A Mountain Road

Douglas Weddell Thompson was a fascinating character. From humble beginnings in Newcastle he felt a calling to the Methodist ministry, and then to being a missionary. His time in China was marked by the Sino-Japanese war which caused him to flee the country. Upon return to England, he quickly joined the army as a chaplain. This led to him seeing action in North Africa, and to his eventual capture by the German forces. He was then a prisoner of war through camps in Italy, finally ending up in Stalag Luft III, where he was camp chaplain during the time of the infamous "Great Escape". His extraordinary life after liberation led him to meeting people such as Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John XXIII and the King and Queen of Tonga. He was even President of the Methodist Conference and yet through it all he remained a grounded person. This inspiring autobiography will have you wanting to visit far away places, will make you laugh and feel humbled, and will give you a sense that even a "little man" can change the world for the better.