Kiwi Heros: The New Zealanders of the Great Escape

​The Great Escape from Stalag Luft 111 during World War Two has been immortalised in book, song and film but few remember that there were five kiwis.
The extraordinary story of the prisoners of war and their extensive plans and actions to dig three tunnels - called Tom, Dick and Harry - through which the prisoners would escape has been told multiple times.
In the end only a handful actually survived the escape attempt - the original plan had 200 going through the tunnels - but a series of holdups - including freezing weather - meant only 77 got to the end of the tunnel being used - called Harry - before being discovered.
In fact, it was New Zealand Squadron Leader Leonard Henry Trent who had just reached the tree line to make his run for freedom, who stopped and surrendered, holding up the guards for a few moments - giving others time to run.
Leonard Henry Trent was born on April 14, 1915, to Leonard Noel Trent and his wife Irene Violet Everett in Nelson. The family moved to Takaka in 1919 where he took his first flight in a Gipsy Moth and was captivated by flight ever after.
Golf was more his passion than school (he failed initially) then after leaving school he worked a variety of jobs to save his money to become a pilot. He gained his wings in May 1938. A month later he joined the British RAF.
Trent flew reconnaissance and combat missions, During a stint as an instructor he married Ursula Elizabeth Woolhouse in 1940.
He returned to combat duty and in May 1943 with virtually his whole squadron destroyed near Amsterdam, he managed to bail out suffering only flesh wounds. But he was captured and sent to the notorious Stalag Luft III.
After the escape from the camp, 50 prisoners were executed. Trent survived only because he surrendered. He got solitary confinement on starvation rations instead. In 1945 the camp was liberated and returned to his family and to RAF life.
It was then he learned he had earned the Victory Cross for his heroic actions during his last mission.
It changed nothing for him, in fact he disliked the fuss, and went back to work. He flew missions again, seeing combat in the Suez Canal in 1956. After he became aide-de-camp to the Queen before retiring and returning to New Zealand.
He settled with his family in Auckland where he died in 1986 and was cremated at the North Shore Memorial Park and his ashes taken to Fremantle Cemetery where they were interred with his daughter Judith.
His Victoria Cross is now at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand. Trent St in Taradale is named after him.
But he was not the only Kiwi involved in the escape.
Flight Lieutenant Arnold Christensen, Flying Officer Porokoru (Johnny) Pohe and Squadron Leader John Williams DFC who had escaped before Trent evaded capture for a few days but were taken and were among the 50 shot by the Gestapo.
Flight Lieutenant Michael Moray Shand was interrogated but not picked to be shot, and he survived to return to New Zealand, dying aged 92 in Masterton. He is buried in the Riverside Cemetery.