On the 21st June 1978 I was the SDO at Northolt when Flt Lt Jerzy (Joe) Kmiecick came into the Bar and announced that the next round was on him. As this was not a common occurrence someone asked him what the occasion was and the answer was the best one-liner I have ever heard :-
"Today is the 37th anniversary of my being sentenced to death by the Russians"
The morning after this sentence was passed the Germans attacked the USSR in the early hours and all the Camp Guards decamped leaving the prisoners to fend for themselves. Joe eventually reached Murmansk where he gained passage to UK. He always maintained that he joined the Army but got on the wrong Lorry on arrival in UK and thus became a Fighter Pilot.