A COLDITZ hero from Huddersfield has been honoured with an exhibition of his wartime exploits.
Bill `Lulu' Lawton was kept at the infamous Nazi castle for four years alongside others who had persistently tried to escape from German prisoner of war camps in the Second World War.
Mr Lawton's family, who now live in the Holmfirth area, have donated photographs, books and Colditz reunion memorabilia to Bullecourt Museum in Milnsbridge.
The museum opened last year.
Curator John Garside has created a special display to recognise Mr Lawton's fight to escape from Nazi captivity.
Mr Lawton, who died in 1999 aged 79, tried to escape twice.
The first time the Dukes captain dressed up as a German guard and tried to follow a lorry through a gate.
The second more successful attempt saw Mr Lawton tunnel out with six fellow captives.
He was caught within touching distance of the Swiss border by a suspicious station booking clerk.
He was again arrested and returned to Colditz where he became assistant escapes officer, helping with supplying maps, compasses and other escape gear.
Mr Lawton, who always insisted he couldn't remember how he came to be nicknamed Lulu, was first captured in 1940 at St Valery-en-Caux as the British retreated from France.
He was finally released when the Americans liberated the castle in 1944 but returned three times on visits.
Before the war Mr Lawton had worked in his father's textile factory, Lawton Textiles, at New Mill.
Mr Garside said: "You hear such interesting stories about people such as this and their bravery.
"People are interested in so many aspects of the war.
"It's nice when people bring things even small things and take an interest in the museum."
* Colditz Castle is 1,000 years old and is 26 miles from Leipzig
* Its official name as a prisoner of war camp was Oflag IVc
* The first British prisoners arrived in November, 1940
* Lord Harewood and Douglas Bader were among its inmates
* Some 300 escape bids were made. Twelve Frenchmen made it home, as did 11 Britons, seven Dutch and one Pole.
