True Story: SAS Rogue Heroes John Tonkin’s Daring Escape from German Forces

SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 is here and viewers can't stop raving about it. In one episode, Jack Barton’s Lt John Tonkin gets captured during the Termoli fighting. During this time, Hitler had issued the Commando Order, which meant that any captured commandos would be executed. 

But something happened next that shocked viewers. In this article, we will discuss what happened in the show and how that was different from real-life incidents. 

What Happened in SAS Rogue Heroes with John Tonkin?

When John Tonkin gets captured by German forces at Termoli; German officer General Heidrich, a World War I veteran, invites him to dinner to talk about the work the SAS was doing. He was a parachutist himself and loved to share stories with captured paratroopers. 

He is the one who warns Tonkin about the Commando Order in the show and tells him that he wouldn’t survive the next day. The next day he gets led outside to the firing squad from where he escapes after taking on three officers. While some elements were added to the show for a dramatic effect, Tonkin’s escape was real. 

Real Story of John Tonkin’s Escape from German Forces

In real life, a German major, and not General Heidrich, warned John Tonkin about his fate after he was taken back to his prison cell post dinner. He was warned that special police would take him away and that the German Army wouldn’t be able to guarantee his life. 

In SAS Rogue Heroes John Tonkin fights three Germans to escape, but in real life, he sneaks out of a jeep and comes across a British patrol after wandering around for days. After that, he is reunited with the SRS. There, he finds out that he had been reported missing as his effects have been auctioned off. 

Also, the money was sent to his next of kin along with a ‘missing in action, assumed dead' notice. So, there are quite a few differences between what happened in real life and what was shown in the show. You can catch SAS Rogue Heroes on BBC iPlayer.