Work Archives - Online Museum of Prisoners of War

Gordon Bourner #6403285 Royal Sussex Regiment. War Time Account.

Capture, Escape and Evasion, In Camp, Liberation and Repatriation, Long Marches, Treatment and Welfare, War Diary, Work

Introduction Gordon Bourner - Private Number 6403285, Royal Sussex Regiment - began his training in Brighton in January 1940 (having enlisted in September 1939?). This is his account of his wartime life. Gordon, my father, wouldn’t talk…

Notes on Working Parties from ‘The Prisoner of War’, September 1942

Camp Administration and Background, Work

Notes on a number of working parties from ‘The Prisoner of War’: September 1942 (mentions E3, E22, E27, E42, E46, E51, E90, E109, E140, E250, E276, E352,E354,E355, E381, E398) February 1944 (E276, E600, E607, E711) February 1944…

Salt Mines

Work

Whatever some returning POWs might have claimed; there were no POW Working Parties in salt mines. No POWs worked in salt mines. There were no salt mines anyway! During the second world war the nearest salt mine to Krakow was the Wieliczka…

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Camp Administration and Background, In Camp, Recreation, Treatment and Welfare, Work

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited and reported on conditions in POW camps and working parties. This is an example report (in French): Stalag IIIB ICRC Report 19 May 1941 (in French)

Palestinian Prisoners of War

In Camp, Work

Many Palestinian Prisoners of War were occupied at working party E6 Ehrenforst/Sławięcice. This document (author unknown) provides some details: palestinian-prisoners-of-war

Bat’a Shoe Factory

In Camp, Treatment and Welfare, Work

There was a Working Party (E770) at Ottmuth at the Bat’a (pronounced ‘Batya’) Shoe Factory. It’s about 130 miles south of Stalag 344 Lamsdorf, but was most probably administered from Stalag VIIIB Teschen (Cieszyn) which was only about…

Eric (Blondie) Marchant’s war-time account

Capture, Escape and Evasion, In Camp, Treatment and Welfare, War Diary, Work

Eric (Blondie) Marchant was a private in the Royal Sussex Regiment captured in Belgium in May 1940. He wrote this account of his capture and subsequent experiences: Eric Marchant's Wartime Account

John Burton Shanks – wartime experiences

Communication, Education, Firsthand Long March Accounts, In Camp, Liberation and Repatriation, Long Marches, Recreation, War Diary, Work

In the introduction to his journal Jenny Kingston wrote: Much to his parents dismay, my father, John Burton Shanks, lied about his age and signed up to help the war effort when he was 17 years old. At school he had been a member of the OTC…

Robert John Clucas – Experiences of a Prisoner Of War

Capture, Firsthand Long March Accounts, Liberation and Repatriation, Long Marches, Treatment and Welfare, Work

Robert John Clucas - Experiences of a Prisoner Of War BY PRIVATE R.J.CLUCAS. POW No 33597 INTERVIEW BY ENID ENGLAND As edited by M.L.Clucas The Prologue June 22nd, 1942: In Egypt, 4 and 5 New Zealand Brigade is allocated defense…

Blechhammer Synthetic Oil Refinery maps

Camp Administration and Background, Work

The Refinery was in two parts, Blechhammer North, and Blechhammer South, approximately three Kilometres apart. Below, shows the layout of Blechhammer North Below, shows the layout of Blechhammer South During…

The Online Memorial and Museum of Prisoners of War