Grandsons of WW1 Prisoner-of-war Camp Escapee Attend History Conference at Museum Where His Escape Is Commemorated

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Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome's 2026 World War One history conference, Frontline: Faces and Spaces, held on Friday 9 October, included a focus on prisoners-of-war, linking to the Accredited Museum's most recent exhibition, The First Great Escape. So, it came as a surprise and honour for the Aerodrome to discover that among the attendees were the grandsons of one of the 29 brave pilots who escaped from the dreaded Holzminden POW camp commemorated in that exhibition.

Bill and Tim Franklin, grandsons of John "Jock" Kiel Tullis – one of just 10 of the 29 escapees who made it back home – thoroughly enjoyed the programme of talks in the Airmen's Mess at the Accredited Museum, the best-preserved WW1 Aerodrome in Europe.

Speakers were Neil Bond, an expert in the role of Chaplains during WW1, who spoke about Army Chaplain Philip Byard Clayton, founder of Talbot House club for servicemen in Belgium. He was followed by Peter Hart, retired Imperial War Museum oral historian and host of Pete & Gary's Military History podcasts, who entertained delegates with derring-do stories about WW1 escapes in general, then Imperial War Museum Curator Sarah Paterson, who focused on the escape from Holzminden and the men behind it.

For Bill Franklin, 76, a retired grain merchant, and his younger brother Tim, 71, owner of Graveley Fruit Farm near Hitchin, it was a chance not only to hear more about their grandfather's legendary escape, but to view the exhibition, including a faithful replica of the tunnel opening and its rudimentary hand-pumped air flow system. In 2013, the pair had visited Holzminden at the invitation of a German historian and went down into the cellar where they spotted the bricked-up remains of the original escape tunnel hidden behind pipework.

Jock Tullis was awarded the Military Cross for his successful escape, but Bill and Tim seldom heard him talk about it. "He was quite a dour man; you had to pump him for information about the war, although I do remember him saying 'we were thin as rakes but fit as fleas'," recounted Tim. Bill added: "He was a man of few words, and he was very modest about the escape.The successful home run escapees all got the Military Cross but the ones who were recaptured did not. He probably felt awkward about that as we never saw him wear his medals."

The brothers had been hoping to fly into the conference as Tim is a pilot, but ended up arriving by car due to high winds. They brought with them a copy of a talk that Jock Tullis gave in 1921, recounting everything that happened to him following his Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter crash landing after the observer was shot in the cheek. From near-starvation to occasional light-hearted moments of sledging and tennis matches, it's a fascinating first-hand account of wartime bravery.

2/… "Mentally I don't think it affected him too badly," said Tim. "He had always loved camping and Scouting and was used to being outdoors and living off the land, so he helped himself to what he could find to eat from people's gardens during the escape."nAfter the war, Jock married and had three children, Elizabeth (Bill and Tim's mother), John and Marie, and founded his own engineering company building medical equipment. However, Bill recalls that right up until his death in 1976, he never liked to sleep in a room with the door closed.

Frontline: Faces and Spaces was also attended by Ian and Colin Pearson, relatives of Lieutenant Leonard Pearson who was among those incarcerated at Holzminden. He was 30th in line to escape through the tunnel, but it collapsed on top of him, leaving him buried for several hours.

Ian Flint, Chief Executive Officer of Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, comments: "Our programme of expert speakers got to the heart of some fascinating wartime characters, from "Tubby" Clayton, whose Talbot House club became a refuge from the horrors of war, to Holzminden camp commander Karl 'Milwaukee Bill' Niemeyer who delighted in inflicting those horrors on his prisoners. And it was a real delight to welcome Bill and Tim Franklin, whose family still has direct memories of the Holzminden escape and the effects on those who survived it."

The next major event at Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome will also be a reminder of the bravery of those who served in WW1. The Remembrance Parade will be held on Sunday 8 November. Those taking part in the parade need to be in uniform or appropriate headgear, while visitors require a free ticket for entry. See www.stowmaries.org.uk/events.

Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome, Hackman's Lane, Purleigh CM3 6RN is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm, until 6 December, when we close for a short winter break. Children under 11 are free, and with fascinating exhibitions, historic aircraft, interactive cockpits, pedal planes and more, every member of the family will enjoy a great day out.For further details visit www.stowmaries.org.uk.

-ENDS-

Please credit photographer as shown. For more information contact comms@stowmaries.org.uk