John Tonkin really did escape the Germans (Image: BBC)
In the latest episode of SAS Rogue Heroes on BBC One, Lt John Tonkin, played by Jack Barton, narrowly avoids execution by firing squad thanks to a sympathetic German officer, after being captured during the battle in Termoli. While this dramatic scene was fabricated for the show, it is rooted in the real-life events of Tonkin’s remarkable escape.
Tonkin was taken captive when his unit found themselves surrounded by German forces. However, instead of being met with hostility, he was invited to dinner by General Heidrich, a veteran of World War I, who had a fascination with the bravery of paratroopers.
Although the TV series depicts Heidrich warning Tonkin about the Commando Order, which mandated the execution of captured commandos, it was actually a German major who discreetly warned Tonkin of his impending fate after dinner. The major informed Tonkin that he would be handed over to the special police and cautioned that “From now on the German army cannot guarantee your life.”
Tonkin’s real-life escape was less action-packed than the show’s portrayal, where he takes down three German soldiers.
John Tonkin is played by Jack Barton (Image: BBC)
Instead, he managed to slip out of a jeep undetected and spent two weeks on the run before stumbling upon a British patrol and rejoining the newly renamed SRS.
Cambridge University’s Obituaries page offers a fascinating glimpse into the wartime experiences of Tonkin, detailing his capture and remarkable escape.
The university’s tribute reads: “He landed with his squadron at Termoli on the Italian mainland and was captured.”
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John Tonkin in SAS Rogue Heroes (Image: BBC)
It continues, revealing an intriguing encounter: “On the night of his capture, he dined, as a fellow parachutist, with a general who advised him, in veiled language, to escape, since, as a commando, he was to be sent to Germany for execution.”
Heeding the general’s covert advice, Tonkin made a daring escape from a truck and trekked across Italy to rejoin his unit.
Upon his return, he discovered that he had been listed as missing, and in line with military protocol, his belongings had been auctioned off, with the proceeds sent to his ‘next of kin’ along with a notice declaring him ‘missing in action, assumed dead’.