“U” Overseas POW Camp, Austria 1945/46

I have an uncle’s service record showing that he was posted to the above camp from October 1945, when he returned from LIAP in U.K., until he left in February 1946 to return to U.K. for demobilisation. His discharge testimonial was completed by the Camp Commandant.

My assumption is that it was situated in the province of Carinthia (southern Austria) as my uncle was previously a Gunner in 78th Division 1940/45. I expect he was posted to the camp to await his age & service group demobilisation date as his 138 Field Regiment had likely been disbanded while he had been on LIAP.

My assumption is that the “U” in this context means Ukrainian.

I’m well aware of the “controversial” repatriation of former Russian POW and those Russian citizens who served in German units and the Tolstoy/Adlington libel case of the 1990’s so there is no need to cover those issues in any replies.

It’s just a simple query - has anyone any knowledge of a camp with the designation “U” Overseas POW Camp in Austria 1945/46 (and likely into 1947)?

Steve

 

Steve this one from a long tie ago PW CAMPS IN AUSTRIA 1945 - POST WAR 78 DIVISION AREA

regards
Clive

 

Hello Steve,

It may well be that the "U" is from an "UNRRA" (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration") Camp.

Have a look here (link below) and scroll down the webpage about half way and you'll come to the Austria entries. Hopefully you'll find the camp you are interested in listed there.

Displaced Persons' (DP) Camps Table of Contents

Good luck and kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Also Steve, if you haven't looked here already (link below), the IWM may have something of interest photograph wise (see "Associated Events" a little way down the linked webpage, "Allied occupation of Austria 1945 - 1955, Cold War").

BRITISH FORCES OF OCCUPATION IN AUSTRIA, 1945 - 1947

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Thanks Clive.

I thought I would try again with a new post 8 years later in case members were aware of any new information that has come to light since my first post.

Steve

 

Thanks very much for the link Jim.

I see there is a DP Camp on the list designated “U”, situated at Kapfenberg in Styria, however my uncle’s discharge testimonial is stamped “U Overseas POW Camp” rather than DP Camp.

Kapfenberg DP camp Austria

Steve

 

Good morning Steve.

I think it highly likely that that's the one. Camps that became DP post-war were largely POW camps prior to cessation of hostilities (and would have by then contained both former POWs and displaced persons, some of the former being designated the latter once the sorting out of the mass of humanity started).

I wouldn't put it past the army referring to what had become designated as DP camps post-war still as POW camps.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Thanks Jim.

Maybe just another example that many a false trail can be (accidentally) laid by a simple failure to update a military stamp on a document when the unit designation changes eh?

Steve