John Colwell
Many of the prominent people involved in planning and overseeing the escape were Canadian. John Colwell, nicknamed The Tin Man, was from Nanaimo. A copy of John's very detailed diary with illustrations is housed at the Vancouver Island Military Museum in Nanaimo.
It was clear that John was very adept at fashioning digging tools, metal containers, stoves, etc. from metal. He helped with escape planning, organization and made many of the tunneling tools. He was not a part of the escape goup as his number was well over 100 and only 76 made it out.
John survived the war and returned to his dairy farm on White Rapids Road in Nanaimo. He carried on with his resourceful talents and was the founder of the Jonanco Hobby Club. He donated land for the club workshop and the club continues to this day. John died in 2007. https://jonanco.ca/history/
The Great Escape Tunnel
Untouched for almost seven decades, the tunnel used in the Great Escape has finally been unearthed. The 111 yard passage nicknamed Harry by Allied prisoners, was sealed by the Germans after the audacious break-out from the POW camp Stalag Luft III in western Poland. Despite huge interest in the subject, encouraged by the film starring Steve McQueen, the tunnel was undisturbed over the decades because it was behind the Iron Curtain and the Soviets had no interest in its significance.
But at last British archaeologists have excavated it, and discovered its remarkable secrets.
Many of the bed boards which had been joined to stop it from collapsing were still in position. And the ventilation shaft, ingeniously crafted from used powdered milk containers known as Klim Tins, remained in working order.
Scattered throughout the tunnel, which is 30 feet below ground, were bits of old metal buckets, hammers and crowbars which were used to hollow out the route.
A total of 600 prisoners worked on three tunnels at the same time. They were nicknamed Tom, Dick, and Harry, and were just two feet square for most of their length. It was on the night of March 24 and 25, 1944, that 76 Allied airmen escaped through Harry.
One third of the 200 prisoners, many in fake German uniforms and civilian outfits and carrying false ID papers, who were meant to slip away, managed to leave before the alarm was raised when escapee number 77 was spotted.
Tunnel vision: A tunnel reconstruction showing the trolley system
Only three made it back to Britain. Another 50 were executed by firing squad on the orders of Adolf Hitler, who was furious after learning of the breach of security. In all, 90 boards from bunk beds, 62 tables, 34 chairs, and 76 benches, as well as 1000s of items including knives, spoons, forks, towels and blankets, were squirreled away by Allied prisoners to aid the escape plan under the noses of their captors.
No Americans were involved in the operation. Most were Brits and Canadians, (all the tunnelers were Canadian personnel with backgrounds in mining) Poland, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.
The site of the tunnel, recently excavated by British archaeologists. The latest dig, over three weeks in August, located the entrance to Harry, which was originally concealed under a stove in Hut 104.
The team also found another tunnel, called George, whose exact position had not been charted. It was never used as the 2,000 prisoners were forced to march to other camps as the Red Army approached in January 1945.
Watching the excavation was Gordie King, 91, an RAF radio operator, who was 140 in line to use Harry and therefore missed out. 'This brings back such bitter-sweet memories', he said as he wiped away tears. 'I'm amazed by what they've found. '
Gordie King, 91, made an emotional return to Stalag Luft III.
Many recent generations have no true notion of the cost in lives and treasures that were paid for the liberties that we enjoy in the U.S. today. They also have no idea of the lengths that the "greatest generation" went to in order to preserve those liberties. Below is one true, small and entertaining story regarding those measures that is well worth reading, even if the only thing derived from the story is entertainment.
Escape from WWII POW Camps — starting in 1940, an increasing number of British and Canadian Air men found themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the Crown was casting about for ways and means to facilitate their escape.
Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a useful and accurate map, one showing not only where stuff was, but also showing locations of 'safe houses' where a POW on-the-lam could go for food and shelter.
Paper maps had some real drawbacks -- they make a lot of noise when you open and fold them, they wear out rapidly, and if they get wet, they turn into mush.
Someone in MI-5 got the idea of printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up into tiny wads and unfolded as many times as needed and makes no noise.
At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that was John Waddington Ltd. When approached by the govt. the firm was happy to do its bit for the war effort.
By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the popular American board game Monopoly As it happened, 'games and pastimes' was a category of items qualified for insertion into CARE packages, dispatched by the International Red Cross to prisoners of war.
Under strict secrecy, in a guarded and inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of Waddington's, a group of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass producing maps, keyed to each region of Germany, Italy, and France, or wherever Allied POW camps were located. When processed, these maps could be folded into such tiny bits that they would fit inside a Monopoly playing piece.
As long as they were at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's also managed to add:
1. A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass
2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together
3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian, and French currency, hidden within the piles of Monopoly money!
British and American air crews were advised, before taking off on their first mission, how to identify a 'rigged' Monopoly set – by means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an ordinary printing glitch, located in the corner of the Free Parking square.
Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWs who escaped, an estimated third were aided in their flight by the rigged Monopoly sets. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy indefinitely, since the British Govt. might want to use this highly successful ruse in still another, future war.
The story wasn't declassified until 2007, when the surviving craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the firm itself, were finally honored in a public ceremony.
It's always nice when you can play that 'Get Out of Jail' Free' card!
Some readers are probably too young to have any personal connection to WWII (Sep. '39 to Aug, 1945), but this is still an interesting bit of history for everyone to know.
In 2021, there were 7,910 Indigenous people living in Nanaimo, making up 8.2 per cent of the population. In comparison BC’s Indigenous population represented 5.9 per cent and Canada 5.0 per cent of total population. The majority of the Indigenous population reported a single Indigenous identity, either First Nations, Métis or Inuk (Inuit). Of the Indigenous population in Nanaimo, 54.9 per cent (or 4,345) were First Nations people, 39.4 per cent (or 3,120) were Métis, and 0.8 per cent (or 65) were Inuit. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
In 2023, children (aged 0-14) comprised 14 per cent of Nanaimo's total population. By 2033, this segment is projected to increase by 8.1 per cent, adding 1,190 children. However, as a proportion of the total population, the children category is expected to decline by 2 per cent over the next decade. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
Population growth rates are influenced by two primary factors: natural increase (births minus deaths) and migration. In the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) in 2022, there were 1,122 births and 2,228 deaths, resulting in a negative natural growth rate that has persisted for decades. As a result, population growth in the region has been primarily driven by migration. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
The working-age population (aged 15-64) constituted 62 per cent (66,846) of Nanaimo's population in 2023. This segment is projected to increase by 22.5 per cent (+15,032) by 2033, to represent 63 per cent of the total population. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
Individuals aged 65 and older represented 24 per cent of the total population in 2023 and are expected to grow by an additional 6,239 persons by 2033, reaching 23.8 per cent of the total population. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
The largest growth over the next decade is projected in the 25-44 age category (early working years), with an increase of 9,452 persons. The second-largest growth category is the 65+ category, with an increase of 6,239 persons. Nanaimo's average and median age was younger in the 2021 Census compared to the 2016 Census, indicating a trend towards a younger population. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
Visible minorities make up 10 per cent of Nanaimo's total population, indicating increasing diversity in the region as the overall population expands. As of 2023, Nanaimo's visible minority population is estimated at 10,675 individuals. The three largest minority groups in Nanaimo are Chinese, South Asian, and Filipino, comprising 3.1 per cent, 2.4 per cent, and 0.9 per cent of the total population, respectively. It is projected that the total visible minority population will grow by 16 per cent by 2028, with the largest increases expected from Chinese migrants (596), followed by South Asian (309) and Filipino (246). Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
In 2023, the City of Nanaimo had 6,457 licensed businesses. The largest number of business licences are held by the construction sector, followed by retail and the “professional, scientific and technical services” sector. The number of total business licences increased by 10 per cent over the last decade. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
Home-based businesses account for 38 per cent of total business licences issued in the City of Nanaimo. 67 per cent of Nanaimo’s businesses are locally owned and operated. 3.0 per cent of Nanaimo businesses are franchise operations and 9.49 per cent are branch offices of larger companies headquartered elsewhere. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
In 2022, the City of Nanaimo was home to 3,610 businesses with one or more employees, indicating a consistent growth trend in the overall number of businesses with employees over time. Over the past decade, the number of businesses with employees has increased by 17.4 per cent. Additionally, in the past five years, sole proprietorships have seen a notable increase of 9 per cent in Nanaimo. You can download the full State of the Economy report HERE
In 2023, Nanaimo's labour force consisted of 68,400 individuals, showing a growth rate of 3.3 per cent, surpassing the 2.2 per cent growth rate in BC and the 1.8 per cent growth rate on the Vancouver Island Coast. BC is projected to have 1,017,000 job openings between 2022 and 2032, with nearly 80 per cent of these positions requiring some level of post-secondary education or training. You can download the full State of the Economy report HERE
In 2023, Nanaimo's labour force consisted of 68,400 individuals, showing a growth rate of 3.3 per cent, surpassing the 2.2 per cent growth rate in BC and the 1.8 per cent growth rate on the Vancouver Island Coast. BC is projected to have 1,017,000 job openings between 2022 and 2032, with nearly 80 per cent of these positions requiring some level of post-secondary education or training. Download the full State of the Economy report HERE
In 2023, the occupation with the highest number of job postings was for "retail salespersons," followed by cooks and "retail and wholesale trade managers." Across sectors, the highest number of job openings in 2023 were in the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector, followed by Retail Trade and Accommodation and Food Services. You can download the full State of the Economy report HERE
In 2022, overall student enrollment at Vancouver Island University (VIU) remained largely unchanged compared to 2021. However, there were notable shifts within the student body demographics: domestic student enrollment decreased by 1.6 per cent, while international student enrollment saw a notable increase of 9.4 per cent. You can download the full State of the Economy report HERE
In 2023, the estimated median household income in the City of Nanaimo is $81,606, marking a significant 19.8 per cent increase over the past five years. By 2028, Nanaimo's median household income is projected to reach $94,387, reflecting a growth of 15.7 per cent. In comparison, BC's median household income was $93,585 in 2023 and is anticipated to grow by 15 per cent over the next five years. You can download the full State of the Economy report HERE
On average in 2023, Nanaimo households spent 8 per cent more on shelter, 4 per cent more on food, and 3 per cent more on Household Furnishings and Equipment compared to the national average. Conversely, they spent 19 per cent less on transportation costs and 18 per cent less on personal insurance payments and pension compared to the national average. You can download the full State of the Economy report HERE