High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Patrick Robert "Pat" Reid, MBE, MC (13 November 1910—22 May 1990) was a British Army officer and historical author of non-fiction. As a British Prisoner of War during World War II, he was held captive at Colditz Castle when it was designated Oflag IV-C. Reid was one of the few to escape from Colditz, crossing the border into neutral Switzerland in late 1942. After the war Reid was a diplomat and administrator before eventually returning to his pre-war career in civil engineering. He also wrote about his experiences in two best-selling books, which became the basis of a film, TV series and even a board game.