German Franz von Werra escaped from a prison camp in Canada

Before being killed by the RAF during the Battle of Britain, Franz von Werra was a successful German fighter pilot who flew over Poland and France. Before being transported to Canada and arriving there in January 1942, von Werra attempted multiple failed escape attempts while being held in several British POW camps. From Montreal, the convicts were transported by train to a location beyond Lake Superior. Von Werra jumped out a window and out of the speeding train into the chilly Canadian night. After walking for roughly 30 miles, he reached the frozen St. Lawrence River above Ogdensburg, New York, and crossed it before turning himself in to American authorities. The United States was then neutral in the war, so he got in touch with the German Consulate.

The German consul paid von Werra's bail and then assisted the German officer in escaping to Mexico, which is likewise neutral, despite the Canadians' demands for extradition. Von Werra next journeyed to the neutral country of Brazil, after which he went to Spain, fascist Italy, and eventually Germany, where he was welcomed back to active duty in 1941 as a national hero. In the US, his escape made major news. He is known to have won 21 aerial battles, including 13 after escaping from Canada, against the French, British, and Soviets.

On October 25, 1941, while in flight, Van Werra's plane fell into the water, most likely as a result of an engine failure. He was never discovered. He was the sole German POW to successfully flee British/Canadian custody and return to Germany during the conflict.

Born: 13 July 1914Leuk, Switzerland
Died: 25 October 1941 (aged 27)North Sea, off Vlissingen, German-occupied Netherlands