Robert Campbell
This is British Army Captain Robert Campbell, who was captured in 1914 a few weeks after the First World War started and was sent to a prisoner of war camp in Germany.
Campbell was there two years until, in December of 1916, he received word from home that his mother was dying. On a long-shot, Campbell wrote directly to Kaiser Wilhelm II asking for leave to go home to see her one last time.
Not only did the Kaiser say yes, but he granted Campbell two weeks leave at home, plus two travel days each way, as long as Campbell promised to return.
And like an honorable gentleman, he did.
When Campbell’s allotted leave time was up, he crossed back across the front lines once more and returned to the prisoner of war camp, where he began digging an escape tunnel.
His attempt at escape failed, and he remained incarcerated until liberated at the end of the war in 1918.