Under The Wire

A story of bravery in the face of brutality, of comradeship, of a never-say-die attitude; and running through it is a sense of humour that cheers up the grimmest situation * THE TIMES *A life of adventure that will inspire and astonish… Ash is a writer who makes his readers feel as if they’re right there beside him through it all – HOMER HICKAM, author of THE ROCKET BOYSA remarkable story… brilliantly told and with all the authentic sights, sounds and smells of the World War 2 prison camp – TONY RENNELL, author of THE LAST ESCAPEWell written and exciting… in this remarkable book…there are passages…that make the reader want to stand up and cheer – CHARLES ROLLINGS, author of WIRE AND WALLSAn astonishing tale - totally spellbinding. I always knew Bill Ash was a special guy but never realised how special… Perhaps his greatest achievement was to emerge from the horrors of the war with his faith in ordinary people enhanced – ALAN PLATERHis exploits may well have provided the inspiration for Steve McQueen’s iconic role in The Great Escape… Sixty years on, that inspiration is still undimmed * YORKSHIRE EVENING POST *One of the greatest escapers of all time… An extraordinary adventure, full of humour and daring, one man’s war against the Nazis, and a book well worth waiting sixty years for * OXFORD TIMES *He tells his story with humour and lightness of touch * WALES ON SUNDAY *Thoughtful, deep and poignant… Ash has a humour and insightfulness that adds to the history. His book is a testament to man’s deep-seated yearning to be free – ROBERT WILCOX, author of SCREAM OF EAGLES

Bill Ash was born in Texas in 1917. On the outbreak of war in 1939 he left America and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. From there, he went to England and flew Spitfires. He was shot down over occupied France in 1942 and became a PoW. Awarded an MBE for his wartime exploits, he joined the Communist party and was involved in sheltering Hollywood exiles in the ‘50s. He worked for the BBC as their India correspondent and subsequently as senior producer of BBC Radio Drama. He also became Head of the Writers’ Guild and wrote a number of plays. William Ash died in April 2014.

Brendan Foley grew up in Belfast. He divides his time between London and California. An award-winning features journalist, he ran a successful communications consultancy and now writes full-time, including fiction, biography and screenplays. He first met Bill Ash in the 1980s and, inspired by the Spitfire pilot’s life, wrote a screenplay of his wartime adventures. He encouraged Bill to tell his story to a wider audience, through Under the Wire.

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