'Bush' Parker: The Escapist (Part 2)
In this final part of a two-part blog, I look at Vincent 'Bush' Parker’s exploits as a prisoner-of-war at Colditz. After a magic apprenticeship to an illusionist, and an escaping apprenticeship gained from his nine escape attempts at Dulag Luft (Oberursel), Stalag Luft I and Stalag Luft III POW camps, it's now time for Parker to combine these two aspects of his life, for the ultimate challenge of escaping from Colditz Castle... Oflag IVC (Colditz) Parker transferred to Oflag IVC (Colditz) in early May 1942. He was now Flight Lieutenant Parker, having been promoted the month before. Oflag IVC was housed in Colditz Castle in rural Saxony, Germany. Built in the Renaissance period, the castle was set-up as a high security prisoner-of-war camp in 1940. Serial escapers were sent there, but it also housed high-profile prisoners, such as relatives of the British royal family or of Allied government members, captured enemy agents, and other such people. Perched on top of a rock ...