Patrick R. Reid a Captain (later Major) in the British Army, and noted non-fiction / historical author. A Nazi Prisoner of War, he was held captive at Colditz Castle. One of the "Laufen Six" Reid arrived at Colditz in November of 1940. Reid was one of the lucky few to successfully escape and return back to England.

On 14 October, 1942, Reid along with Major Ronald B. Littledale, Lieutenant-Commander William E. Stephens, and Flight Lieutenant Henry D. Wardle escaped. They slipped through the camp kitchens into the German yard, into the Kommandatur cellar and down to a dry moat through the park. They split into two pairs. Reid and Wardle took four days to reach Switzerland, Littledale and Stephens took five.

His mémoires of his time in Colditz were published in the book Colditz: The Full Story London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1952. This book is the basis for the UK Television Series Colditz which ran from October, 1972 until April, 1974.

He also wrote Latter Days at Colditz.