury’s Mr Walker who described life in Stalag Luft III.

Mr Williams then related that during the escape they improvised tunnel lamps from can bases filled with cooking oil and used pyjama cord as wicks while bed boards and stolen planks were used to shore up the tunnel’s sides and roof.