Under The Wire by William Ash

[Snapper]

There seem to be many books about at the moment that are re-issues put out by non-original publishers. They tend to be updated and usually in paperback. A good example of these is UNDER THE WIRE. This is yet another POW story and it includes the Great Escape. But don't yawn...the author was in the camp, was a serial escaper and a real character, but he was in a different compound to the famous escapers and missed out. Lucky him. Bill Ash grew up in Texas and as a child was friendly with an old man who had rode in a gang led by Billy The Kid. Although he was a university graduate, the depression forced him onto the road as a hobo and his life seems straight from the Roger Miller song. When WW2 started he went to Canada and joined up and lost his US citizenship in the process. He flew Spitfires and got a kill before jerry got him...then the real story starts. This is a good book. Bill Ash and his ghost writer have made a good job of a convincing story. You will like him. After the war he stayed in Britain and cherishes his memories, mates and his whole life of mixed adventures. Cherish him.