Irish Daily Star

Queen of the Jungle Kerry can’t commit to All Stars

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ICONIC

Battle of

Britain pilot Douglas Bader, who was later a prisoner at the Oflag VI-B prison camp near Warburg in Germany, described a mass breakout there in 1942 as “the most daring” of the war.

Led by Major Tom Stallard, Operation Olympian involved getting 40 prisoners out over the 12ft high wire fences by making four folding ladders.

The idea of Scottish lieutenant Jock Hamilton-Baillie was to disguise them as bookshelve­s.

Sure enough, they even fooled the camp’s chief security officer who praised them for being well made.

For the escape, three of the ladders worked, with 26 of the POWs getting away. Most were recaptured, including Bader, but three got back to Britain. Historian Mark Felton, author of Zero Night, described it as “sheer audacity”.

BETTER known as Colditz Castle, Oflag IV-C was a high-security prisoner of war camp set up in the forbidding German fortress for Allied prisoners who had made previous escape attempts.

The sheer cliffs, 7ft walls and huge garrison didn’t stop them though, using everything from tunnels to gliders to try and break out.

In January 1942 army officer Airey Neave would make the first “home run” by a Brit from

MISSING OUT: Katona

FORMER I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here winner Kerry Katona has reportedly declined a chance to take part in an All Stars series of the popular show.

The ex-Atomic Kitten singer was crowned Queen of the Jungle back in 2004 but the 42-yearold decided she would not be able to fit the spinoff series into her hectic schedule.

It’s been revealed that the filming of the show clashes with a commitment she has made to feature in a different TV programme.

A source said: “Kerry met with ITV bosses to discuss the opportunit­y but made the difficult decision to pass on it.

Grateful

 ?? ?? INFAMOUS: Stalag Luft III concentrat­ion camp and (left) recreation of Bushell’s escape
AUDACIOUS: Many prisoners of war tried to flee concentrat­ion camps in some spectacula­r attempts
DARING: Bader and (left) a prisoner is recaptured
FORBIDDING: Colditz and (below) Neave
INFAMOUS: Stalag Luft III concentrat­ion camp and (left) recreation of Bushell’s escape AUDACIOUS: Many prisoners of war tried to flee concentrat­ion camps in some spectacula­r attempts DARING: Bader and (left) a prisoner is recaptured FORBIDDING: Colditz and (below) Neave
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