About Roger Bushell
Squadron Leader Roger Joyce Bushell was a South African aviator in the British Royal Air Force. He masterminded the famous "Great Escape" from Stalag Luft III in March 1944, but was one of the 50 escapees to be recaptured and subsequently shot and murdered by the Nazi German Gestapo secret police. His father, a mining engineer, had immigrated to the country from Britain and he used his wealth to ensure that Roger received a first-class education. He additionally won the slalom event of the annual Oxford-Cambridge ski race in 1931. Bushell became fluent in French and German, with a good accent, which became extremely useful during his time as a prisoner of war.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.