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During
the Second World War, the London Gliding Club at the foot of the
Dunstable Downs was turned into a Prisoner of War camp.
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Nissen hut below the glider was a chapel for the POWs. It was
demolished in 1954. |
Many
of the prisoners that were held there were Italian, but little has
been officially recorded about this period of its history, and the
gliding club has just two photographs of the camp at that time.
As
well as living quarters and a guardhouse, the camp had its own chapel,
bakery and a large exercise field.
After
the war, many of the prisoners stayed in England, and settled down
in the area surrounding Dunstable.
However,
before the war, the gliding club had strong links with Germany.
Anglo-German flying camps were based there, and undoubtedly many
German pilots who flew in the Luftwaffe were actually trained there!
Dunstable
was just one of many Prisoner of War camps across Beds, Herts and
Bucks.
Enemy
soldiers were also held on the Heath at Royston, Much Hadham, Batford,
Meesden and Gorhambury Park in Hertfordshire, Clapham, Potton, Colmworth
and Ampthill in Bedfordshire, and at Shaltstone, Aston Abbott, Burnham,
and even Aylesbury Dog Track in Buckinghamshire.
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RAF
Aerial Survey of the Club - October 1945
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A
view of what was the cookhouse / bakery. It's now used by
club members as a workshop.
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Another
view of the cookhouse.
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This
was the POW guardroom and prison block. It's now used as a
fuel store and tractor shed
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Do
you know any more about the Prisoner of War camp at the London Gliding
Club or any of the camps in Beds, Herts and Bucks? Are you related
to anybody who was held in one? If so, we would love to hear from
you. Contact us at threecounties@bbc.co.uk
You
can find more stories like this and add your own on the People's
War Website.
| phil
davies, maulden beds |
Monday,
09-May-2005 21:02:36 BST |
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| I
can recall living in batford camp for 18 months while we were
awaiting allocation of a council house do you have any pictures
of this camp? |
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