Under the Wire The World War II Adventures of a Legendary Escape Artist and Cooler King
Language: English
Published by Thomas Dunne Books, 2005
- Hardcover
- Used

Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.World of Books Inc
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
Condition: Used - Good
US$ 6.99
Quantity: 3 available
Add to basketSeller Inventory # CIN0312338325G
- Title
- Under the Wire The World War II Adventures of a Legendary Escape Artist and Cooler King
- Author
- William Ash
- Publisher
- Thomas Dunne Books
- Publication year
- 2005
- Condition
- Good
- Binding
- Hardback
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0312338325
- ISBN 13
- 9780312338329
Recounted in a wonderfully honest and self-deprecating voice, William Ash's Under the Wire is a classic in the making--a riveting story of bravery by one of the last of his generation.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
At the outbreak of war in Europe he rode the rails to Canada and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940. A Spitfire pilot, he saw action over England and France. He was shot down near Calais in March 1942 and evaded the German forces for months with help from the French Resistance but was captured and badly beaten by the Gestapo.
Bill was sent to a succession of POW camps in Occupied Europe from which he escaped on a regular basis, becoming one of the greatest escapers of the war. At war's end, he was awarded an MBE for his escaping activities and went on to work for the BBC in India and Britain. He became a writer and a past Chair of the Writers Guild (GB). Married to the academic Ranjana Ash, he lives in London where he stayed after the war.
This account of his wartime adventures became a best-seller in the UK and Tunnel King Ash observed "I've discovered the secret of success - all you have to do is dig a hole and wait seventy years". He celebrated his 95th birthday in November 2012 with the publication of this, the first paperback edition in North America.
Bill's friend and co-author BRENDAN FOLEY grew up in Belfast and now divides his time between London and Los Angeles, with his wife Shelly, also a writer. A former award-winning features journalist, Foley has also written feature films including Johnny Was starring Vinnie Jones and The Riddle starring Derek Jacobi and Vanessa Redgrave. He is now developing a feature film version of Under the Wire.
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
World of Books Inc
Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since March 23, 2026
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