Charles Hare's Great Escape: The Story of a Napoleonic Prisoner of War

This is the story of Charles Hare and his audacious escape from
the fortress of Sarre-Libre (Sarre-Louis), then part of France, aft er
six years as a prisoner of war. Hare was a midshipman in the Royal
Navy who had been captured by the French in 1803 at the age
of just thirteen. He escaped by impersonating an off icer in the
Douanes, the French customs service. Remarkably, the uniform
that he wore as a disguise survives and has recently entered the
collection of Royal Museums Greenwich, along with a copy of
Hare's autobiographical account of his adventures.
Having undergone extensive conservation, the uniform will be
on display from October 2024 in the National Maritime Museum's
'Nelson, Navy, Nation' gallery. Through detailed photography and
a range of complementary objects, curator Dr Katherine Gazzard
tells the deeply personal and unique story of Hare, tracking his
dangerous journey across Europe. She also examines the materials
and insignia of the uniform and traces the history of the Douanes
from their foundation in the French Revolution to their role as an
imperial directorate under Napoleon. The book concludes with a
consideration of Hare's experiences within the context of prisoners
of war more broadly.