"Berg had to content himself with blowing up the odd radio valve here and there although he did succeed in shooting off his big toe during rifle drill."

Berg is probably my favourite character of the whole book. I've never read anything of this sort before but this utterly captivated me.

"“I made the study of explosives my hobby when I was at school and college.”
“Is that how you lost your fingers?” Kruger inquired.
“Yes, commander. Would you like to hear about some of the various explosions I have been responsible for?”"

On the one hand, I sort of found the whole thing a little silly: captured prisoners given enough freedom, supplies and opportunity to attempt escapes, where the British were almost caricatures of what decent (and by decent I mean effective rather than moral) jailers should be.

"“You have heard that the Swiss keep their country very clean?”
Chalky nodded.
“They have to because they have a heightened sense of smell from eating so much chocolate,” said Willi, holding the bar out to Chalky. “Try it if you don't believe me.”"

Apart from that, which is a comment on the era and methodology of the time rather than this particular title, this book was brilliant. The end sort of appeared looming out of nowhere: so that simply means picking up the next one!