37 Facts About Harry Day

Harry Day's grandfather had been a major in the 66th Foot before forming a private army for Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah of Sarawak.

Harry Day's father joined the Rajah's service and became a Sarawak resident.

Harry Day's great-uncle was George Fiott Harry Day, who had won the Victoria Cross during the Crimean War.

Harry Day was sent to England and was educated at Haileybury College, where he joined the Officers Cadet Corps.

Harry Day joined the Royal Marines in 1916 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 31 August.

Harry Day was promoted to temporary lieutenant on 26 September 1917.

Harry Day distinguished himself by twice returning below deck, through smoke and flames, to rescue two injured men trapped inside, including the wardroom steward.

Harry Day was promoted to lieutenant on 26 September 1919, with effect from 26 September 1917.

Harry Day saw service with the fleet during the League of Nations involvement at Memel.

Harry Day stayed with the Royal Marines until 1924, when he moved to the Fleet Air Arm.

Harry Day was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 July 1928 before receiving a permanent commission in the same rank on 21 June 1930.

Harry Day joined No 23 Squadron RAF flying Gloster Gamecocks, with which he led the RAF Synchronised Aerobatics Display Team, which included Douglas Bader at the 1931 Hendon Air Show, and other displays.

Harry Day held posts at RAF Abu Sueir and Khartoum, was promoted to squadron leader on 1 August 1936, holding commands at Aboukir and Netheravon before commanding the Advanced Flying Training School at Little Rissington.

When war was imminent Harry Day was promised a staff job at RAF Bomber Command headquarters, but he requested to join an operational squadron.

Harry Day was over 40 when the Second World War began, and with No 57 Squadron he moved to Metz as part of the air component of the British Expeditionary Force, which was equipped with the Bristol Blenheim light bomber.

Harry Day volunteered to carry out the squadron's first operational mission, a flight from Metz to reconnoitre Hamm-Hannover-Soest on 13 October 1939.

Harry Day bailed out, suffering burns to his face and hands, but otherwise landed safely by parachute.

Harry Day was immediately captured by the Germans and placed in the custody of Luftwaffe doctor Hermann Gauch.

Harry Day spent a few days at a German Army hospital having his burns treated before spending two weeks at a small camp at Oberursel.

Harry Day took over the role of senior British officer at this camp and became responsible for the well-being of the handful of British RAF prisoners who had entered captivity so early in the war.

Harry Day got on well with the German commandant, Major Rumpel.

Harry Day had been sending intelligence back home in coded letters, and together with other members of the permanent staff, including Roger Bushell, Jimmy Buckley and Johnnie Dodge, he had been active in construction of a tunnel, starting from under his bed, which was completed in the spring of 1941.

Harry Day travelled on foot alone, aiming to walk down the Moselle Valley and into France, but was recaptured five days later, looking like a tramp.

Harry Day arrived at Stalag Luft I in July 1941 and immediately took over the role of senior British officer.

At this camp, Harry Day set up an escape organisation, headed by Jimmy Buckley, by which all escape attempts, intelligence gathering and escape preparations were controlled.

Harry Day partly oversaw a mass escape attempt in August 1941 when 12 officers tried to escape using a tunnel; however, the escape was discovered as the third person left the exit, and all three escapers were recaptured.

In October 1942, Harry Day was sent to Oflag XXI-B at Szubin in German-occupied Poland where in March 1943 he escaped through the latrine tunnel with William Ash, Peter Stevens, Aidan Crawley and others.

Harry Day was recaptured and sent back to Szubin, before being transferred back to Sagan.

Harry Day later said that Hitler had ordered his execution personally, but that Hermann Goring had asked him to relent because Harry Day and his family were so well known to the public.

In February 1945, Harry Day was transferred to Dachau via Flossenburg.

Harry Day made one final escape attempt in the final weeks of the war when the prisoners had limited freedom within the city limits while being held in Villa Bassa.

Harry Day was awarded the United States Legion of Merit in the degree of Officer for his services to American POWs.

Harry Day was promoted to group captain in 1946, before retiring from service in 1950.

Harry Day acted as technical adviser for the films Reach for the Sky and The Great Escape.

The book Wings Harry Day by Sydney Smith is an account of Harry Day's exploits as a prisoner of war.

Harry Day was the subject of the television programme This Is Your Life in November 1961.

Harry Day died in the Blue Sisters Hospital, Malta, on 11 March 1977, aged 78.