A British Army lieutenant presumed dead, the prisoner of war camp from the Great Escape, and a Rolex? This story has plenty of intrigue, but isn’t as exciting as it might seem.
It is well-known that during the Second World War, Hans Wildorf sent Rolex timepieces to captured British soldiers who would pay for them upon their return to Britain. One of those soldiers was Lieutenant Charles Maurice Anthony Whitaker from the Worcestershire Regiment.
Whitaker was captured in 1940, reportedly while holding a bridge inland for retreating men during the Battle of Dunkirk. He was presumed dead for a year but was actually moved between different prisoner of war camps, including Stalag Luft III from the 1963 film, The Great Escape. British soldiers who ordered Rolexes while in these camps in theory requested them by writing a letter to the Rolex, Lieutenant Whitaker received his while he was in Oflag VII-B in Bavaria. His Rolex is a 30 mm Rolex Oyster Perpetual in 9kt yellow gold, powered by the Caliber 710 and numbered 2595. A pretty typical watch for the time and certainly nothing special by vintage Rolex standards. What makes this vintage Rolex really stand out is the story behind it. Lt. Charles Whitaker got the watch sent to him in southeast Germany in the middle of WWII, and continued to wear it when he was free and back home in England.
Lt. Whitaker’s signature on the caseback of the vintage Rolex numbered 2595
The vintage Rolex was eventually passed down to his son, Max Whitaker, who sold it in a recent Fellow’s auction in late March. According to Charles’ son, his dad even tried to escape the different camps he was in a couple times, unsuccessfully, however. This was popular at the time, and while immortalized by The Great Escape, there are several accounts of escapes both successful and unsuccessful from different PoW camps.
The watch was sold for £4,593.60 and the lot included a signed copy of The Wooden Horse by Eric Williams – who Lt. Whitaker befriended in Stalag Luft III, and a picture of Whitaker wearing the Rolex.
By: Andres Ibarguen
Read more:
“Lot 171.” Fellows, March 21st, 2022, https://www.fellows.co.uk/3027-lot-0-ROLEX-a-9ct-yellow-gold-Oyster-Perpetual-wrist-watch-30mm-together-with-war-time-memorabilia?accessories=&arr=0&auction_id=10001&box_filter=0&brand=&category=WROL&colour=&department_id=&exclude_keyword=&export_issue=0&gender=&high_estimate=50000&image_filter=0&keyword=&list_type=grid_view&lot_alert=0&lots_per_page=&low_estimate=50&page_no=1&paper_filter=0&product_type=&search_type=&sort_by=&style=&sub_cat=WROL&utm_source=&view=lot_detail&year=.
Douglas, Alex. “Rolex sent by Hans Wilsdorf to Dunkirk prisoner of war goes under the hammer at Fellows.” WatchPro, March 9th, 2022, https://www.watchpro.com/rolex-sent-by-hans-wilsdorf-to-dunkirk-prisoner-of-war-goes-under-the-hammer-at-fellows/.
A vintage Grand Seiko Hi-Beat 36000 Special 6156-8040 on its original bracelet and recently serviced, for sale on Toronto Vintage Watches.