Per Bergsland
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| Per Bergsland | |
|---|---|
| 1919-1992 | |
| Nickname | Rocky Rockland |
| Place of birth | Norway |
| Allegiance | Norway |
| Rank | Sargent |
| Unit | RAF 332nd Squadron |
| Commands | Spitfire VB AB269 AH:D |
Sgt Per Bergsland (born on January 17, 1919, died June 9, 1992) was a Norwegian POW in the German POW camp Stalag Luft III.
A member of the RAF 332nd Squadron stationed at North Weald airfield, Bergsland's Spitfire VB AB269 AH:D was shot down by a German FW-190 during the Dieppe Raid on August 19, 1942. After arriving at the POW camp, he gave his name as 'Rocky Rockland' to the Germans, because he feared how they may treat Norwegian RAF pilots - and hid his nationality.
In what later became known as The Great Escape, he was among the 76 prisoners of war who managed to escape from the camp.
He and Jens Müller caught a train to Szczecin where they met one of Roger Bushell's contacts in a local brothel. While there however, a local Pole and Swede offered to aid their escape, telling them to wait down at the pier where they quietly impersonated local sailors for several hours before realising that their aid was not coming. They spent the night at an Inn, and the next day returned to the brothel where they met a pair of Swedish sailors who again agreed to help smuggle them past Nazi harbour authorities.
The ship went through Göteborg before finally docking in Stockholm, where the two Norwegian pilots quickly sought out the British consulate.
Out of the 76 escapees, only three made it to neutral countries and freedom. The third escapee was the Dutchman Bram van der Stok, who escaped to Spain with the help of the Dutch resistance.
The remaining 73 escapees were captured. Hitler wanted to execute them all, but Himmler persuaded him not to do this, and fifty were shot as an example. The remaining 23 were held in the custody of the Gestapo before being sent off to other camps. 17 were returned to Stalag Luft III, four were sent to Sachsenhausen, and two to Colditz Castle.
