Choosing the location

Discussion in 'UK PoW Camps' started by Robert-w, Sep 6, 2019.

  1. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    What was the process for selecting where POW camps were located? Particularly those camps used to provide agricultural labour. Given that the County War Agricultural Executive Committees were responsible for arranging for auxiliary labour resources to be allocated to farms were they involved? The camp that supplied much of the lower Teme Valley with POW labour in WW1 was in a different place to the WW2 camp although the two locations were only a mile or so apart. Why would the old site not be used - given that it was still available?
     
  2. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    might help you further

    This prompted a rapid expansion of PoW accommodation sites to around 1500 camps and hostels, 390 being major sites, spread right across Britain. Most of this expansion was through the reuse and adaptation of existing camps such as those for abandoned anti-aircraft and searchlight batteries, airfields, supply depots and camps originally built for allied troops prior to D-Day. They also included requisitioned hotels, country houses and farm buildings. They thus varied considerably in size and layout.

    Harperley Working Camp, World War II prisoner of war camp at Craigside, Wolsingham - 1020730 | Historic England
     
    Tony56 and Tricky Dicky like this.
  3. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Thanks but no it doesn't. The camp in question was opened in late 1941 and it was on a 'virgin' site. As I said in my post a WW1 camp had been in existance a mile or so away. This was in the grounds of a country house. The same property was available in WW2 and indeed was later used for housing various other camp type establishments
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    The above is an example of camps and some reasoning behind their siting which gives a clue to reused or new camp during WW2.
     
    Tony56 likes this.

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