Great Escape POW found in history society search

"I've watched The Great Escape at Christmas countless times without realising there was a local Berkshire connection to it."

Catherine Sampson runs Berkshire Family History Society and is used to unearthing interesting facts about the heritage of the county's residents.

But her recent find went from an innocuous enquiry about a house's history in Purley, to Stalag Luft III during World War Two in then-Nazi .

Ms Sampson, whose society is celebrating its 50th anniversary with more than 1,200 across the globe, says she was "completely hooked" by what she uncovered.

"[We] had a few big open days recently, inviting people to come in and start delving into the history of their house," Catherine explains.

She says a couple from Purley "wanted to trace the history of their house which went back to the mid-30s, so not perhaps one of the oldest houses we were looking at, but a very interesting history nonetheless".

Catherine's mission to trace the occupants involved going through censuses, voters rolls, and telephone and trade directories, where she came across the Stevens family.

They lived at the house during the war, and Catherine says this immediately peaked her interest.

"I was looking at it and all three sons fought or served in the war," Catherine re.

A name came to light - Patrick Stevens - who was the youngest son, and served in Europe. He was captured by the Germans and sent to Stalag Luft III, the Prisoner of War camp immortalised in the 1963 Steve McQueen film.

"As I'm looking at this on the computer screen I'm thinking 'that sounds really familiar'," Catherine says.

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