The secret wartime story of "Carry On" star, Peter Butterworth.

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Peter Butterworth is best known for invariably playing a bumbling buffoon in the “Carry On films”.
Appearing in 16 of the classic and quirky British comedies his roles included Citizen Bidet (Kenneth William’s sidekick) in “Carry On Don’t Lose Your Head”, the money grabbing farmer, Mr. Fidler in “Carry on Camping” and missionary, Brother Belcher in probably my favourite: “Carry On Up the Khyber”.

But behind the comedy there is a secret story from World War 2.

Because Peter Butterworth was a pilot shot down, just after Dunkirk and a captive in German Prisoner of War camps for 5 years.

During which time he escaped digging a tunnel using a soup spoon, was a member of British intelligence unit MI9 and was involved in the two famous break outs from Stalag Luft III POW camp, both of which were made into films:“The Wooden Horse.” And “The Great Escape.”
In fact, his wartime story only came to light long after he died.

The littleknown war time story of Peter Butterworth.

Peter Butterworth
1915 Born Bramhall, Cheshire
1940 Pilot, Fleet Air Arm.
June 1940 Shot down over Netherlands & captured
1941 Failed escape, sent to Stalag Luft iii
1943 Wooden Horse Escape
1944 The Great Escape
1945 Liberated
1946 Married Janet Brown
1948 First movie break
1965 First of 16 "Carry On" movies
1978 Last movie
1979 Died
Buried at Danehill cemetery, East Sussex, England

Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:22 WW2 Pilot
2:17 Prisoner of War
3:06 Stalag Luft III
4:11 Wooden Horse Escape
7:46 The Great Escape
8:48 Espionage
9:46 Acting Career
10:43 Janet Brown & Peter Butterworth
12:07 Carry On films
13:31 Peter Butterworth Death


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My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.

History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or Youtube animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.

My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"

Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham.

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