The Fifty

The Fallen Heroes of the Great Escape

By Steve Darlow and Sean Feast

DUE OUT JULY 2026

Hardback - 240pp - 234 x 156mm. Illustrated throughout with B&W photographs.

World Rights - Fighting High Ltd. ISBN - 9781838068783

The Great Escape has gone down in history as a story of bravery and cunning that ultimately led to the killing of fifty prisoners of war, all officially recorded as ‘beim Fluchtversuch erschossen’ – shot whilst attempting to escape.

While the names of surviving escapers may be familiar, having lived to tell their stories, most of the murdered fifty are less well known, and many receive no more than a footnote in the stories, films and documentaries created thus far. So, who were these men? Where did they come from? How much fighting had they done? And how did they come to be prisoners of war?

In The Fifty – The Fallen Heroes of the Great Escape, authors Steve Darlow and Sean Feast present the stories of the killed escapers. They look at their early lives, operational careers, and how they came to be in Stalag Luft 3. They touch upon the very human side of the escape and its aftermath, how the families came to be told, and their practical struggles even thirty years after the event to conclude their loved ones’ affairs in obtaining proof of how, where, and when they died. Crucially, the authors look at the way in which the lives of the murdered men are commemorated, and how their families wished them to be remembered.

Brought together in a single volume, The Fifty presents a series of profiles of the fallen heroes – an homage for those whose bid for freedom ended in the most tragic circumstances.

Steve Darlow is a British author, publisher, and documentary consultant renowned for his extensive work on the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. With over twenty books to his name, Steve has established himself as a leading author in the field of military aviation. His deep connection to the subject is personal; his grandfather served as a Pathfinder pilot with RAF Bomber Command, flying thirty-two operations before becoming a prisoner of war.

Sean Feast had a 40-year career in PR and advertising, and is the author of numerous highly respected books focusing on the lives and experiences of wartime airmen and women. His meticulous research and vivid storytelling have earned him a strong reputation in the field of military aviation, and he is especially passionate about RAF Bomber Command and the élite Pathfinder Force. His work has consistently brought forgotten voices to life, resonating with readers and historians alike.