News-Info-Alerts

Re: POW Camp Life

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: February 28, 2003

"POW CAMP LIFE
By Staff Reporter
Published in The Hexham Courant on 21/02/2003

Life in a golden cage was one of the ways that the speaker at Sele Afternoon's meeting described life as a prisoner of war at the Featherstone camp.

Mr E. Grubba said he was at the camp between 1945 and 1948 .

As he talked about his experiences there, we could well understand his feelings.

He was transported from Kieo to Malo in a cattle truck with his fellow troops and, from there, with an occupying force to Guernsey - to Vazon Bay.

Here he remained, rather hungry, eventually watching the D-Day invasion force passing overhead from his bunker at Vazon. Here he learned of Hitler's death and of VE day.

Imagine his surprise when he and the other prisoners were transported, in properly upholstered railway carriages, first to Sheffield and then to Haltwhistle.

De-lousing en route was the only drawback as he had made himself spick and span before leaving Guernsey.

He described how the whole group broke spontaneously into song because the countryside was so beautiful as they marched towards Featherstone that first day.

The sympathetic treatment of Col. Vickers, the camp commandant, who had been a prisoner-of-war himself in the First World War, added to his delight. In return for a promise not to escape the prisoners were assured of mental and physical stimuli.

The food was excellent too. Having six sausages for one meal was quite a contrast to the boiled nettles and shrimps eaten by the occupying troops in Guernsey!

It was so quiet and peaceful. The camp was surrounded by barbed wire, watch towers and gun emplacements but they were never needed. Everyone was content to remain.

Mr Grubba made us all smile as he described the "greased lightning" roll call made each day.

Col. Vickers' promises were fulfilled. There were 80 men in each hut on upper and lower bunks with a palliasse of straw and ample bedding.

They made "schnapps" which sold for 10 shillings a bottle - money to buy necessities in the canteen. They worked on local farms and drainage schemes.

Their health was monitored by German doctors and dentists present in the camp. There was a library of 5,000 books, some in German brought over from Switzerland, and some in English. Many languages could be learned.

As some prisoners were repatriated, and space was available, two chapels - one Lutheran and one Catholic - were established. He sang in Hexham Abbey to celebrate Harvest festival and remembered the camp newspaper printed at the Courant office.

Two orchestras were formed and several theatre groups. He became a member of a "marionette" group which performed for charity throughout the North. He remembered performing for a children's concert in the Queen's Hall and, with glee, the sausage rolls the WI at Bardon Mill gave him after the performance there.

He assisted at Vindolanda and helped to make flower beds around the camp.

Altogether it was a stimulating lifestyle, particularly for him, as he was young and a bachelor.

Gradually restrictions were relaxed and he was able to walk unaccompanied in the area, enjoying most of all, the calm of an evening beside the Tyne.

A visit to the ballet in Newcastle, taken with some reluctance, and an interview with a young lady journalist afterwards was wonderful as they became engaged and then were married. He stayed, became manager of Thornes', the university bookshop, and continued to enjoy living in the Tyne Valley.

Joan Clarkson added to this extremely interesting afternoon by telling us of her own memories of the prisoners helping on their farm.

Her mother gave them tea and scones and one officer, whose mother was Scottish, asked for the recipe. Chopin, Beethoven and Bach pieces were played on her mother's piano in the parlour and she described the wooden toys that the prisoners made for her.

Her personal touch enhanced the occasion for us and the vote of thanks, given charmingly by Mrs Dorothy Grievson, ended a most enjoyable afternoon.

Mrs Sheila Gore dealt with the business, first confirming luncheon arrangements at Danielle's, and the visit to the Theatre Royal to see Chicago on March 14.

New business included a request for helpers for Age Concern - probably in Wylam, the chance to apply for a bursary at Denman College, news that we were a registered user of A.D.A.P.T. and the imminent Pins and Needles exhibition at the Telewest Arena in Newcastle between February 27 and March 2.

A letter from Florence Denham, a founder member and past president of the institute, said that she had retired and wished all present members health and happiness. Also, rather belatedly, we heard of a tree planted in Anatapur in South East India, on our behalf, by the firm Yorkshire Tea."