Kirmington POW Camp ~ Prisoners of War in Lincolnshire
I recently visited the Prisoner of War camp at Kirmington in Lincolnshire - a grim but fascinating sort of place which no doubt reflects the nature of such places.
I hope to find out much more about it - can you help
POW Camp 292a is in Kirmington , Lincolnshire, and sits right beside Humberside Airport, as is now, or home of the Lancaster Bombers of 166 Squadron during World War II.
I went here with Chris Keyworth who was acting as guide and all round good egg. The weather actually did justice to the spot I felt, it was cold, damp and overcast - the bleakness shows through in the photograph I think.
I’m now in need of help, serious help. The sentence above I wrote an hour ago - one hour researching and virtually nothing !
English Heritage say the exact location is not known but then this isn’t the first time EH have left me scratching more than my head !
I read on an obscure site a mention of POWs using former WAAF quarters near the church.
What have I got below ? ? ?
[later edit] What we have here in as ‘Orlet Hut’ and this was known as a ‘Displaced Camp’
Kirmington POW CAMP 292a ?
I should really like like to pin down some history for this place and would appreciate any information anybody has got because I’ve failed miserably in my research.
I would also be very keen to hear from anybody who can shed some light on daily life and the routines in and around the camp
Do you know anyone who stayed there or indeed was a guard or such like ? If you do please do leave a comment.
My apologies for this thin article and I hope to be able to redress the situation with further research and perhaps a little help from those of you out there
All the best
Rod
the dinosaur said,
February 4, 2010 @ 9:06 am
Rod, I’m no expert but I’ve seen a lot of disused R.A.F. airfields in Lincolnshire and these seem a standard design for them, probably meant to be blast proof, distinctly different from POW accommodation more typically made of brick and wood. It would fit in though that you read the POWs were kept in former WAAF quarters. The POWs may have been kept there to work on the airfield, a common practice, Italians prisoners were employed and considered low risk.
Rod said,
February 4, 2010 @ 10:08 am
Dino,
that’s both very interesting and very useful and excellent theory.
I think you could well be on to something
Best
Rod
Amiguru said,
February 4, 2010 @ 10:18 am
Rod,
http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/pow/index.php
Scroll right down for the Lincs. POW camps. Only a list but every little helps.
Regards,
le
N
chris keyworth said,
February 4, 2010 @ 12:21 pm
some more interesting info here
http://airfieldarchaeology.fotopic.net/c1779821.html
regards
chris
Rod said,
February 4, 2010 @ 1:58 pm
Chris,
that’s more than a interesting - great link !
It seems we’re right and right then !
WAAF barracks originally that were later used for prisoners of war ?
I noticed the other pictures up there as well Chris, nicely identifying the other structures we saw - I’ll be writing those up asap
Great stuff
All the best
Rod
David J. Smith said,
February 5, 2010 @ 8:14 pm
Chris, fascinating read. I’d like to visit the old POW/WAAF barracks. Could you tell me exactly where they are situated please. I’ve had a look on Google maps and I can’t see them.
Regards
Dave
chris keyworth said,
February 5, 2010 @ 8:20 pm
dave if you want the guided tour let me know and i will show you around.
rod.. another interesting web page note the link on there to the picture page
http://home.cogeco.ca/~dswallow4/
regards
chris
Rod said,
February 6, 2010 @ 8:23 am
Chris,
that’s brilliant - great find !
They are Orlet Huts at a ‘dispaced camp’
Great stuff
Regards
Rod
David J. Smith said,
February 6, 2010 @ 10:12 am
Chris, that’s great, thanks. Maybe we could do ‘Miss Venus’ on the same day, and then I’ll treat you to a ‘full english’ at Barneys Cafe.
Regards
Dave
chris keyworth said,
February 6, 2010 @ 11:43 am
dave sounds like a plan we will try and get it in then back end of this month….
regards
chris..