22 Facts About Paul Brickhill

Paul Chester Jerome Brickhill was an Australian fighter pilot, prisoner of war, and author who wrote The Great Escape, The Dam Busters, and Reach for the Sky.

Paul Brickhill was the third son of the couple's five children, the others being Russell, Ayde Geoffrey, Lloyd, and Clive.

When Paul Brickhill was 11 the family moved to Sydney, where he was educated at North Sydney Boys High School.

Paul Brickhill left school in 1931 after his father had been made redundant as a result of the Depression.

Paul Brickhill was sacked from his first two jobs due to his stutter.

Paul Brickhill then got a job as office boy and then lift boy at the Adelaide Steamship Company.

Paul Brickhill was hired as a copy boy, and within a year was promoted to cadet journalist.

Paul Brickhill was unimpressed by war fever, until the shock of the invasion of France and subsequent withdrawal from Dunkirk, coupled with boredom with his deskbound sub-editor job, induced him to enlist on 6 January 1941 with the Royal Australian Air Force.

Paul Brickhill undertook advanced training as a fighter pilot in Canada and the United Kingdom before being assigned to No 92 Squadron RAF, a unit equipped with Spitfires and part of the Desert Air Force in North Africa.

Paul Brickhill became involved with organizing the camp's escape, initially as a lookout or "stooge", before volunteering to work as a digger on the "Tom" tunnel.

Paul Brickhill developed claustrophobia, so he was put in charge of security for the forgers.

None was interested, so Paul Brickhill was forced to decline Nerney's offer.

Once in England, Paul Brickhill asked the RAF about the status of the proposed history of 617 Squadron, offering his services if they were still required.

Paul Brickhill approached Evans Brothers about an advance for the proposed book on 617 Squadron, but they were not interested in providing any advance until they saw a manuscript.

Already working on The Great Escape, Paul Brickhill commenced simultaneous work on the 617 Squadron history.

Paul Brickhill agreed to do it without payment, in the hope of selling the screen rights.

Paul Brickhill decided to concentrate the film treatment on Operation Chastise, and ignore the later raids.

Paul Brickhill's agent found that William Collins and Sons offered the best terms, leading Paul Brickhill to sign with them.

However Paul Brickhill felt guilty about not signing with John Pudney and Evans Brothers, who had previously been so supportive of him.

Paul Brickhill spent the rest of his life working on unfinished film screenplays, novels and biographies, but was unable to repeat his successes of 1949 to 1954.

Paul Brickhill died in Sydney, New South Wales on 23 April 1991 aged 74.

Three books by Paul Brickhill were made into feature films: The Dam Busters, Reach for the Sky, and The Great Escape.