Outwitting the Hun My Escape from a German Prison Camp.
New York: Harper & Brothers, 1918. Octavo, original green cloth with gilt lettering, frontispiece, [xvi], 284 pp., seven photo plates. Front inner hinge split (not detached), old ownership inscribed to front endpaper, some discolouration to backboard, localised internal discolouration due to newspaper clipping glued to free endpaper, otherwise a good copy. Lieutenant Pat O'Brien was one of the first Americans to fight in World War I and the first American-born pilot to escape as a prisoner of war during that conflict. O'Brien travelled to Canada in 1916 to enlist as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps. O'Brien was shot down over German lines in 1917 and spent month in a prisoner of war camp before making a daring escape, after which he spent two months evading capture behind enemy lines before tunnelling under an electric fence to rejoin his own forces. O'Brien subsequently enjoyed a great deal of fame throughout Britain and America for his exploits. He was honoured by King George V, toured America as a highly requested speaker, and appeared in a starring role in a silent film. Item #17
Price (AUD): $100.00