Months, years Prisoners of Stalag… Such was the fate of Allied soldiers captured during World War II. Their only wish was to flee to return to fight the Nazis. One of these escapes, the most powerful of these wars, will be as exciting in its preparation as it is unfortunately known for its outcome. Paul Brickhill will tell it in his book. The big escape, before John Sturgess immortalized it on the big screen with Steve McQueen. Of the 250 detainees, 76 escaped. Almost all will be attributed, and 50 will be executed by the Germans. The others will be liberated only in 1945, after a long walk through Germany, against the advance of the Soviet troops.
One clock played a crucial role in preparing for this great escape. Rolex Oyster Chronograph ref. 3525, an example of accuracy և resistance. “The ability to have a watch of unusual origin like this 3525 is practically unique.”, says Adam Victor, senior consultant at Christie’s Watch. It was with him that the Royal Air Force Lieutenant Gerald Imeson, who was a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III, Saga, Germany, planned and scheduled what would happen. “The Great Escape”March 24, 1944
Little do we know about it, the brand itself hardly remembers, but as far back as 1939, Hans Wilsdorf (the founder of Rolex) decided that British officers could buy one of his watches on credit and fix it only after winning the war.. “Military watches were often stolen or confiscated so that they would not contain a compass or anything useful for escape.” Adam Victor remembers. “During their captivity, however, the pilots treated the Luftwaffe better. So much so that there was a gentlemanly agreement that they could use Hans Wilsdorf’s offer to buy British watches on credit. More than 3,000 officers, including Lieutenant Imeson, will benefit from this offer by sending a postcard to the brand stating the desired model – their place of detention. Their new watch arrived months later, often hidden in a parcel from La Croix Rouge. Lieutenant Imason’s Rolex Oyster Chronograph Certificate 3525, in a waterproof Oyster case, was delivered to him on August 4, 1943 in Stalag Luft III. He finally paid his bill of 170 170 in 1947. In general, the prisoners of war chose the most expensive Rolex of the time – the Speed King. However, this high-end chronograph, commissioned by Gerald Emson, produced only 200 units during World War II.
It is with this watch that he will accurately measure the intervals between the two guard patrols. For a year, the prisoners will patiently prepare for their escape. to land in the tunnels scattered by the “penguins”, with big coats, creating fake papers, civilian clothes … After the collapsed tunnel, another colorful and dynamic tunnel, it is by “Harry”. “The tunnel of 104 barracks is 101 meters long, but only 60 cm wide, so that they can escape. The first escape will come out of the tunnel at 22:30, the next will escape at ten speeds per hour. At 04:55, 77 people fled, the alarm will be given. Gerald Imeson was the 200th to the 172nd to be imprisoned that night until 1945, when he survived the war. He died in 2003 at the age of 85, will have four children and nine grandchildren, and will keep his Rolex until his death.
This Rolex Oyster Chronograph 3525 steel from La Grande Évasion (Lot 120) will be auctioned at Christie’s New York on June 8 as “Excellent Watches of Exclusive Origin”. Offered by Lieutenant Emerson’s personal documents, it is estimated at 190,000 to 375,000 euros. At its first auction in November 2013, it was valued at € 17,000 to € 30,000 and sold for € 58,000 by Bourne End Auction Rooms. Another watch The big escapeThe escape of 67th Lieutenant Jack Williams, attributed to և the death row inmate was estimated at 35,000 to 58,000 euros և sold for 195,000 euros by the same British auction house in 2015. He gave it to another prison officer, Donald Wilson, to escape.
Source: Le Figaro
