EDITOR -I read in the Sunday Times which reprinted an article from London’s Daily Telegraph that Flight Lieutenant Les Brodrick has recently died near Durban at the age of 91.
He was one of 76 men to escape from Stalag Luft III during the Great Escape, which resulted in the execution of 50 British Royal Air force officers on direct instructions of Hitler. He is believed to be one of the last surviving men of this heroic escape attempt.
Les Brodrick was shot down over France in March 1943 and was soon captured and transferred to Stalag Luft III. He quickly became involved in the effort to build four tunnels, with the aim of staging a mass break-out. Les was one of the last few airmen to be recaptured after the escape and spent the rest of the war back in Stalag Luft III. In 1955 Les Brodrick and his family moved to South Africa where he taught English at Kingsway High School.
Mr Brodrick will be fondly remembered as a gentleman, a brilliant teacher and a wonderful person. He probably taught a few thousand pupils during his tenure at Kingsway and I can guarantee that every single one of them had the greatest respect and admiration for him. We all salute you Mr Brodrick.
