The Longest Walk Home cover art

The Longest Walk Home

The Epic 2,000-Mile Escape of a WWII Prisoner of War

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Longest Walk Home

By: Ray Bailey, David Wilkins
Narrated by: Steven France
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £17.94

Buy Now for £17.94

About this listen

 In 1940, Private Raymond Bailey, a 21 year old Vauxhall motors apprentice, serving with the 1st Kensington Regiment, was captured in Northern France, becoming a Nazi prisoner of war. But he wouldn't remain one for long...

The Longest Walk Home is the incredible account of his daring 2,000 mile escape across Europe and over the Pyrenees, to the safety of British Gibraltar, and home in time for Christmas. Along the way Ray has nerve-shredding encounters with German soldiers and the Spanish Civil Guard. Often he is exhausted and starving. All that keeps him going is his youthful energy, unfailing optimism, and the kindness of strangers who risk their own safety to help him.

Ray's escape is remarkable, but so too is his memoir. It was written within a year or two of the events it describes, when Ray was just 22, and despite Ray's obvious writing talent it was lost for decades until it was discovered at auction in an unmarked box of WWII memorabilia by David Wilkins. Ray's is a true unheard voice, and one of the last from this time.©2025 David Wilkins Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Historical Military Military & War World War II War
All stars
Most relevant
This man had incredible luck. It’s a riveting read. The men involved have been thoroughly researched. I’d live to know what happened to the family who took him in when he first escaped

Incredible journey

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Glad it come out to the public. If this story was left in the loft or cupboard, the world would not know this mans story fantastic work from editor.

The determination of the man

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Brilliant book one of the best I've listened to well fresd and an totally epic journey

So well read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
What an excellent and true story of one man’s outright balls to front out any situation. It’s very well read but I did wondered about some of the pronunciations, Stuka and Fusiliers for example. I may have missed the point and the story teller is possibly interpreting what an unworldy wise English young man might call them? It didn’t detract at all and maybe my pronunciation has been incorrect these many years.

A very good book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Well written. Well read. Truly epic. With plot twists intrigue and suspense … and all true and fact checked.

What a character Ray is. And what amazing work from David Wilkins to find and bring Ray’s story to life. Truly a five star story!

What an amazing story!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews