Inchdrewer House, Colinton Camp, Midlothian [listed, Scotland]

*POW lettersheet 6 April 1944 in Italian to Italy

International Red Cross inspection - 28 May 1943 - Italian prisoners, states capacity is 750.

Initially the camp used as hostel for Polish and Eastern European displaced persons at the beginning of WW2. Later converted into a PoW Camp around 1942-43. Capacity up to 1700 men and covered an area of 25 acres opposite Monymusk School on what is now St Ninian's housing estate. More

Doonfoot (Bun) Camp, nr Ayr, Ayrshire - [not listed under this number in 2003 report, cf 14]

December 1944, 97 Italian POWs escaped by tunnel - all re-captured.

*POW lettersheet 5 September 1947 in German to Germany

White Cross Camp, St Columb Major, Cornwall - standard camp [SW 889 597 / 3; 2003 caravan site]

Scriven Hall Camp, Knaresborough, Yorkshire - [SE 343 583 / 4]      (cf 211)

Hatch End Camp, (Oxhey Lane Camp), Hatch End, Middlesex - standard camp - [TQ 142 916 / 4; 2003 site occupied by sports centre]    (cf 274)

Mentioned in 'Thresholds of Peace'.

Bedminster Camp, (Ashton Gate Camp), Ashton Gate, Bristol, Gloucestershire [ST 58 71 / 5]

High Hall Camp, Bishop Burton, Yorkshire [SE 985 401 / 4; 2003 agricultural college]

Chaddlewood House Camp, Plympton, Devon [SX 55 56 / 5]

Last prisoners to leave 7 May 1948

*POW postcard 1946 to Germany; lettersheet 12 October 1947 in German to Berlin

Pendeford Hall, Codsall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire [SJ 895 039 / 4]

Italian, then German POWs.

12 February 1946 - in the House of Commons Mr. Edelman asked the Secretary of State for War whether he would consult with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in order to expedite the repatriation and release of anti-Nazi German prisoners of war, formerly at Camp 7, Ascot, and then mainly at Camp 157, Bourton-on-Hill, "who gave useful political information and service to the prisoners-of-war programme of the B.B.C. and who could play a valuable part in the reconstruction of a democratic Germany."
Mr. Lawson replied that, "316 anti-Nazi prisoners of war from Camp 157, who were formerly at Camp 7, Ascot, were repatriated on 7th February. A further small number of prisoners of war who were at Camp 7 will be concentrated for repatriation in the near future. Others who are at present actively employed at this camp will be repatriated as soon as replacements can be found." HC Deb 12 February 1946 vol 419 c52W      [Oberon scheme?]

Watten Camp, Wick, Caithness - base camp [listed, Scotland]

Included hard-core Nazi POWs. Mentioned in 'Thresholds of Peace'. International Red Cross Report November 1945. The camp closed for POWs in mid 1948.

*POW postcard to Germany April / September 1947

Glen Mill Camp, Oldham, Lancashire - [cf 2 and 176]

[The Hayes] Swanwick Hayes, Swanwick, Derbyshire - base camp - [cf 5, 13, 58, 297]

Details from IRC Report on Camp 179 - 26 February, 1945. Capacity: 2,250. Commandant: Lt. Col. R.C.G. Joy. Nationalities: German : 165 / Dutch : 110 / Czechoslovaks : 2 / Norwegian : 1x / Luxembourg : 1x / Jugoslavs : 13 / Total : 292 (2 Medical Officers, 1 Protestant chaplain, and 289 other ranks. Camp leader: Hauptfeldwebel TROSKA, Georg, A842722.

General description - "Camp 179 when last visited was No.5, and, before that, No.13. On my last visit... the "Hostel", a building with a capacity of 500, was used for the POW officers, and all the rest of the POW lived in tents surrounded by a morass of mud. During the winter, all POW were taken out of the tents and transferred to other camps, with the exception of the present number of POW who were retained for camp construction, etc., and are accommodated in the "Hostel". There are three POW to a room, palliasses plus two blankets and a head-roll serve as bedding". 

"According to the Campleader, 80% of the POW are employed, the rest will get work in the near future, so that no man will be without funds. Rate of pay : 3/- a week. Working hours : 8. Employment : For a time on farms (where the farmers, at first sceptical, were in the end highly satisfied) and later, on camp construction.... A few POW receive mail often but all the rest, particularly the Dutch, are without news. Shortest time for a letter from Germany : 6 weeks; average time : 8 weeks. Parcels :

        a) 2 individual parcels from GRC were received on 30.1.45 and 2.2.45 respectively.

        b) 8 individual parcels were received on 30.1.45 (4) 8.2.45 (1) and 9.2.45 (3)  

GENERAL IMPRESSION OF CAMP : Very good."

At this time a further 2000 POW were expected.

Marbury Hall Camp, Northwich, Cheshire - base camp [SJ 561 449 / 5]       (cf 189)

Cage where Germans, Russians, Poles, Italians and Austrians were sent direct from Camp 9 for further sorting.

*POW lettersheet 1946 in German to Germany

Carburton, Worksop, Nottinghamshire - base camp - [SK 602 732 / 4]       (cf 249)

Large camp with huts, double wire perimeter fence, watchtowers. 1945 Commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel Ellison. Following an escape at Bridgend Camp 11, this camp changed from mainly German other ranks to high security camp for Nazi officers, (1,300 arriving 23 March 1945). Further details in 'Thresholds of Peace'. 

Mentioned in 'Prisoners of England' and in 'Thresholds of Peace'.

Also used as screening / interrogation centre and transit camp

Dunham Park Camp, Altrincham, Cheshire - base camp [SJ 751 878 / 4; 2003 restored parkland]

*POW Postcard in German to Germany December 1945 / POW Postcard and Lettersheets 1946 in German to Germany

1945 - 1,400 German officers. Mentioned in 'Prisoners of England' and 'Thresholds of Peace'.

Originally a camp for workers at the nearby Royal Ordnance Factory, then used by US troops. After D-Day, the camp was used to hold German POWs. Following a large scale escape from the camp it was shut down (March 1945) and the remaining prisoners sent to Camp 181. Redesignated as Special camp 11.

1944 the site used by US Troops training for D-Day, (they were to land on Utah Beach). After D-Day the camp held German and Italian prisoners from 1944 until 1946/7 - officers remaining transferred to Llanmartin Camp 184. Mentioned in 'Prisoners of England'.

20 December 1946, Mr. Richard Stokes M.P. "asked the Secretary of State for War on whose instructions the camp commandant at the prisoner-of-war camp Llanover Park, Abergavenny, has decreed that no more parcels arriving in the camp addressed to prisoners will be delivered; and if he will have this order immediately reversed."
Mr. Frederick Bellenger M.P. replied that; "The Commandant at the camp in question, in refusing parcels addressed from this country to prisoners 453W of war, was acting correctly in accordance with existing instructions. Following the relaxation of restrictions on contact with the public which I announced recently, I have now decided that prisoners of war may receive parcels from relatives and friends in the United Kingdom. Instructions are also being issued that prisoners of war may write to, and receive letters from, members of the British public."    HC Deb 20 December 1946 vol 431 cc452-3W

Findo Gask Camp, Dunning, Perthshire [not listed 2003 report]

Ninewells Camp, Chirnside, Berwickshire [listed, Scotland]

Adderley Hall, Adderley, Shropshire - [not listed 2003 report]       (cf 192)

Message from Peter R McNaughton : "Camp 242 was a supply camp in the Cowden, Dalginross, Comrie. Here materials were stored for use in the main Camp – Camp 21". Peter got to know one of the ex-POWs.

Butterwick Camp, Malton, Yorkshire [SE 731 775 / 5]

Basildon House, Pangbourne, Berkshire (SU 604 779 / 3; 2003 one hut and various footings remain].

Eden Camp, Malton, Yorkshire - standard type - [cf 83]