Editing Airey Neave (section)

==Second World War==
Neave transferred his territorial commission to the [[Royal Engineers]] on 2 May 1938<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34513/pages/3355|title=The London Gazette, 24 May 1938|access-date=6 November 2013|archive-date=1 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201170943/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34513/pages/3355|url-status=live}}</ref> and, following the outbreak of war, he was mobilised. Sent to France in February 1940 with [[1st Searchlight Regiment, Royal Artillery]], he was wounded and captured by the Germans [[Siege of Calais (1940)|at Calais]] on 23 May 1940. He was imprisoned at [[Oflag IX-A/H]] near [[Spangenberg]] and, in February 1941, was moved to [[Stalag XX-A]] near [[Toruń|Thorn]] in German-occupied western Poland. Meanwhile, Neave's commission was transferred to the [[Royal Artillery]] on 1 August 1940.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35121/supplements/1885|title=The London Gazette, 1 April 1941|access-date=6 November 2013|archive-date=1 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201170946/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35121/supplements/1885|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 1941, he escaped from Thorn along with Norman Forbes. They were captured near [[Ilow]] while trying to enter [[Soviet]]-controlled Poland and were briefly held by the [[Gestapo]].<ref name='Escape'>{{cite web|url=http://www.arcre.com/archive/mi9/neave|title=IS9 Historical Report – Airey Neave Escape Report – Arcre|first=Lee|last=Richards|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207231619/http://www.arcre.com/archive/mi9/neave|archive-date=7 February 2015}}</ref> In May, they were both sent to [[Oflag IV-C]] (often referred to as [[Colditz Castle]] because of its location).<ref name="Story of Colditz">{{cite web|url=http://uktv.co.uk/yesterday/item/aid/595034%7CUKTV|title=Home – Yesterday Channel|access-date=24 March 2017|archive-date=22 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422051743/https://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref>

While in Colditz, the French military prisoners asked the Germans to have the Jewish military prisoners separated from the gentile French military prisoners, which resulted in about 80 French Jewish military prisoners being confined in a crowded attic of the castle. Neave and many British officers were appalled at the French prisoners' request. In a demonstration of their solidarity with the French Jews, the British invited the French Jews to dinner in the British mess, where Neave made a speech denouncing the prejudice.<ref name=macintyre2022>{{cite book |last=MacIntyre |first=Ben |author-link=Ben MacIntyre |date=2022|title=Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle |location=New York |publisher=Penguin Random House |isbn=978-0241408520 |page=47-48, 58-59 }}</ref>

Neave made his first attempt to escape from Colditz on 28 August 1941, disguised as a German NCO. He did not get out of the castle as his hastily contrived German uniform (made from a Polish army tunic and with a cap painted with scenery paint, accompanied with cardboard belt painted silver) was rendered bright green under the prison searchlights.<ref name=Exits>Airey Neave, ''They Have Their Exits'' (Beagle Books, Inc., 1971) pp. 69–76.</ref> The disguise was so poor that guards came to see it; prison official [[Paul Priem]] joked that "Corporal Neave is to be sent to the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Russian front]]".{{r|macintyre2022}} 

Together with Dutch officer [[Anthony Luteyn]], he made a second attempt on 5 January 1942, again in disguise. Better uniforms and escape route (they made a quick exit from a theatrical production using the [[trapdoor]] beneath the stage) got them out of the prison; by train and on foot, they travelled to [[Leipzig]] and [[Ulm]] and finally reached the border to Switzerland near [[Singen]]. Via France, Spain, and [[Gibraltar]], Neave returned to England in April 1942. Neave was the first British officer to escape from Colditz Castle.<ref name='Escape'/> 

On 12 May 1942, shortly after his return to England, he was decorated with the [[Military Cross]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35556/supplements/2072|title=The London Gazette, 8 May 1942|access-date=6 November 2013|archive-date=13 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113142550/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35556/supplements/2072|url-status=live}}</ref> He was subsequently promoted to [[Military rank#Types of rank|war substantive captain]] and to the permanent rank of captain on 11 April 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37335/supplements/5381|title=London Gazette, 6 November 1945|access-date=6 November 2013|archive-date=13 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113142551/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37335/supplements/5381|url-status=live}}</ref> 

A temporary major at war's end, he was appointed an [[Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (Military Division) on 30 August 1945,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37244/supplements/4371|title=Page 4371 – Supplement 37244, 28 August 1945 – London Gazette – The Gazette|access-date=6 November 2013|archive-date=13 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113142958/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37244/supplements/4371|url-status=live}}</ref> and awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] on 18 October.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37310/supplements/5098|title=The London Gazette, 18 October 1945|access-date=6 November 2013|archive-date=13 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113142415/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37310/supplements/5098|url-status=live}}</ref> Consequently, the earlier MBE appointment was cancelled on 25 October 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37321/supplements/5213|title=The London Gazette, 25 October 1945|access-date=6 November 2013|archive-date=13 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113143001/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37321/supplements/5213|url-status=live}}</ref>

After his escape from the Germans and return to England, Neave was recruited as an intelligence officer for [[MI9]], supporting underground escape organizations, such as the [[Pat O'Leary Line]] and the [[Comet Line]] in occupied Europe, with equipment, agents, and money. They were assisting downed Allied airmen and other Allied military personnel evade and escape capture by the Germans. In Western Europe, about five thousand British and American military personnel were rescued by the escape organizations and repatriated to the United Kingdom, before [[D-Day]], mostly through neutral Spain. After D-Day, in [[Operation Marathon (World War II)|Operation Marathon]], Neave journeyed to France and Belgium and, with help from the Comet Line and the Resistance, rescued more than three hundred Allied airmen who had taken refuge in forest camps after being shot down.<ref>Neave, Airey (1970), ''The Escape Room'', New York: Doubleday, pp. viii–xiv, 288–295</ref><ref>Clutton-Brock, Oliver (2009), ''RAF Evaders'', London: Grub Street, pp. 424–426.</ref> While at MI9, he was the immediate superior of the future comedian [[Michael Bentine]], also an Old Etonian.

Neave also served in the International Military Tribunal at the [[Nuremberg trials]], investigating [[Krupp]]. He was supported by the work of his secretary Joan Tutte.<ref>{{Cite web|last=thewomenwhomademe|date=2017-07-04|title=Joan T's story|url=https://thewomenwhomademe.wordpress.com/2017/07/04/joan-ts-story/|access-date=2020-11-20|website=The Women Who Made Me|language=en|archive-date=20 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120093537/https://thewomenwhomademe.wordpress.com/2017/07/04/joan-ts-story/|url-status=live}}</ref> As a well-known war hero – as well as a qualified lawyer who spoke fluent German – he was honoured with the role of reading the indictments to the [[Nazi]] leaders on trial.<ref>{{cite book |last=Sereny |first=Gitta |author-link=Gitta Sereny |date=1995 |title=Albert Speer: His Battle With Truth  |location=London |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=0333645197 |page=567 }}</ref> He wrote several books about his war experiences including an account of the trials.<ref name='Nuremburg'>{{cite book|title=Nuremberg|first=Airey|last=Neave|date=1 October 1982|publisher=Hodder & Stoughton Ltd|id={{ASIN|0340254505|country=uk}}}}</ref>

A temporary lieutenant-colonel by 1947, he was appointed an [[Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (Military Division) in that year's [[Birthday Honours]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The London Gazette, 12 June 1947 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37977/supplement/2579 |page=2579}}</ref> He was awarded the [[Bronze Star]] by the US government on 20 July 1948,<ref>{{cite web |title=The London Gazette, 20 July 1948 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38359/page/4190 |page=4190}}</ref> and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 1 April 1950,<ref name=Gazette04071950>{{cite web |title=The London Gazette, 4 July 1950, supplement 38958 |pages=3442–3 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38958/supplement/3442 |access-date=26 July 2014 |archive-date=9 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809124528/https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/38958/supplement/3442 |url-status=live}}</ref> At the same time, his promotion to acting major was gazetted, with retroactive effect from 16 April 1948.{{r|Gazette04071950}} He entered the reserves on 21 September 1951.<ref>{{cite web |title=The London Gazette, 20 November 1951 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39385/supplement/6041 |page=6041}}</ref>