UNIFORM OF POW

Hello,

anyone have information about it from the uniforms of the British prisoners in Camps

Indeed if you look at old photographs made in the camps, they appear with beautiful battledress. Can these uniforms would come from stock retrieve by the German army after the invasion in 1940.

It appears quite obvious that the prisoners were not able to keep their battledress after the various battles and a long march through France and Belgium.

thank you in advance

 

It is possible that uniforms were sent over by the Red Cross. although supplies from this source would be intermittent. Expert tailors from amongst the prisoners could sew anything. I think the book The Cooler King gives a good account of the widely varying conditions in various POW Camps.

 

I think it depended on the camp, and when POWs were captured. I have spoken to people who were issued with uniforms in camps, but they were sometimes Dutch or Belgian army uniforms. Sometimes clogs were issues to replace worn out shoes.

 

Very interesting question.
I noticed that British POW officers and their uniforms looked pretty new looking at almost all the pictures and a film clip I have from OFLAG V B Biberach. None of the books I read, written by ex-POW officers, talks about any exchange of uniforms or Red Cross parcels including battledress or similar. Only recently I received a copy of report by a NZ officer, receiving a Red Cross blanket and being issued with a British greatcoat and balck boots.

Stefan.

 

Here are some photos of British pows in camp XXID & XXIB, you can see the types of uniforms worn.
Keith

 

Quite simply they made use of whatever they could. Captured uniforms from stores at Dunkirk through to any other variation helped replace lost uniforms in the early days before supplies started to arrive through the Red Cross. I know one ex RAF POW who loved his US issue army boots which he lost at Cosford.

The RAF especially loved an array of uniforms or various nationalities and whilst they enjoyed looking like a rabble most of the time, they had a set of uniform that could look quite good, without too close a scrutiny, for specially occasions to show their captives that they were still a positive fighting force.

Regards,

Nick

 

Geneva Convention Article 27

Clothing, underwear and footwear shall be supplied to prisoners of war in sufficient quantities by the Detaining Power, which shall make allowance

for the climate of the region where the prisoners are detained. Uniforms of enemy armed forces captured by the Detaining Power should, if suitable for the climate, be made available to clothe prisoners of war.

The regular replacement and repair of the above articles shall be assured by the Detaining Power. In addition, prisoners of war who work shall receive appropriate clothing, wherever the nature of the work demands


Kyle

 

It would appear Tojo didn't receive this memo.


PUT

 

My grandfather was a South African POW at Stalag 4b.
I read in a book written by his fellow prisoners that they received uniform from the Red Cross sent over from England.

Regards

JJ