On 27 September 2025, Ambassador Biggs attended the 81st anniversary commemoration of one of the largest prisoner-of-war escapes in World War II in Otok near Metlika. The event was attended by the Prime Minister of Slovenia HE Robert Golob, alongside the British Ambassador HE Victoria Harrison.
In his speech, Ambassador Biggs said that Australians and Slovenians came together to honour the legacy of those who risked everything for their brothers in arms, their comrades and their country, and their freedom. He said that escapee Ralph Churches and his companions were saved by the courage and determination of local villagers and Slovenian partisans. Ambassador Biggs emphasised that the bonds Australia and Slovenia forged in shared struggle continue to define the relationship between our countries today – by working closely bilaterally and in multilateral forums, including the United Nations. He concluded by saying that peace was fragile, and developments in other parts of the world reminded us that freedom, democracy, and human dignity must always be defended – each and every day.
Historic Background – “The Flight of the Crow”
“The Flight of the Crow” is named after Private Ralph Churches, an Australian Army infantry soldier of the 2/48th Battalion who had been on temporary duty with Headquarters ANZAC Corps when he was captured during the Allied withdrawal from Greece in April–May 1941. He was nicknamed “The Crow”, a reference to his home of South Australia, where the people are sometimes colloquially referred to as "crow eaters".
In 1944, with the help of Slovenian Partisans, Australian Private Churches and his British friend Leslie Laws led over 100 POWs in an escape from the Stalag 306 camp in Maribor. Having arrived at the Partisan airport in Otok (now a commemorative site), the POWs were flown to freedom from Southeast Slovenia to Italy. Today, an historic DC-3 aeroplane near Otok serves as a memorial for the airfield and the Allied support. For more information, click here.
