This is a fantastic true story about Ernest Brough, an Australian who signed up in World War 2 when under age, who excelled as a soldier and who was eventually made a prisoner of war. After being captured at the Western front, he was sent to a POW camp in Yugoslavia. The story really begins after he and 2 other men escape and make their way across war-torn Europe, trying to get to Italy. They do not know who to trust as there are many underground groups that offer sanctuary, but some would be willing to sell them to the Germans as hostages. They are constantly looking for food, fighting extreme cold and the possibility of being shot, but in the midst of all these extremes they are offered both shelter and sanctuary by the ordinary Europeans they come across - this despite the fact that they themselves have barely enough food to eat. At times, I was moved to tears by the generosity of these poor farmers and villagers who showed the absolute best of humanity in their actions. Although it is told in a simple, straight-forward way, the book conjures up powerful emotions just by the events that occur.
An excellent book for teenage boys to show EXACTLY what is involved when you fight a war; especially the LICE....ick!