Simon Dunstan
Author, filmmaker and photographer, Simon Dunstan has written more than 55 books on military history, and directed numerous military history documentaries for the history channel and ‘retired’ to the village in 2014
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- Author, filmmaker and photographer.
Details
Simon Dunstan was born and bred in the West Country, being educated in Dickensian private schools from which he was expelled for ‘inappropriate behaviour’. However, at the age of eight he was taken to an Open Day at the British Army School of Armour at Bovington in Dorset. There he witnessed 50-ton tanks thrashing about the countryside that left an indelible impression. It was the harbinger of a life-long interest in Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV). Having forsaken formal education at the age of 16 with just four O Levels, he worked in a banana factory and then as a Whitehunter [if one is allowed to use such a term in this day and age] for Chipperfield Circus and the Lions of Longleat. He eventually found more conventional employment with the Ministry of Defence. His career was devoted to Media Operations, which entailed travelling the world meeting interesting people and shooting them on film. All the while his AFV hobby [for that is what it was] developed until he decided to compile a book. On approaching a publisher, he was met by a classic Catch-22 and told to come back once he had had a book published when they might consider the offering. By chance, another author on the publisher’s list reneged on a book contract and the project was offered to him. The rest is history, as they say, and 55 books later the ‘hobby’ is still going strong.
With the Fall of the Berlin Wall, Simon decided that he had fulfilled his role in ‘winning’ the Cold War and left the MoD. Thereafter, he continued both film and book projects, including numerous military history documentaries for the History Channel. While undertaking documentaries in Argentina for the Al-Jazeera network – including ‘The Church of Maradona’ and ‘The Dogwalkers of Buenos Aires’ – his team found compelling evidence of the presence of Adolf Hitler in Argentina following World War 2. It was too big a story to ignore. There followed 14 research trips to South America, including Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Everywhere they went there were people and witnesses that declaimed “of course Hitler lived in Argentina”: he had found refuge at Bariloche San Carlos in the depths of Patagonia where a strong contingent of Germans had resided for generations. The result was the book and a film entitled ‘Grey Wolf’. The Escape of Adolf Hitler’. These naturally engendered much controversy, but the book was sold in 44 countries, including Iran, and was translated into 21 languages. The book even displaced J.K. Rowling from the top of the best-selling lists in Serbia!
After 42 years in London, Simon and his wife decided to retire to East Bergholt early in 2014 – attracted by a sensible population of 1,500 and five pubs. Alas, not all of the latter are still extant, but village life is far preferable to the hustle and bustle of the city. The books continue to appear and, on the ‘Glorious 12th of June’, they held a launch party for several fellow military historians who had had books published during Lockdown. Often asked how long does it take to write a book, the answer is – usually about four months, plus 40 years of experience.
Fellow military historians (photo) left to right: Jon Trigg | Martin Windrow | Simon Dunstan |Ofer Ridman | Stephen MacHaye
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- Author, filmmaker and photographer.
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I am trying to contact Simon Dunstan who co authored Grey Wolf with my brother Gerrard Williams who unexpectedly passed away last Thursday 23rd June 2022.
I would love to be able to talk with Simon! I have evidence since over 20 years that actually proves his and Gerald’s “Grey Wolf” story was probably true. These were obtained in 1974 stolen from Inalco house in Patagonia during riots and looting that followed the death on the 1st July of Juan Peron the dictator who was placed back in power by a Military Junta. I have the notes from the diary of the buyer, a signed statement from his son who sold me the items when his dad died in 2004 and evidence from the UK company that sent his father to Bariloche in 1974 exactly that week of the Peron’s death. Not only that the main item involved can be indisputably linked both directly to Inalco house and to Adolf Hitler himself.
It’s a Siemens “Fuhrer” telephone (special personalized model of 1939-40 with special earpiece due to his WW1 hearing injury – serial number matches one of the five made) it was personally made for Hitler and adapted in 1945 (dated with the state telephone company label) by the Patagonia authorities so Hitler could use it in his office – Argentina used a letters based dialing system not numbers like in Germany so the dial had to be replaced (it’s the best “smoking gun” anyone could imagine, hairs in the earpiece, no doubt Hitlers, can be seen that could easily be DNA tested). Probably in the records office of the state phone company this very unusual upgrade is recorded (they do have records back to the 1930’s) with a bit of luck with the subscribers name and signature.
The normal gothic inscription painted on it “Germany will be victorious” (seen on surviving examples found in Berlin) is replaced by “Germany will rise up again!”. This was done after the defeat (traces of the previous inscription can be still seen) it’s inconceivable it would have been done before and I cannot see anyone but the dictator himself having this done any other Nazi or sympathizer would have more pressing concerns than updating an outdated inscription on their telephone! It came with several photo’s one of which shows this telephone on his desk looking out the window of Inalco house with what appears to be his mothers portrait on the desk (the one he always had with him) and the famous painting of Frederick the Great his favorite painting that always hung in his office that disappeared in 1945 on the wall. To add even further controversy one of those infamous diaries (those labeled as ridiculous fakes that the German government seized and has since refused access to historians) is almost certainly visible on that desk.
Another photo shows Hitler and Eva outside the house where the tree line (comparing photos of the house from 1943 when it was built and one from 1949) clearly indicates by their growth at the earliest a 1947-48 date. Both he and Eva also look considerably older than the last photos of 1945 and the house also shows structural changes known to have been carried out no earlier than 1947.
These items were purchased on the village market from locals desperate for foreign currency during this troubled period the very day after the house was ransacked (July 4th 1974). From his sons account there was also some of Eva’s personal jewellery (gifts of Hitler) on that market that day that finally turned up in a 2017 sale in the Capital but since it was gold his dad could not afford to buy it!
The seller was forced to sell the items due to his wife insisting he destroyed them (“that is not staying in my house”) when he brought them back from his dead fathers affairs. He directly contacted me since I am a collector of WW1 and WW2 artifacts and had recently purchased a couple of his dad’s medals. Nobody but me (and the son and his wife) even knows these items exist.
Remarkable claims need remarkable evidence and although Grey Wolf managed to put together an excellent detailed and convincing account it lacked the proverbial “nail in the coffin” needed to force Historians and perhaps the media to listen.
Should this story be told or let sleeping dogs lie? Would it be allowed, in today’s ever more ultra-sensitive woke world, to be told (it’s always OK when something can be easily dismissed but what happens when solid evidence is presented??). I fear some big questions could be asked that could even today have political and diplomatic repercussions if Hitlers escape was proven (he could never have succeeded nor remained safe without some outside governments direct assistance). Perhaps I should destroy these items, they have no commercial only a potential historical value?