Prisoners would progress through a series of camps, where their political allegiances were determined. Non-Nazis were graded “White”, dubious cases were “Grey”, and hardened Nazis were “Black”. As a general rule, the “Blacker” the grading, the further North the camps where prisoners would be  housed. Prisoners were also shipped to camps in Canada, and later the US, to safeguard security as much as lack of space.

Racecourses, Football stadia and parks were favourite locations for camps, and it should be remembered that some of these would be tented accommodation, rather than huts(²). For this reason, very few have survived to the present, most being reduced to a single hut. A major exception to this is the camp at Old Malton in North Yorkshire. This not only survives almost totally intact, but has been transformed into a major visitor attraction. The camp at Orkney enjoys a similar status, as one of the Nissen huts which the Italian prisoners converted into a Chapel survives.

The number of camps increased considerably as the war progressed, to a final total of around 400(³). Due to the pressure on the system, camp numbers were frequently re-used, and it was not unusual for the same camp to re-numbered more than once! By the end of the war, there were around 650,000 POWs in Britain(⁴). The prisoners were put on the same ration scales as British troops, which proved very controversial. They were also employed on agricultural work, and on bomb-site clearance.

Despite the large numbers of prisoners, there were no successful escapes from Britain itself. There were several attempts, however. The biggest of these occurred in December 1944 at Camp 112, Doonfoot in Ayrshire, when 97 Italians escaped through a tunnel. All were quickly recaptured. In March 1945, 67 Germans escaped from Camp 11 at Island Farm, Bridgend, but again were quickly recaptured(⁵).

The most spectacular plan had to be that hatched by German prisoners in December 1944 at Le Marchant and Lodge Moor Camps. Hard-core Nazis at both camps planned to break out, arm themselves and march on London in an attempt to support the Ardennes offensive. In the event, the Allies learned of the plan, and thwarted it by stationing paratroops armed with automatic weapons at highly-visible locations around the camps(⁶).

After the wars’ end, those not classified as Nazis were eligible for repatriation, and all prisoners were repatriated by the end of 1947. By this time, only around 250 camps survived, and even these were soon closed.

Notes
¹After The Battle, No. 17, p48. London. Battle of Britain Prints International. 1977
²Ibid
³www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/
⁴After The Battle, No. 17, p49.
⁵Ibid
⁶After The Battle, No. 17, p50