The Great Napoleonic Escape

The Great Napoleonic Escape

Lieutenant Charles Hare was a young British naval officer who made an extraordinarily elaborate escape from a French prisoner-of-war camp during the Napoleonic Wars... with the help of his English Terrier dog. Captured at just 14, Hare spent years in captivity before devising an audacious plan to flee dressed in the uniform of a French customs officer. He took a convoluted 'trains, planes and automobiles' style journey up the Rhine, through Germany, to the Netherlands and finally back home to England, deceiving both locals and officials of his true identity.


This tale of ingenuity and bravery was recently uncovered thanks to Hare's descendants, who recently handed over his disguise and firsthand account to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Curator Dr Katherine Gazzard regales Dan with the story in a world-exclusive story when he visited the museum to see the uniform for himself.


You can see Hare's disguise and discover more about his story at a new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, and see it in our new History Hit documentary. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’ to watch it.


Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore


Other episodes mentioned in this episode:

Thomas Cochrane: The Real Master and Commander


We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(1485)

A History of Iran

A History of Iran

How does Iran's history underpin today's unrest? Dan traces more than 2,500 years of Iran's story — from the first Persian empires through conquest, dynasties, and revolution — to understand how power...

15 Tammi 1h 10min

U.S. Interventions in Latin America and Beyond

U.S. Interventions in Latin America and Beyond

For over 200 years, American presidents have repeatedly justified intervention as 'protection' - from the Monroe Doctrine of the 1820s, Teddy Roosevelt at the turn of the 20th century, to Richard Nixo...

12 Tammi 30min

A history of (American) occupation in Greenland

A history of (American) occupation in Greenland

This isn't the first or even second time the U.S has made moves to procure Greenland in the last 160 years. President Donald Trump has stepped up his rhetoric, now saying that the use of US military i...

8 Tammi 35min

The Rise, Fall and Rise of the Taliban

The Rise, Fall and Rise of the Taliban

The Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 shocked the world. But, it was not an abrupt collapse — it was decades in the making. Lyse Doucet has spent her career reporting from the world's war zones...

5 Tammi 1h 3min

How Did Ancient Romans become Christians?

How Did Ancient Romans become Christians?

Around 50 CE, a small group of travellers began to preach that a Jewish man, crucified by the Romans, had risen from the dead. Teaching love, forgiveness and eternal life, this new faith quickly gaine...

1 Tammi 40min

What was the Hanseatic League?

What was the Hanseatic League?

The Hanseatic League was a medieval trading network that stretched across Northern Europe. Formed in Northern Germany in the 12th century, it was an economic powerhouse of the age. Over the next five ...

29 Joulu 202529min

 How Did the British Empire Build the Modern World?

How Did the British Empire Build the Modern World?

Tobacco, sugar, rum, cotton, rubber, tea, coffee, spices, industry, borders, slavery, war - all things spread across the globe thanks to the British Empire. At its height in 1922, it was the largest e...

25 Joulu 202530min

King Herod

King Herod

Appointed by the Romans as king of Judaea, King Herod's reign was defined by great architectural projects and canny diplomacy. But he could also be cruel and paranoid, with scandal and family intrigue...

22 Joulu 202541min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
totuus-vai-salaliitto
huijarit
mystista
tsunami
konginkangas
rss-ikiuni
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
rouva-diktaattori
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-peter-peter
romani-podcast
rss-iltanuotiolla
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
rss-outoja-uutisia-pohjois-suomesta