Help locating a 1947 prisoner list for 'Camp 268' Norduck Farm/Little Brickhill, Bucks

Discussion in 'UK PoW Camps' started by Leo Hickman, Mar 5, 2021.

  1. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member

    Hello,

    I was hoping someone might be able to help me locate a full list of German prisoners being held in 1947 at Little Brickhill manor, which was apparently part of "Camp 268" at Norduck Farm, Aston Abbotts, Buckinghamshire.

    It seems around 100 POWs were at Little Brickhill manor at this time, working in local farms and factories. They were under the command of the larger Camp 268, though, which was a few miles away.

    I've managed to secure two Red Cross inspection reports of the camp(s) from that time. They are a fascinating read, but they only name some of the German officers, not a full list of all the POWs.

    One of these men is my grandfather, but until I can locate a full list I have no way to conduct further research into which one it was (via triangulating with my father's DNA results). A huge family mystery would be solved, so any help at all would be much appreciated.

    Many thanks in advance.
     
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  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Have you tried contacting local archives in Bucks? or local history societies?

    TD
     
  3. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member

    Yes, I should have said that I already tried the local archivist at the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies and they said they don't hold anything locally like this in county, but to try the National Archives. (And the Red Cross, which I did, but they said they don't have any full lists, just files for some individuals and various other things such as inspection reports, which they kindly sent on to me.)

    I tried searching through FO 939 at TNA, but couldn't see anything relating to Camp 268"....

    Search results: buckinghamshire | The National Archives

    But maybe I'm missing a trick?
     
  4. CL1

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

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  5. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member



    Thanks! I had seen the letter for sale, but not this TNA reference - FO 1120/240. I will certainly add this to my list of things to call up when I can next get to Kew.
     
  6. CL1

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

    Also we do have a couple of members interested in UK POW camps who will hopefully be along shortly to try to assist
    I have dropped a line to one member to see if they can help
    Regards
    Clive
     
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  7. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member

    Just to give a sense of how Camp268 was broken down by the main camp at Norduck Farm plus the various local "hostels" under its command, this is from the Red Cross inspectors report dated 24 June 1947. (Another inspection was made in November that year and the total was down to 1,223 POWs).


    Screenshot 2021-03-05 at 16.46.34.png
     
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  8. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Leo,

    According to this link, there were 105 German POW’s at Little Brickhill Manor - which is now demolished: History - Little Brickhill Parish Council (Milton Keynes).

    When I first read your opening note I thought ‘wow’, why would they put German POW’s there, as it’s very close to Bletchley Park. However, the German PoWs were only moved to the manor in 1946.

    The history in the link is written by the Little Brickhill Parish Council and is very precise about the number of PoWs, so how do they know the exact number. Do you think maybe they have a list with names on it? Other possibilities spring to mind, like photographs?!?

    Do you live nearby, such that you can investigate this source?

    Best,

    Steve.
     
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  9. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Probably you are already aware of what are officially held at the NA ? This is what they state in relation to surviving enemy P.O.W`s records and administration documents:-

    Prisoners of war in British hands - The National Archives

    Kyle
     
  10. Osborne2

    Osborne2 Well-Known Member

    If you consult the BBC WW2 The People’s War website you will find some POW stories of Germans 1944-48. Looking through them you will also find that some of them during their time were located at half a dozen or more depending on the agricultural seasons, the kind of local agriculture, whether they were needed on housing estate and road building, clean up of redundant military bases etc etc. Therefore any list you do eventually find, and thanks to Kyle, above, for confirming the Deutsche Dienstelle, may not have been compiled on a date that matches up with the person you want.
     
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  11. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member

    Thank you. Yes, this is a very important point to consider and one that certainly complicates what is already a challenging task.
     
  12. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member

    Many thanks, Kyle.

    Yes, I have seen these links. I have already reached out to the Deutsche Dienstelle in Germany and they have been helpful with sourcing files on individual POWs being held at the camp. (These files are incredible, in fact!) But, to date, they don't seem to be able to find a complete list of all the POWs being held at that time. I guess a list could be created manually by me now by searching for all the POWs in that camp and compiling the names, but that would require a major research effort and time spent in Berlin pouring over all those records. It might come to that, I guess, but I'm holding out a hope a rollcall-style list was made at the time and that is still sitting in an archive somewhere.

    But I will now try some local history groups and I haven't exhausted that route yet.
     
  13. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member

    Many thanks, Steve.

    Yes, I came across that link ,too. It's a really interesting read. I suspect they know the exact number from the same Red Cross files I have access too (see the image I posted above) which give the numbers but not, alas, the names. I will try reaching out to the parish council, though. I don't live close-by - but about 90 minutes away so a visit is possible (once we're allowed to do such things again!)
     
  14. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    Hello Leo,

    I live close-by, so if you need someone on the ground (and assuming Covid has gone) I would be happy to assist.

    Best,

    Steve.
     
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  15. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member

    That's a very kind offer, Steve. I'll certainly be in touch, if I get a local lead that needs "boots on ground".

    Many thanks. :)
     
  16. Osborne2

    Osborne2 Well-Known Member

    I am gratified to hear you managed to gain access through DD to individuals records. Others have posted in the past elsewhere that they were unable to get anything because of German data protection laws.A very very long working holiday in Berlin by the look of it. You have about 402,000 records to read.
     
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  17. Leo Hickman

    Leo Hickman Member

    Yes, it took around six months of waiting, but then I suddenly got a response saying they had located the file I needed and for around £30 they sent a scan.

    I did have the specific name, with DOB, of an individual I strongly suspected at the time to be my grandfather. However, I later located his nephew in Germany, who very kindly agreed to do a DNA test, but, alas, there was no match with my father's DNA results. So I'm now back to square one. All I know for certain is he was one of the 100-odd men at Camp 268's Little Brickhill hostel in 1947 and that the DNA results are showing a very specific area of Germany (coastal Lower Saxony, west of Hamburg) where the man's own descendant's very likely came from. My hope is that by finding a list of those POWs I can work through the 100 names researching where each man came from and seeing if I get lucky.
     
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  18. Osborne2

    Osborne2 Well-Known Member

    Leo, You have my total admiration. Good luck.
     
  19. Julie Claridge

    Julie Claridge New Member

    I am amazed to come across this forum, I was born in the village and have always been interested in its history. I remember The Manor when I was very young and it has taken me until last year to even get a picture of it. The history of the village has only really started to come out in the last couple of years seemingly kept quiet because of its connections to Bletchley Park. I remember my family members talking about the paintings that were done on the walls from the prisoners and they were amazing (I remember not going to where they were because I was too scared lol, really wish I had ) but as these couldn't be saved they were apparently recorded by a member of a museum which I have not found I would love to find a copy of them. Although this has been a mission of mine life has got in the way dare I say for 15 years but I have over time randomly googled history and noticed things slowing coming out. The Manor was demolished against all history legalities etc too. I know I am really cheeky but any information you have on the village etc and or pictures that you would be willing to share I would be really grateful. Due to my parents separating I moved just out of the village when I was young so lost connections with the older village members of which including my own grandparents have passed unfortunately and as far as I know, there are a few original families left they have not got much or any history information. As I say any information you would be willing to share would be greatly appreciated we can't lose history.
     
  20. Julie Claridge

    Julie Claridge New Member

    Also have you contacted the Victoria & Albert Museum in London to see what they hold?
     

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