Chuckles galore. I remember a much older chap called Eddie I worked with back in the early 70's. He was telling us one day about guarding the prisoners at this camp. A work team were being taken out of the camp to assist local farmers during harvest time, and Eddie was an 'armed' escort guarding them. They all joked about his rifle having no bullets, so he took out the bolt and had one of the prisoners carry his gun for him. God, I wish we still had a lot of that generation to tell us their stories.
Again enjoyed this video and can add a few further snippets of information. My mother lived close to the camp during the war. Her father (my grandfather) Jack Barratt was the local Bridgend correspondent for the South Wales Echo and Western Mail. It was the scoop of his journalistic life as there were no other reporters working in Bridgend so it was all his copy that was used by the national newspapers. My mother was also very friendly with the doctor's daughter and remembers him being very annoyed that his car was used as he wasn't sure when he would be able to get his next petrol ration. The other thing my mother clearly remembers was that when the camp housed the senior officers after the war they would often be seen on parole walking around Bridgend town centre. Thanks
As a youth in the late '70's early '80's ,I remember on a few occasions having a 'sneaky peek' at the huts at island farm. The murals that the German pow's had made during their internment - depictions of black forest type scenes and 'bathing belles'were still clearly discernable and beautifully drawn. The amazing thing was that they weren't vandalized. I remember trying -in vain to locate the hut from where the escape took place. In my opinion, the ultimate vandalism took place when Bridgend council decided to erase the whole site - bar the aforementioned escape hut. Such a chance was missed to restore the site as a museum.....
@@GrahamLoveluck So , _all_ the artworks have been preserved ? That's good to hear 👍 I'll have to book some tickets and see 'Hut 9' when it opens in July.
Erika was a popular German song, which was often sung whilst Marching. Possibly the drawing titled Erika is a notion towards them singing the song whilst also a cover for Digging the Tunnel 👍
Chuckles galore. I remember a much older chap called Eddie I worked with back in the early 70's. He was telling us one day about guarding the prisoners at this camp. A work team were being taken out of the camp to assist local farmers during harvest time, and Eddie was an 'armed' escort guarding them. They all joked about his rifle having no bullets, so he took out the bolt and had one of the prisoners carry his gun for him. God, I wish we still had a lot of that generation to tell us their stories.
Amazing story
Again enjoyed this video and can add a few further snippets of information. My mother lived close to the camp during the war. Her father (my grandfather) Jack Barratt was the local Bridgend correspondent for the South Wales Echo and Western Mail. It was the scoop of his journalistic life as there were no other reporters working in Bridgend so it was all his copy that was used by the national newspapers. My mother was also very friendly with the doctor's daughter and remembers him being very annoyed that his car was used as he wasn't sure when he would be able to get his next petrol ration. The other thing my mother clearly remembers was that when the camp housed the senior officers after the war they would often be seen on parole walking around Bridgend town centre.
Thanks
That is staggering stuff. Thank you so much for sharing. And Kudos to your Dad for getting such a sensational scoop
As a youth in the late '70's early '80's ,I remember on a few occasions having a 'sneaky peek' at the huts at island farm. The murals that the German pow's had made during their internment - depictions of black forest type scenes and 'bathing belles'were still clearly discernable and beautifully drawn.
The amazing thing was that they weren't vandalized.
I remember trying -in vain to locate the hut from where the escape took place.
In my opinion, the ultimate vandalism took place when Bridgend council decided to erase the whole site - bar the aforementioned escape hut.
Such a chance was missed to restore the site as a museum.....
@@cymro6537 Im with you 100%. Really glad the artworks were all preserved though. They were truly unique.
@@GrahamLoveluck So , _all_ the artworks have been preserved ? That's good to hear 👍 I'll have to book some tickets and see 'Hut 9' when it opens in July.
@@cymro6537 It is well worth a visit. The tunnel they escaped through is still there
Erika was a popular German song, which was often sung whilst Marching. Possibly the drawing titled Erika is a notion towards them singing the song whilst also a cover for Digging the Tunnel 👍
What an amazing possibility
would you have any stories / pictures of the camp in pencoed? or know where i could see them please.
No sorry