The Crow's Flight

07/09/2025

🚨 New video just dropped on ’s channel! 🚨

Greatest POW Escape of World War II: The Crow’s Flight
The true story of Ralph Churches, a South Australian enlisted man who became the unlikely hero of the largest and most successful POW escape from the Germans in WWII.

Escorted by courageous resistance fighters in what is now Slovenia, Ralph led 106 Allied servicemen through occupied territory to freedom.

🎥 Watch the interview with Terry Anzur here: https://youtu.be/fYGy_x3CJ24

📖 Read The Greatest Escape: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/neil-churches/the-greatest-escape/9781529060331

🥾 Walk the Freedom Corridor: https://thecrowsflight.com

Find out more about The Greatest Escape by Neil Churches

07/09/2025

why only have one of Bled's famous cream cake!

07/09/2025

06/09/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/18eXDAXKeL/?mibextid=wwXIfr

True story of Ralph Churches, a South Australian enlisted man who became the unlikely hero of The Crow's Flight -- the most successful POW escape from the Ge...

01/07/2025

🌿 𝐇𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥 𝐕𝐞𝐬𝐧𝐚, 𝐮𝐝𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞 𝐬𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞.
V objemu zelenih gozdov vas pričakuje naš hotel, ki je kraj sprostitve, udobja in prijetnega oddiha. Prijazno osebje, počitek v naravi in domačno vzdušje vas bodo spremljali na vsakem koraku. 🏨🌲

Popoln kraj za pobeg od vsakdana. Vaš oddih se začne pri nas. 💚

01/07/2025

Rafting along the river Drava, Maribor, Slovenia

Visitors are invited to experience the rich rafting tradition of the past, brought to life by the Maribor raftsmen and their companions. These proud custodians of a once highly respected profession share their vibrant outlook on life and culinary delights, creating an unforgettable rafting experience. The Maribor raftsmen are known for operating the most authentic raft in Slovenia.

The journey begins at Koblar Bay and concludes in Lent, with the option of a circular route. A raft ride on the River Drava reveals a unique perspective of the city. As the Rafting Trio plays traditional local music, a cheerful atmosphere is created, complemented by servings of delicious regional cuisine. A highlight of the journey is the initiation ritual, in which one lucky guest is ceremoniously welcomed into the brotherhood of the raftsmen.

After the ride, visitors are encouraged to explore the attractions of Maribor’s Lent district and follow the Rafting Learning Pathway. Starting at the Old Vine House, the path winds past defence towers, along the historic embankment of Lent, and all the way to Maribor Island. Along the way, travellers discover the rich ethnological heritage and cultural traditions of Maribor and the wider Drava Valley.

Contact
TIC Maribor, Partizanska cesta 6 a, Maribor
T: +386 2 23 46 611
E: [email protected]

photo Visit Maribor

01/07/2025

01/07/2025

26/06/2025

where are we today?

26/06/2025

The visa is expected to become available from the beginning of November this year.

16/06/2025

We're celebrating South Australia's History Festival at Centennial Park and highlighting some incredible people resting here.

Ralph Churches co-lead one of the most successful escapes from a German Prisoner of War (POW) camp in WWII.

Nicknamed ‘Crow’ for his South Australian heritage, Ralph was captured by Germans during the Battle of Greece in 1941. He spent 3 years in a POW camp, all the while preparing himself for an escape!

During his capture, he learned Viennese German, lulled his captors into a false sense of contentment with luxuries provided by Red Cross and became the camp leader. In 1944, Ralph and 7 of his fellow POWs, including Englishman Les laws, facilitated a well-planned escape and walked off their working site, re-laying train tracks in Maribor. With the assistance of Partisans, they were led to Lovrenc village.

Ralph, fearing for the remaining POW’s left at the camp, proposed a daring plan to free them all! The next day, Ralph, Les and 100 Partisans ambushed German guards at the working site, freeing 120 POWs without bloodshed. They trekked 285 km to Semic, evading German troops.

On September 18, 1944, they were flown to freedom in Italy. Ralph sent 'ESCAPED SAFE WELL' to his wife who he married a few days before leaving Adelaide.

Ralph became an insurance salesman and passed away in 2014. He rests next to his wife in our Services Family section.

📸 Image: “A Hundred Miles as the Crow Flies’ book by Ralph Churches. Ralph can be seen in this image with his iconic slough hat which he wore throughout the escape.

Learn more on our history tour! 👉 https://www.centennialpark.org/events/south-australias-history-festival/

22/04/2025

A big thank you to Carmen, a lovely member of our Henley community, for donating her handmade poppies for our Anzac Day displays. 🌺

Carmen dropped by Ngutungka Henley this week and discovered a book that connected deeply to her family's WWII history in Slovenia. While chatting with our team, she shared that she’d crocheted 100 poppies back in 2015 while recovering from surgery - and kindly offered them to us.

They’ve made our displays extra special this year. Thank you, Carmen! ❤️

Come on down and explore our collection! You can also access a great range of eBooks and eAudiobooks commemorating the Anzacs anytime on BorrowBox our free digital library app 👉 https://brnw.ch/21wS833