There are many memoirs of Australian soldiers who served during the Second World War, but relatively few combine frontline combat, imprisonment, escape, and survival into a single compelling narrative. Dangerous Days: A Digger’s Great Escape by Ernest Brough is one such book. It is both an adventure story and a deeply personal account of an ordinary Australian whose determination and resilience carried him through some of the most difficult experiences imaginable.
Ernest Brough enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force as a young Victorian and served with distinction in the North African campaign. He experienced the brutal fighting that characterised the desert war, including the long siege of Tobruk and the battles that ultimately turned the tide against the Axis forces. Like so many Australian soldiers, he endured relentless heat, dust, shortages of water and supplies, and the constant danger of artillery fire and aerial attack. Brough’s descriptions of frontline service are vivid without becoming melodramatic. His writing conveys the uncertainty and exhaustion of campaigning in the desert while highlighting the quiet professionalism and humour that sustained Australian soldiers under extreme pressure.
The memoir takes a dramatic turn following his capture by German forces. Rather than allowing captivity to define the remainder of the story, Brough presents prisoner of war life as another test of endurance. He writes candidly about hunger, boredom, uncertainty, and the psychological strain of imprisonment. His observations remind the reader that captivity was not simply a pause in military service but a continuing battle against despair and the gradual erosion of hope.
The centrepiece of the book is, of course, the escape that gives the memoir its subtitle. Escaping from a prisoner of war camp was never simply a matter of climbing a fence. It required planning, patience, courage, and an extraordinary willingness to accept enormous risks. Brough and his companions travelled through occupied Europe with few resources beyond their determination. They relied on improvised navigation, avoided German patrols, crossed difficult terrain, and depended on the kindness and bravery of civilians and resistance fighters who risked their own lives to assist escaped prisoners.
What makes these chapters particularly effective is that Brough never presents himself as a fearless adventurer. He readily acknowledges uncertainty, fear, and moments when success seemed almost impossible. This honesty gives the narrative considerable credibility. The reader comes away with the impression not of an action hero but of an ordinary Australian soldier whose perseverance proved stronger than his circumstances.
Brough’s writing style is direct, uncomplicated, and refreshingly modest. There is little embellishment or unnecessary drama. Instead, he allows events to speak for themselves, a quality common to many of the finest Australian wartime memoirs. His understated prose often makes the most dramatic episodes even more powerful because they are presented without exaggeration. The humour that occasionally emerges, particularly in interactions with fellow prisoners and soldiers, also reflects the distinctly Australian character of the narrative and provides welcome relief from the constant tension.
Beyond the excitement of the escape itself, Dangerous Days offers valuable historical insights into the experiences of Australian prisoners of war in Europe. It illustrates the organisation of German prison camps, the ingenuity required to prepare an escape, the importance of resistance networks, and the uncertain relationship between escaped Allied servicemen and the civilian populations who sheltered them. For historians, the memoir provides a useful firsthand perspective that complements official histories and archival records. For general readers, it offers an engaging account that never loses sight of the human dimension of war.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its emphasis on mateship. Throughout the memoir, survival depends not upon individual heroics but upon cooperation, trust, and shared sacrifice. Brough repeatedly acknowledges the contribution of others, reflecting a humility that enhances rather than diminishes his own achievements. This focus on collective effort captures an important aspect of the Australian military tradition and explains why the memoir continues to resonate with readers decades after its first publication.
The memoir also serves as a reminder that the effects of war did not end with liberation or victory. Although the escape concludes successfully, the physical and emotional consequences of prolonged combat and captivity linger beneath the surface of Brough’s narrative. His experiences reflect the resilience of a generation whose hardships often remained understated long after the war had ended.
For readers interested in Australian military history, prisoner of war experiences, or stories of courage under adversity, Dangerous Days: A Digger’s Great Escape is an outstanding memoir. It combines historical significance with an engaging narrative and offers a deeply authentic account of endurance, resourcefulness, and survival. More than an exciting escape story, it is a testament to the character of ordinary Australian soldiers who faced extraordinary circumstances with quiet determination and remarkable courage.
Highly recommended for readers of Australian military history, Second World War memoirs, and anyone interested in true stories of endurance, escape, and survival.