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A Failed Escape, Stalag XXA "Pilots", and Battle of Britain

Very little was missing for Toruń to go down in World War II history as the site of one of the most spectacular escape attempts from a German prisoner-of-war camp. The former Toruń airfield, today part of the Pomeranian Aero Club, was not only a Luftwaffe training facility but also a place where the fates of POWs, Polish pilots, and Allied intelligence intersected.

During the German occupation, work details from the prisoner-of-war camp Stalag XXA were regularly assigned to physical labor at the Toruń airfield. As recalled by one of the prisoners, their duties included clearing snow from the runway, maintaining infrastructure, and carrying out fieldwork around the airfield used by the Luftwaffe.

Stalag 20A escape

It was during one of these work assignments that an event occurred which could have ended in a daring escape.

Two officers — POWs from Stalag XXA — swapped places with fellow prisoners who were scheduled to go out on a work detail that day. The plan was simple and bold: at the right moment, quietly break away from the work group without arousing suspicion, approach one of the aircraft, start it up, and take off.

For a brief moment, everything went perfectly. The officers entered the aircraft, powered up the electronics, and prepared for takeoff. Unfortunately, the German engines failed to start. The lack of response to radio calls quickly alerted the guards. The would-be escapees were captured, and the attempt ended in failure. Still, it was remarkably close to becoming a legendary wartime escape.

Stalag XXA airfield

Prisoners from Stalag XXA witnessed aircraft fires and aviation accidents at the Toruń airfield during the war. Although there is no solid evidence of sabotage, it cannot be ruled out that some observations were passed on to Allied intelligence. Toruń lay within the sphere of British interest, and certain reports may have reached London.

The Toruń airfield is also connected by another important thread. Before the war, the 4th Air Regiment was stationed here, and its pilots bravely defended Poland in September 1939. After Poland’s capitulation, many of them made their way to Great Britain, where they fought in the ranks of the RAF during the Battle of Britain.

Stalag XXA polish pilots

One of them was Stanisław Skalski — a Polish fighter ace of World War II with the highest number of aerial victories among Polish pilots. His path led from the Toruń airfield to the skies over Britain, and his life story could easily serve as a ready-made film script.

I am leaving a few photos of the airfield in its winter setting — a quiet reminder of the history that still lingers over this place.

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