OTD in 1944, the real "#GreatEscape" was launched.

In time, it inspired a Hollywood epic, but while #TheGreatEscape (1963) is a heavily fictionalised look at the break out of Stalag Luft III, some of those involved knew something of the reality behind their portrayal...

🧵 1/12 Donald Pleasence (Blythe) knew first hand the lot of a prisoner of war.

A Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in the RAF, he was shot down on a daylight raid over France and, after enduring a long march to the Baltic, found himself in a POW camp alongside American airmen.

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It's 65 years since the first "Carry On" film, CARRY ON SERGEANT (1958), was released.

The film that spawned an iconic franchise drew on the then familiar experience of national service. Indeed, many of the cast had their own military backgrounds. A thread... 👇

🧵 1/11 The film's star, Bob Monkhouse (Pte Sage), received his call-up papers in 1948, completing his national service with the RAF.

But he wasn't the only former airman to where army khaki for the film...

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OTD 75 years ago, the killing of three plantation managers led to the declaration of a state of emergency in #Malaya.

Often overlooked now, the "#MalayanEmergency" was a major event and inspired a number of big screen features.

A thread on those often forgotten films...

🧵 1/9 To depict the plight of planters defending their rubber crop from Communist rebels, Rank enlisted Jack Hawkins and Claudette Colbert for THE PLANTER'S WIFE (1952).

A morally unambiguous take on the conflict, the film was nonetheless popular with the public.

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80 years ago today, WE DIVE AT DAWN hit UK cinemas. A look at HM Submarines at war, this put British submariners centre stage, but it isn't the only depiction of the silent service on the silver screen...

🧵 1/11 WE DIVE AT DAWN (1943) includes scenes of domestic life and boys' own adventure, but it was nautical realism that mattered to star John Mills.

He wanted to know what it felt like when a submarine crash-dived for real. He got his wish, turning green in the process.

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On this day in 1945, 1st Bn Manchester Regiment was in action outside Rethem. It was, according to their CO, "an ideal Machine Gunners battle" and AFPU cameramen were there to capture it...

🧵 1/6 Rather than being with the infantry brigades and battalions of 53rd (Welsh) Division, their usual practice, the Manchesters were under direct command of their own CO, Lt Col Bill Crozier.

He positioned #VickersMG and mortar platoons on the west bank of the River Aller.

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I WAS MONTY’S DOUBLE (1958) gave M E Clifton James the opportunity to re-live his wartime experiences on the big screen. But what if his co-stars had done the same, and who were their movie doubles? A thread...

🧵 1/13 Great War veteran, Clifton James, was serving with the Royal Army Pay Corps when, in 1944, he received a call from David Niven, which led him to Operation Copperhead. The Hollywood star didn't appear in the film. Instead, John Mills was Niven's (almost) double...

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The battle of #RorkesDrift ended 144 years ago today. A distant battle in a long gone war, its place in popular history relies as much on a film as it does the gallantry rewarded with 11 VCs.

But there's more to the story of the #VictoriaCross and cinema. A thread.

THREAD 1/14 The idea for ZULU (1964) came when Cy Endfield picked up a copy of Lilliput. John Prebble's article "Slaughter in the Sun" became #Zulu a few years later - recounting an underdog action which yielded 11 VCs and launched the career of a cinema great along the way.

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