Charles Hare's Great Escape

This is the story of a young midshipman in the Royal Navy and his audacious escape from Napoleonic France. Only 13 years old when he was captured by the French, Charles Hare spent six years as a prisoner of war before making his break for freedom disguised in a French customs service uniform. This uniform is now in the collection of Royal Museums Greenwich, along with the autobiographical account of his escape. His tale is unique and deeply personal, but it also sheds light on wider histories of customs regulation, conflict and captivity. 


Charles Hare’s Great Escape: The Story of a Napoleonic Prisoner of War is part of the Royal Museums Greenwich Spotlight series, accessible introductions to some of the most intriguing objects in the collection.