The somewhat fictionalised version of the true story is set in Stalag Luft III — the same Prisoner of war camp where the real events depicted in the film ''The Great Escape (film)'' took place, albeit from a different compound – and involved Williams, Michael Codner and Oliver Philpot, all inmates of the camp. In the book and film, the escapees are renamed "Flight Lieutenant Peter Howard", "Captain John Clinton" and "Philip Rowe".