A World War Two Flight Lieutenant fled who from a Nazi firing squad after his Spitfire was shot down and escaped recapture by leaping from a moving train, has died aged 91. Tony Snell was patrolling over Sicily in July 1943 when his plane was hit by attacking Messerschmitt fighters and he was forced to land behind enemy lines. Although he managed to evade capture, Flight Lieutenant Snell was challenged by a German patrol who rolled a hand grenade at him which he managed to run clear of and launched further grenades at him as he escaped. Hero: Spitfire pilot Tony Snell who escaped the Nazi's after his plane was shot down over Sicily during World War Two . Shot down: Flight Lieutenant Snell was piloting a Spitfire when he was shot down and had a number of brushes with Nazi soldiers . Mr Snell hid in bushes before stumbling into a minefield. He managed to carefully negotiate his way to a track but was captured when he reached a German airfield. Nazi soldiers decided to execute Mr Snell and he was told to kneel down in front of a firing squad. But brave Mr Snell escaped again, running away despite German fire. He was hit in the shoulder and badly wounded but still attempted to make it back to Allied lines. His attempt failed and he was recaptured and threatened with execution again suspected of being a spy - but this time he managed to prove his identity. Flight Lieutenant Snell was taken to hospital before being transferred to Tuscany for treatment to his smashed shoulder. He was then to be transferred as a prisoner of war by train back to Germany. Mr Snell had other ideas however. He and another officer leapt from the train when it slowed down at a junction and headed south. Under fire: Mr Snell's plane was attacked by German Messerschmitt planes . They joined forces with some Italian partisans and managed to reach Modena with their helo where they were sheltered by families. Several months later, the now fully fit pair set off by train on a risky journey to the foot of the Alps. They eventually made it across the mountain range, helped by two guides, into neutral Switzerland. Flight Lieutenant Snell was awarded the DSO for the lengths he went to in escaping from the enemy. Born in Tunbridge Wells in March 1922, he had joined No 242 Squadron in July 1940 and took part in the US/UK joint training programme known as the Arnold scheme. He served in North Africa before moving with the squadron to Malta to prepare for the invasion of Siciliy. He was eventually discharged from the RAF in 1946. New home: Mr Snell set up a restaurant in the British Virgin Islands (file picture) Mr Snell's sense of adventure continued long after the war ended. He toured Africa as an actor and songwriter in a one man show and travelled around the U.S and Mexico in a bus with his wife Jackie. He also recorded an album of his songs, called An Englishman Abroad, in New York. Mr Snell returned to England in 1966 and bought a boat before sailing it with his wife to Ibiza where the couple set up a business offering boat excursions. They moved to the British Virgin Islands and set up another boat tour company which proved unsuccessful, before opening The Last Resort, a restaurant in Jost Van Dyke. The restaurant burned down a year later and the pair returned to Ibiza to sell their catamaran before heading back to the British Virgin Islands and rebuilding their restaurant, this time in Bellamy Cay, Trellis Bay, Tortola, from scratch. Jackie was the head chef while Mr Snell entertained guests with his musical talents. Although the couple's children took over the running of the restaurant, Mr Snell was still entertaining guests until a short while before his death on August 4. His wife Jackie, with whom he had a daughter and a son, died in 2001.
Flight Lieutenant Tony Snell was shot down over Sicily in July 1943 .
He managed to evade capture before he was finally caught and threatened with execution .
Mr Snell escaped and had several close brushes with Nazi soldiers before making it to Switzerland .
A World War Two Flight Lieutenant fled who from a Nazi firing squad after his Spitfire was shot down and escaped recapture by leaping from a moving train, has died aged 91. Tony Snell was patrolling over Sicily in July 1943 when his plane was hit by attacking Messerschmitt fighters and he was forced to land behind enemy lines. Although he managed to evade capture, Flight Lieutenant Snell was challenged by a German patrol who rolled a hand grenade at him which he managed to run clear of and launched further grenades at him as he escaped. Hero: Spitfire pilot Tony Snell who escaped the Nazi's after his plane was shot down over Sicily during World War Two . Shot down: Flight Lieutenant Snell was piloting a Spitfire when he was shot down and had a number of brushes with Nazi soldiers . Mr Snell hid in bushes before stumbling into a minefield. He managed to carefully negotiate his way to a track but was captured when he reached a German airfield. Nazi soldiers decided to execute Mr Snell and he was told to kneel down in front of a firing squad. But brave Mr Snell escaped again, running away despite German fire. He was hit in the shoulder and badly wounded but still attempted to make it back to Allied lines. His attempt failed and he was recaptured and threatened with execution again suspected of being a spy - but this time he managed to prove his identity. Flight Lieutenant Snell was taken to hospital before being transferred to Tuscany for treatment to his smashed shoulder. He was then to be transferred as a prisoner of war by train back to Germany. Mr Snell had other ideas however. He and another officer leapt from the train when it slowed down at a junction and headed south. Under fire: Mr Snell's plane was attacked by German Messerschmitt planes . They joined forces with some Italian partisans and managed to reach Modena with their helo where they were sheltered by families. Several months later, the now fully fit pair set off by train on a risky journey to the foot of the Alps. They eventually made it across the mountain range, helped by two guides, into neutral Switzerland. Flight Lieutenant Snell was awarded the DSO for the lengths he went to in escaping from the enemy. Born in Tunbridge Wells in March 1922, he had joined No 242 Squadron in July 1940 and took part in the US/UK joint training programme known as the Arnold scheme. He served in North Africa before moving with the squadron to Malta to prepare for the invasion of Siciliy. He was eventually discharged from the RAF in 1946. New home: Mr Snell set up a restaurant in the British Virgin Islands (file picture) Mr Snell's sense of adventure continued long after the war ended. He toured Africa as an actor and songwriter in a one man show and travelled around the U.S and Mexico in a bus with his wife Jackie. He also recorded an album of his songs, called An Englishman Abroad, in New York. Mr Snell returned to England in 1966 and bought a boat before sailing it with his wife to Ibiza where the couple set up a business offering boat excursions. They moved to the British Virgin Islands and set up another boat tour company which proved unsuccessful, before opening The Last Resort, a restaurant in Jost Van Dyke. The restaurant burned down a year later and the pair returned to Ibiza to sell their catamaran before heading back to the British Virgin Islands and rebuilding their restaurant, this time in Bellamy Cay, Trellis Bay, Tortola, from scratch. Jackie was the head chef while Mr Snell entertained guests with his musical talents. Although the couple's children took over the running of the restaurant, Mr Snell was still entertaining guests until a short while before his death on August 4. His wife Jackie, with whom he had a daughter and a son, died in 2001.
patrolling over Sicily in July 1943 when his Although he managed to evade capture, Flight Two . Shot down: Flight Lieutenant Snell was piloting a Spitfire when he was shot down and had a number of brushes with Nazi soldiers . Mr Snell threatened with execution again suspected of