German Prisoners Cemetery Cannock Chase

Cemetery set aside in England for German PoWs

[@tonywebb799]

My Grandfather, Hans met my Grandmother, Olive whilst he was a prisoner at working camp 96, Wolseley Road, Rugeley. My Grandfather was a German paratrooper and was captured at the battle of Monte Casino in Italy. Olive used to take food and supplies to the camp and met Hans and they fell in love. After the camp closed in Autumn 1947 my grandparents moved to Jeborogh in Scotland where my grandfather worked as a labourer on a farm. In December 1948 my mother was born there and shortly after they retuned to Stafford and spent the rest of their lives together. I was born in 1975 and lived in Rugeley only one mile from camp 96. I now live in Stafford and occasionally visit the German war cemetery at Cannock Chase. Its a peaceful place and very well maintained. My Mother has dementia now but recently I took her there and we walked around for about an hour. I think she enjoyed it and felt a connection to the past. Soon the second generation will be gone but this cemetery continues to be maintained, Thank you!

[@janehodgetts6078]

I'm 74 and live in Canada, I know where that camp was because we lived in wolseley road, when I was a child.

[@peetee3898]

Visited this cemetery a couple of years ago for research for an assignment I was doing at the time. Very moving place.

[@jennyedwards4873]

Fascinating. More of these stories please. Thank you.

[@hansbongartz7030]

My oncle was captured fighting with Rommel in Africa inTunisia ,he told me that Brits treated him verry well in England,at the end of war he was freed and came back to Mönschengladbach,I am happy that there is no hatered between Germans and Brits ,thanks God.

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

Unlike the horrible Americans who ran a POW on the Rhine river until 1947 where no shelter was allowed even in the bitter winter months. Boys and woman also were held. Many never even fought in the war.

[@hansbongartz7030]

Albert Pike 33th degree Freemason must be proud that so many did die to fulfill their agenda,he was a cabalist and was part of the dark side in this world,the secret societys that rule over us sheapel,the devil knows his time is short,not much time left,if you wanna be saved come repent and in JESUS we will all be united for eternal life,it is by grace and faith in his blood shed on the Cross for our sins and it’s a free gift,praise the Lord ,all that suffering of human kind willbe soon finished HALLELUYAH.

[@philipterzian4581]

@@lindanwfirefighter4973 No mythology, please.

[@uraltprotter8252]

@@lindanwfirefighter4973 Yes, the Rhine Camps were horrible. But in opposite to the Germans the US Army did not do this on purpose! That is the major difference between the treatment of P.o.W. of the Red Army in 2nd. WW by the Wehrmacht and the SS and the Wehrmacht prisoners. So, please keep to the truth!

[@geoh7777]

@@uraltprotter8252 Yes, I too oppressed and killed people. But it was just a silly mistake on my part. Darn it.

[@ericparton1232]

this cemetery sets England aside in the war by allowing the German war dead a final resting place i have had the honour as a guest to visit the cemetery and was very humbled by my experience there.( local resident. )

[@clutchcargo2419]

Very glad to hear these german soldiers were treated w/ dignity and respect. Important to remember no matter what nationality these were young men who had hopes and dreams.

[@timhancock6626]

I met an elderly Bavarian gentleman who had been a prisoner of war in the USSR. Learning I was British he took me aside and explained in quite good English that he had managed to secrete an English - German dictionary in the camp. This was an offence for which he could have been shot. He said it saved his life as learning words each day took his mind off the hunger which would otherwise have driven him mad. After the surrender at Stalingrad just check how many German POWS from that battle survived the war. Out of many hundreds of thousands taken prisoner about 5,000 came back. By comparison you would have to walk a long way to find a German POW who felt he was badly treated in the UK. It was quite deliberate as part of the hearts and minds campaign. Many were just grateful to be fed regularly as the German army in the field still had to rely on foraging for food and many were under nourished, whereas the allied armies had got food supply logistics down to a fine art, thanks mainly to the Americans.

[@tessaleroux7725]

RIP Soldiers. Thanks to the British for making this cenmety

[@eogg25]

Italy did it too, and I believe France still has war dead cemeteries. I saw a lot of German graves in Italy.

[@scottouellette9411]

Learn english bitch...haha

[@bastogne315]

@@scottouellette9411 that's awful!! Apologise.

[@dasreich5126]

Lovely story, didn't know this existed.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

Coming from a (coal) mining family I was sad to hear about the PoW that died in an accident. I'm sure he was appreciated by his co-workers because I know that a number of German PoWs worked in coal mines in South Yorkshire and were well liked. Mining is dirty and dangerous work, and there are no enemies down a mine because everyone depends on each other for their safety.

[@pgk1940]

My father was captured by the British in Africa in '43, sent to the U.S. as a P.O.W. because Britain was not in a position to keep a large number of P.O.W.s, but then sent to Britain in '45 after the war ended. Unfortunately I don't know where the was in Britain, but he worked in a market garden operation, got along very well with the owners, and after he was released and returned to Germany in '47, he kept in contact with his former "employer". We emigrated to Canada in '52, but he continued to keep in contact, even visiting on several occasions, and that correspondence lasted until shortly before his death in '98, continued by the "employers" daughter after he passed away According to him, his capture was more of a lucky break. While in the U.S. he was treated more like a captured enemy, he was nevertheless treated well, and didn't have anyone shooting at him. In Britain, not only was he treated well, he and his employer became good friends. We, our family, were in constant contact through correspondence with him, including birthday and Christmas packages. My mother read all his letters to my sister and me, and I remember them as quite happy and optimistic letters. I do remember him complaining upon his return about some things not being available in Germany. I have the feeling that, had he not had a familiy waiting for him back home, he could've quite happpily stayed in England.

[@bastogne315]

@Herbert Norkus His father was made work for Donald Trump, he never got paid and was treated like a dog, nothing unusual about it.

[@guysmith3146]

@@bastogne315 there is always one, spiteful comment. I wish people would keep their political views to themselves on posts like this.

[@bastogne315]

@@guysmith3146 What's spiteful about it?

[@guysmith3146]

@@bastogne315 Spiteful,vindictive you choose. Work for Donald Trump in the forties I do not think so.

[@shirleybalinski4535]

While a POW in America, your father was a captured soldier. The War was still on. In 1947, the war was over. These German soldiers, while technically not a POW, were still under a " workers" contract of servitude labor. This was a deal worked out by the western allied powers to relieve labor shortages & reparations from Germany for WW2. Not until the late 1940's was this POW status officially ended for these German soldiers in Britain.

[@Dark_Goth]

I have being to that very gravesite a few times and its beautiful there, very well maintained and in the perfect spot too. I'm proud to live in Cannock because of the chase. So peaceful up there and nice to escape too, no society just beautiful nature. Next time I'm up there will do a video

[@michaelellard4664]

Lived in Sutton Coldfield for many years. Never new such a place existed.

[@mickowen3318]

just down the hill from the main cemartary ,is a polish mem with 15.000 there

[@mickcoomer9714]

The BBC baned Harvey Andrews song “ Hello Hans” about this grave yard.

[@bobapbob5812]

There is a very good set of two novels, in Welsh, by Islwyn Ffolk Elis. One of the characters is a German POW working on their farm who becomes a part of the village, joins the chapel and learns Welsh. He is contrasted with an arrogant English doctor who looks down on the Welsh. Question was "who is the foreigner"?

[@jezblades9913]

YER RIGHT . WHERE DO YOU STAND ON HUMAN RIGHTS!

[@grumpynanny7402]

Soldier handing out food. His cap badge is Cameronians.

[@envisagebgt8078]

Coe was not impressed. I been to Staffordshire many times, this cemetery gives me another reason to visit for the fallings. From HK.

[@bobapbob5812]

Also Italian POWs. Many more were sent to Canada.

[@keen2b]

German pow's where treated well by the British, So much so when the war ended many if not all stayed on as on the Isle of man and married local girls and settled!! The same cant be said about the British pow's camps in and around Germany, Unless you where a Officer and sent to Colditz.

[@luigiaschettino8448]

onore e rispetto per questi soldati

[@mariacornwallis1602]

Most of the Germans who stayed on in Britain were from East germany

[@Punisherfan123]

Near 700,000 German soldiers were taken prisoner by the Allies in the 2 world wars I thought the Soviets took more than that in WW2 by themselves, during and after the war?

[@scottouellette9411]

Should have let the russians take them all for war retribution.

[@HarrySmith-hr2iv]

Lots of mud slinging on this web-page as to 'Who started the War?' In his 12 volume text 'The World at War' author Winston Churchill says the UK and France started WW2 not Germany and Adolf Hitler. The post WW1 Treaty of Versailles (1919) imposed excessive fiscal reparations on Germany. This resulted in German starvation and German economic collapse. So inept UK and French foreign policy caused WW2. This problem was avoided post WW2 because the USA implemented a Treaty which rebuilt European economy+ Germany, so avoiding another war. Many believe UK should pay Germany £10 billion compensation at least for starting Word war 2 in the first place.

[@HarrySmith-hr2iv]

It was the USA Marshall Plan which rebuilt Germany+Europe after WW2.

[@scottouellette9411]

Another fucking rightest propagandist.. EATSHIT

[@chillapilla7380]

Fuckoff we ain't paying sht , if we pay germany then germany should repay the jews 💀

[@californiadreamin8423]

" Hello Hans...."

[@eogg25]

Why didn't they send the bodies back home after the war. its not like Germany was on the other side of the world. the same should be said for all the other war dead. the families of these people might not be able to afford doing it but the governments sent them to war, they should be made to bring them back.

[@hetrodoxlysonov-wh9oo]

I'm sure if Germany had requested it something could have been arranged but we were saying we'll look after your sons in our soil, Germany could still request it.

[@bastogne315]

Digging up and transporting 5000 seventy year old corpses to Germany, have some sense.

[@MrRugbylane]

"Your sons are in our bosom. They are in peace. After having lost their lives on this soil they have become our sons as well". Thats inscribed on a memorial at Gallipoli. I reckon its clear the British have the same sentiment.

[@eogg25]

@@bastogne315 I Said after the war, meaning after the war ended in 1945. I figure they did not send them back because there families might have been killed in the War, I understand Germany was still in bad shape right after the war and even if they wanted to bring them home they could not. I was in in Anzio Italy at the war cemetery, 9 years after the war and I noticed a lot of German graves were removed, probably families brought them home. The same for the Americans, many of the families were to poor to bring them home but The government should have brought them back.

[@d.mfrost6801]

It was only in the mid-sixties that British and Commonwealth bodies were repatriated, although both the French and Americans repatriated after the war.

[@marcosluciosilva2433]

"And don't tell me the Germans put British POWs to work" *Realy* the Germans killed their prisoners

[@rolandbuss7567]

Lüge!!!

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

Marcos They did not! Goodness! Such lies you tell.

[@twinturbo8304]

How the fuk do you know

[@sudfac]

@@rolandbuss7567 In February 1945, SS and Wehrmacht, with the help of the local Austrian population, brutally killed 410 Soviet war prisoners who had escaped from the Mauthausen concentration camp. See "Mühlviertel rabbit hunt" kzbin.info/www/bejne/mImrd5KCbrmla8U en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mühlviertler_Hasenjagd

[@chillapilla7380]

They put em to work but didnt feed em properly n sht so they died very quickly .. aswell as killing , torturing n sht to pass time .

[@mrhamburger6936]

With all those Graves it's obvious that the prisoners of War were not very well taken care of the war brought out a lot of hate in people War II was a free-for-all

[@floridaboi904]

@Mr Hamburger Well if you knew anything about WW2, you'd know German prisoners were quite literally on deaths doorstep by the end of the war. They were not tortured and murderd by the 10s of thousands as the Germans enjoyed doing so much.

[@bastogne315]

Half were luftwaffe and I'd say a lot were German sailors who's bodies were washed up on UK coastline.

[@amo5583]

My wife was captured by hitler but treated welll now enjoying life here playing football .boxers 2024