A NARROW ESCAPE
On the night of 24 March 1944, one of the largest and most daring escape attempts took place. It was World War II and more than 200 allied soldiers made a pact to escape the German prisoner of war camp, Stalag Luft III. They made the bold decision to dig three massive tunnels under the gates and fences that kept them captive, named Tom, Dick and Harry, hoping one of them would lead to their freedom – and indeed, one of them (Harry) did! Over 70 people escaped, with three evading capture.
The mastermind behind this great escape was 24-year-old South African born fighter pilot, Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, who longed for – and fought for – his freedom from his prison cell. This plan hinged on each and every person involved – from the 600 prisoners who assisted with the construction of the tunnels to the members of his famous “escape committee” who put together the strategy and ensured it was executed properly. Together, they were able to achieve the impossible.
THE GREAT ESCAPE
Almost 80 years later, on 27 March 2020, South Africa closed its borders and instituted a tough national lockdown to manage the first wave of Covid-19. It wasn’t long before we were all starting to feel a lot like Roger Bushell – perhaps not “locked up” but definitely “locked down” and in dire need of our own escape plan.
Since then, regulations have lifted, leaving numerous casualties in its wake. Many of us are now trying to find our own sense of freedom, be it in the outdoors or through supporting local wherever possible.
To encourage safe local travel, reinvigorate the tourism industry and highlight the many wonders of Mossel Bay and its surrounds, Mossel Bay Tourism launched The Great Escape to Mossel Bay campaign.
Two of the key pillars of this campaign are to collaborate with people and organisations that are eager to boost the travel and leisure sector as a whole, as well as become ambassadors for the area.
BECOMING AN ALLY OF THE GREAT ESCAPE
Like the Great Escape of 1944, it takes like-minded allies to make a success of such an endeavour. One of the first companies to come on board as partners and ambassadors were Junior Smith Trucking.
Renowned for their personal approach, professionalism, service excellence and dedication to building lasting business relationships, they saw Mossel Bay Tourism working to uplift the tourism industry and wanted to be part of the solution.
“Junior Smith Trucking has never been a company to shy away from assisting in any way possible,” said Freddie Louw. This business philosophy made The Great Escape to Mossel Bay an ideal campaign for them to support.
Junior Smith Trucking has been in the business for 30 years and has over 100 trucks in its fleet. They offer a diverse transport solution, including the transport of consumable and operational goods, as well as fully manufactured vehicles. They specialise in long-distance and cross-border loads, and have depots and workshops across the country, with a team always on standby to assist.
The company provided four trucks to be branded with The Great Escape to Mossel Bay campaign artwork, and because their work takes them through South Africa, on every national road, and they frequently travel through Angola, Namibia, Mozambique and Botswana, they are an excellent moving billboard for Mossel Bay Tourism and Mossel Bay Municipality.
“Junior Smith Trucking is truly a business with drive and a local asset. Not only do they provide an important service that bolsters business in South Africa, but their willingness to join hands with Mossel Bay Tourism has meant that we can support local businesses in the Mossel Bay Municipality, promote the area and reinvigorate tourism. It is these types of partnerships that are helping to build a prosperous country and providing the prospect of retaining jobs and creating more. They are great allies to have on our side, and we are thankful for their support,” said Aneli Gerber, Chief Operations Officer at Mossel Bay Tourism.
TIME TO ESCAPE
To see how you can become an ally, for branding opportunities, or to plan your Great Escape to Mossel Bay, go to www.visitmosselbay.co.za or contact Aneli Gerber, Chief Operations Officer at Mossel Bay Tourism on 044 691 2202 for more information.
Junior Smith Trucking prides itself in delivering a bespoke quality service to our clients. Our offices are open from 07H30 to 17H30 and we are available on our cell numbers of hours. For your logistical enquiries please contact our offices on 021 873 0015, or GM Freddie Louw on 083 235 1181
