Bram van der Stok (Proposal) 

A story? A myth? Just a movie? The legend of Bram van der Stock is still well and truly alive today. The details of his great escape are widely known, being published in his own memoirs. But perhaps there is more to him than you already know? Born on the 13th of October, in 1915, Bram’s life was exciting from the beginning. Born in Indonesia, and of Dutch heritage, he was brought up in relative peace, moving to the Netherlands to begin his schooling. But this was only the start of a very special life... 

As you may already know, van der Stok was involved in ‘the great escape’, a hugely thought through mass breakout from a German prisoner of war camp, (during World War II), specifically Stalag Luft III. His great rise through the ranks began in 1936, when van der Stok (or, as he went by in middle and later life, Vanderstock) was attending university, studying medicine, in the peak of the Great Depression. Joining up with the Dutch Air Force, he quickly completed the training, and was soon in the air, flying not offensive missions, but simply missions to ward off those of the German’s, as the Netherlands were officially neutral. It wasn’t until 1940 that the Dutch could take no more, and declared war, retaliating, although naïvely; the Germans quickly and swiftly took control of the country, and the Netherlands as a nation was no more. And so began Bram’s first great escape. But by far not his best one... 

Bram took about half a year to devise his cunning plan, regularly interacting with the Dutch underworld, and on his third attempt, boarded a boat, and escaped to Britain. This was, of course, only a superficial recount of his escape, as the real one was far more enthralling. Two months later, Bram found himself training in the Dutch unit of the RAF, and soon was assigned to a defensive squadron. A talented flyer, Bram longed for more. That soon happened, as the RAF employed a huge attack over French land. It was van der Stock’s last flight with his new-found mates. He was shot down that day, and taken to the infamous Stalag Luft III. 

As you can see, even the earliest years of van der Stok’s life were massively enthralling, nearly unbelievable, but the best was yet to come. During his time at not only the RAF, but also Stalag and Dulag (a temporary war camp before Stalag Luft) Luft, Bram showed intense bravery, with 6 air victories made before his downfall. He even decided to continue service not only after his escape, but also after the war itself! Yes, after WWII, van der Stok moved to America, where he joined the coast guard, only further doing the world a load of good, and increasing his notability.  

But how else is he notable? Well, not only did he play a massive part in the escape from Stalag Luft, van der Stok also made it possible for the other 74 to escape. You see, the prisoners of war (POWs) had time enough to arrange many departments, all in the one operation, which went under the name Big X, who himself was a POW. Van der Stok found himself in a leading position in the false papers department, providing many papers that otherwise would not have enabled the escape. Tragically, only three of the seventy-four, who escaped, (including van der Stok), made it to a neutral or friendly country. The rest were illegally slaughtered by the Gestapo. (Note that van der Stok was in a Luftwaffe camp, the air force camp. The commandant of the camp Friedrich-Wilhelm Franz Max Erdmann Gustav von Lindeiner genannt von Wildau, (quite the mouthful), was, after the war, taken for questioning, however, due to his popularity among the prisoners, was released thanks to many positive testimonies. Van der Stock did not offer a positive nor a negative response.) Van der Stok showed immense bravery upon returning to England’s shores (via Spain, via France, via Belgium, via Holland), that he re-joined his old squadron, before being transferred to an offensive squadron due to his immense capabilities as a pilot. However, the moment was bittersweet for him, as he had only just found out that the Gestapo had tortured his father twice, blinding him temporarily first, then permanently the second time. The day after Bram left (he had visited his father), his dad passed away. He had never betrayed his son.  

In fact, so famous was van der Stok in the post-war period, a movie titled The Great Escape was made to heavily resemble the camp there, and despite the surprisingly good living conditions, it shocked the world, as many saw for the first time the true Gestapo. However, with the author’s assent, the main character is an Australian called Sedgewick. 

I truly believe that van der Stok’s incredible story, in case you didn’t know it, deserves more recognition, at least in the form of my Notables speech. He changed the world, and not only brought hope and amazement for many people back then, but also now makes us wonder how just one person could lead such an extraordinary life. Not only is he inspiring, but he played a massive role in contributing to the end of the war.  

Firstly, as I said, van der Stok played one of the biggest parts in not only the great escape, but the war itself as well. A fearless fighter pilot turned cunning espionage agent, he was a jack-of-all trades, not only contributing to make his life better, but because he genuinely believed he was making a difference. And he was.  

Van der Stok also had a remarkable ability to stay focused, and found it easy to stay focused on jobs in the POW camps, committing himself completely to the escape effort. And, to his credit, it paid off. Although it took longer than he had initially expected, he refused to desist, where many may have given up. 

Lastly, his efforts were so great, however, they are sometimes overlooked. If you really put your mind to it, it is stunning just how resourceful the men of Stalag Luft became. For example, it may seem obvious to, (as Bram and his team did) dig three tunnels, but really three tunnels! Each being forty to sixty metres long, an astounding feat. 

So, in conclusion, the greatest escape was one for the ages; and still won’t be forgotten for decades to come. It continues to engage the minds of many people, and truly is the greatest tale ever. The greatest true tale, that is.