Redmires POW Camp

Hello

I'm an archaeologist working in Sheffield. I'm writing to find out if anyone has any information or memories about the Prisoner of War Camp at Redmires in Sheffield. The site was originally used as a racecourse in the 1870s and then was used for artillery practice by a Sheffield Battalion in WWI. A camp was built there in 1914 for the Sheffield Battalion. It was subsequently used to house German Prisoners of War between 1917 and 1919. Between the wars it was used as a small pox hospital and as an extension to the Lodge Moor hospital. This camp was demolished in the 1930s and in 1939 a new Prisoner of War camp was built in a slightly different position to the original. It housed German and Italian Prisoners of War between 1939 and 1947. The camp was subsequently burnt down and a woodland planted in the 1950s.

The camp was extensive and it is estimated that at any time housed between 3000 and 5000 POWs. Prisoners worked on local farms and brick yards. Old people from the area remember seeing them being marched along Redmires Road. Some great friendships were made with local people at the end of the war. A church service was held at Christmas 1946 in Sheffield Cathedral for the POWs. The Bishop of Berlin came and the Redmires POW choir sang.

A group of local residents and archaeologists have formed a community group with the aim of finding out more about the WWII camp. We are recording people's stories and hope to do some fieldwork on the site to find out more about the prisoners' lives. If you'd like to find out more and are on facebook, you can join the Redmires POW Community Heritage Project facegroup book.

Any help would be much appreciated. Best wishes

My mother and some of her hiker friends called in for a drink at The Three Merry Lads during WW2, when a German submarine captain wearing full uniform walked in and ordered a drink. Apparantly he used to give the camp commander his word that he would not attempt to escape, however all bets were off after he returned to the camp.

All bets were off??

Do you mean once he got back inside he'd try to escape if there was a chance?

If so that's a great story

There is a thread about this already on the forum somewhere, I remember seeing the POW's in the 40's, I also worked with a German bloke when I first arrived in Oz who was in there, he along with others that had earned wages for working around the area spent there time in the 3 Merry Lads pub, so it wasn't uncommon at that time.

Most of the German p.o.w.'s were not repatriated until 1948. After the war ended they were put to work on farms etc., while still living at the camp. So as skippy wrote, in c. 1946-48 it wasn't unusual to see them around Lodge Moor, Stannington etc. One p.o.w., Feldwebel (Sergeant) Karl Fauser, became such a friend of my family that when I was born in April 1948 he was my godfather, and we stayed in touch. I visited him regularly in Ludwigsburg until he died aged 88 in 2002.

All bets were off??

 

Do you mean once he got back inside he'd try to escape if there was a chance?

 

If so that's a great story

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

After the German POWs were allowed to walk the streets of Sheffield in 1945, my cousin Jean began going with one of them, so he and his mate would be at my Aunts place a lot. I learned German at Nether Edge Grammar, and could converse with them quite well. Her boyfriend spoke no English though his pal did. When he returned to Germany, Jean would write love letters to him which I would translate, and vice versa on his to her. It was a very interesting and revealing time for a 15 year old! In the end it all fizzled out, and Jean, who somehow never seemed to be interested in an Englishman, married a Pole. She had turned sown a New Zealand soldier, who had his own sheep farm back home.

Once heard that von Werra was kept there at one time,he was the escapee about whom a film was made. Can anyone verify this ?

Hello

 

I'm an archaeologist working in Sheffield. I'm writing to find out if anyone has any information or memories about the Prisoner of War Camp at Redmires in Sheffield. The site was originally used as a racecourse in the 1870s and then was used for artillery practice by a Sheffield Battalion in WWI. A camp was built there in 1914 for the Sheffield Battalion. It was subsequently used to house German Prisoners of War between 1917 and 1919. Between the wars it was used as a small pox hospital and as an extension to the Lodge Moor hospital. This camp was demolished in the 1930s and in 1939 a new Prisoner of War camp was built in a slightly different position to the original. It housed German and Italian Prisoners of War between 1939 and 1947. The camp was subsequently burnt down and a woodland planted in the 1950s.

 

The camp was extensive and it is estimated that at any time housed between 3000 and 5000 POWs. Prisoners worked on local farms and brick yards. Old people from the area remember seeing them being marched along Redmires Road. Some great friendships were made with local people at the end of the war. A church service was held at Christmas 1946 in Sheffield Cathedral for the POWs. The Bishop of Berlin came and the Redmires POW choir sang.

 

A group of local residents and archaeologists have formed a community group with the aim of finding out more about the WWII camp. We are recording people's stories and hope to do some fieldwork on the site to find out more about the prisoners' lives. If you'd like to find out more and are on facebook, you can join the Redmires POW Community Heritage Project facegroup book.

 

Any help would be much appreciated. Best wishes

I remember the POW camp,we, my Mom Dad sister and brother, used to walk passed it on a Sunday,from the Lodge Moor Hospital bus stop to Wyming Brook where we would have a picnic and play in the stream all day. The Sportsman Pub, just up from the Hospital had a field at the side of it were you could sit and have a picnic and play ball games,but you had to keep away from the barbwire fence of the POW camp, I remember guards with bren guns.I also remember at Wyming brook Italian prisoners just sat around mixing with everybody,I never saw any Germans,but I read in the star that it did in fact have Hitlers second in command there at one time

Said on tuther thread visited many many times between 40 and 46 long chats with the Italian pow's left in 46 (late) so dont know what went on after

U Boat ace Ottoo Kretschmer was a POW there at one time. The camp also became famous (or infamous) when a prisoner was murdered by fellow prisoners. I think 5 were charged and perhaps two were found guilty and executed in London. I did read about this somewhere but can't remember where !! It should be well documented after 60 years.

Yes this camp held some really high profile nazi and SS prisoners and a film was made about the killing but Hess was never held there unless it is still in the official secrets.