Escape, Evasion and Revenge: The True Story of a German-Jewish RAF Pilot Who Bombed Berlin and Became a PoW

By Marc H. Stevens

Peter Stevens was a German-Jewish refugee who escaped Nazi persecution as a teenager in 1933. He joined the RAF in 1939 and after eighteen months of pilot training he started flying bombing missions against his own country. He completed twenty-two missions before being shot down and taken prisoner by the Nazis in September 1941. To escape became his raison d'être and his great advantage was that he was in his native country. He was recaptured after each of his several escapes, but the Nazis never realized his true identity. He took part in the logistics and planning of several major breakouts, including The Great Escape, but was never successful in getting back to England.

After liberation, when the true nature of his exploits came to light, he was awarded the Military Cross. He then served as a British spy at the beginning of the Cold War before emigrating to Canada to resume a normal life. This is the story of a heavily conflicted young man, alone in a world that is in the midst of destruction. He is afforded an opportunity to help his persecuted people to obtain a small measure of revenge. It is at once a sad yet uplifting tale of thankless and unheralded heroism.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Mar 10, 2010
• ISBN: 9781848849846

Reviews for Escape, Evasion and Revenge

[lamour_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Stevens was born a Jew in Hanover, Germany before WW II. As the Nazis intentions for the Jews became evident, his Mother managed to get her three children to England, There he was adopted by an English professor who was impressed by his efforts. When war was clearly going to occur, he stole an English identity and joined the RAF. Eventually he became a bomber pilot flying 22 missions including some over Germany including Hanover. His last mission was to Berlin where he was shot down and eventually captured. Despite being a Jew in Germany, he planned and attempted several escapes.He eventually ended up in Stalag Luft III, the site of the Great Escape which he help organize. He was also involved in the famous Wooden Horse escape as well as planning his own attempts. He was always working on plans to fight the Nazis. After the war, he became a British spy during the Cold War and eventually moved to Canada where he married and had children one of whom wrote this book.