SAS Rogue Heroes' David Stirling's real experience as a prisoner of war
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SAS Rogue Heroes has returned to BBC One, with Paddy Mayne (portrayed by Jack O'Connell) assuming command of the regiment after David Stirling's (played by Connor Swindells) capture. In Sicily, the SAS found both allies and foes, while at Gavi POW camp, Stirling was visited unexpectedly. The real David Stirling was captured during a mission in Tunisia in January 1943.
By then, he had earned the nickname 'The Phantom Major' from his German opponents. Following his capture, he attempted to escape four times, leading to his relocation to the supposedly 'escape-proof' Colditz Castle in Germany. He remained there until the war's conclusion and was tasked with establishing the Colditz British Intelligence Unit upon his arrival in August 1944.
His capture sparked concerns among his troops that it could spell the end of the unit, but under Paddy's leadership, this did not occur. One of his escape attempts involved a mass breakout via a cistern tunnel from Gavi, dubbed the 'Italian Colditz'. Among the prisoners at Colditz Castle were Winston Churchill's nephew and the nephew of King George VI.
Today, the European Youth Hostel at the site welcomes guests from around the globe and hosts various events and concerts. Discussing David's role in the second season of SAS Rogue Heroes, Connor Swindells revealed: "We now find Paddy leading his boys in a very Paddy-like fashion whilst David rattles away in his cell very begrudgingly.
