Walks in Sussex: Prisoner of War Camp in Sussex

[@nathaliehippie1667]

My grandfather was a ppow in this camp. The camp was opened at least 1 year before 1945, the prisoners were kept in very good conditions and never felt hunger (as their families did in Italy during the war). They used to go out every day from the camp to work in the farms around. The english people who owned the farms were very friendly. My grandfather always kept good memories of those years (2).

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks you so much for telling us your story - how amazing and lovely to know that on this side of the war we looked after the prisoners.

[@Angloman516]

Rather contradicts what Richard said!

[@mspring00]

The camp opened in 1942 - it held Italian pows until 1945 who were then replaced by German pows. The camp closed in Spring 1948.

[@minno234]

I had riding lessons there in 1966. Nissen huts very much still in evidence - some used as stables, some as storage, one as an office. The Italian POWs (ironically my father was a POW in PG49 Fontanellato in Italy) - has painted beautiful murals on the walls, on done up as a chapel. Wire is almost certainly original.

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much for the feedback and extra information. How fascinating!

[@markhills4468]

Hi Richard, just found your channel. Thanks for showing Truleigh Hill, my Grand-mum worked there during the war. This message is primarily about Shoreham and 2 people that worked there. Firstly, Harry Ricardo, and his works that are on the banks of the Adur. He worked on the engines in the first tanks and made the engines used by the fishermen of Shoreham. His company has gone on to be a major force in the development of the piston engine. Secondly, Cecil Pashley, there is a road named after him in Shoreham I think. From what dad has said, (who he instructed), he had flying licence 117, (so very early for English aviation), set up the first flying school in England, (based at the Shoreham airfield), one of his students was Mike Mannock, who went on to fly in WW1, win the VC and several other commendations and taught tactics to other airmen. He instructed countless other pupils in WW1 and WW2 and was awarded an AFC and MBE, although I think his flying school folded in the early 50's, (cash strapped post war England). Interestingly Pashley taught F.G. Miles how to fly and got involved with what became the Miles aircraft company, (yes the company behind the M52, England's sound barrier breaker, but this was squashed by political means). Miles was also involved in the birth of the biro pen I think. Other than that Dad said that growing up in Upper Beeding during WW2, with the South Downs used by lots of armies meant that young kids could get up to a lot of mischief with discarded grenades, ammunition etc.

[@sarahstrong7174]

Well it wasn't necessarily completely miserable. Some of the POWs made friends with the farmers & families where they worked, kept in touch with them & visited them later. Thats the case in Devon anyway. Maybe the camp there was particularly badly organised. It was a difficult time for everyone with a lot of shortages & rationing still going on. It took a long time to repatriate British troops too.

[@anthonyfrost2530]

well Richard it it is me again, you seem to be re writing my life , i never knew there was a pow camp here but i lived in east Worthing , there were many glass nuseries where they grew tomatoes , mushrooms etc ,they brought prisoners to our street to work in the glass houses , i never saw a guard with a gun , the men were friendly and looked well fed . The reason it took so long to send them home was because many Germans had no home and some were in East Germany , i only saw Germans ..

[@RichardVobes]

Hi Anthony -that is fascinating. I do believe on the whole we looked after the prisoners of war. (I am sure there are exceptions) and it is interesting that you say they were well fed. Thanks for watching.

[@warminghurst]

Little Boxes, Little Boxes, all very ticky tacky and all look just the same. The song could have been written for this. According to the planning site they were supposed to have preserved far more of the original trees that had grown since the camp went!

[@RichardVobes]

warminghurst Typical that they then didn't. Yes little boxes all right. expensive ones!

[@tonethetallbaldy5039]

Although it was miserable for the inmates I bet the conditions weren't as inhumane as my grandad's Japanese POW camp!

[@demalzaharrisoncdd6097]

Your walk down wood croft close in Billingshurst is slightly out, location wise, because the POW camp was in Kingsfold close. I know this because my Grandad was a POW there.

[@sharonboult8614]

Love you Richard wish I found you when you were on tv you are so honest, interesting &intelligent

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks so much

[@neileggleton1966]

Hi Richard. Just came across this I know it was from a few years previous. My wife lived in Marringdean Road in the 60’s and there was still remnants of the camp still there at this time. Not all the prisoners elected to be repatriated and I certainty made the acquaintance of a fella whose father was an inmate there having married his mother a local girl. A look at the more modern burials in St Mary’s churchyard will reveal a distinctly German name. However the son always used his Mothers maiden name as animosity still prevailed.

[@paulaastridge3329]

This wood once was a Butterfly reserve before they destroyed the woodland . the houses are for commuters , out priced for locals .

[@RichardVobes]

Such a shame!

[@Anolbea]

Happening all over W Sussex. It'll turn into a version of Surrey soon. Large fields with a couple of horses in them, Spotless range rovers and ugly modern builds to satisfy the wealthy. I work in agriculture and its disappearing very fast now.

[@sarahstrong7174]

It's the butterflies I feel most sad about. They are disappearing from our landscapes fast. There seem to be less every year & nobody seems to be doing much about it. There used to be a project that bred them & you could plant food plants in your garden & buy pupae to hatch but that project seems to no longer exist.

[@ukgeographer]

How did they destroy the wood? I can see they have coppiced it but that is a natural cycle and part of conservation.

[@paulaastridge3329]

@@ukgeographer they have built houses in what was once coppice woodland, I know the person that dose the coppicing in Rosia woods.

[@edwarren6522]

The fence to your right of the footpath with the curve posts and barbed wire, could that have been remains if the old fence...It has that look....? Fascinating as ever though, brilliant stuff

[@RichardVobes]

I did wonder that myself actually as I strolled along.

[@edwarren6522]

Just has that look, they wouldnt have been high obviously because of the military presence...

[@edwarren6522]

If you go to Google Street View, It was before the estate was there...Look on there over the gate and it has the look of an old war camp....

[@hfvhf987]

That fence has been there longer than me and i'm in my mid 30's

[@edwarren6522]

I reckon that's the old fence then

[@mduffy5453]

Nice one. Can't beat a bit of history with a stroll...

[@RichardVobes]

Thank you - very kind - the sun was shining and it was lovely!

[@kirstybez1994]

Just found this, there was a pow camp in Normanhurst at Battle East sussex aswell as my great grandad was there...now i think it is a caravan site which is a shame, but times change I guess 😊

[@mikedaveross]

Very interesting! I live in the estate opposite this one, I remember when this was just a nice open wooded area, didnt know its history! Thanks for sharing.

[@CmPunkd]

I think my Grandad was stationed at the camp during the war but i can't find any info on him it at all, his name was Charles Macpherson

[@sharonboult8614]

You look nice &warm

[@mspring00]

This is Kingsfold Camp 46 (in Billingshurst). It opened in 1942 holding Italian pows - during 1945 the Italians were moved out to be repatriated and German pows moved in. It closed in Spring 1948. ALL pows were screened - they were given categories A (white) for Non Nazi / B (grey) no fixed politics / to C (black) Nazi. By September 1946 the camp and its 'sub-camps' (a satellite camp and 19 'hostels') held 3053 pows. Max number held at Kingsfold was 1019 in March 1947. Experiences of the pows were very mixed - e.g. over 300 from this camp elected to become British civilians - a side of the story not shown in this video.

[@marcoscu]

Great video, glad to see you didn't fall in the mud!

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks Mark - yes, I was lucky. :) I have fallen over before just after filming!

[@deanmc178]

interesting to see a barbed wire angled fence to stop prisoners escaping..it was a big camp..larger than the new build estate..4 times as big to house 900 prisoners

[@RichardVobes]

People are buying their own POW camps now it would appear!

[@markMW]

that was certainly something different.. fantastic..very interesting...

[@RichardVobes]

Thank you. :)

[@MrGreatplum]

Very interesting video; it’s incredible to think what used to happen on the lands where our houses have been built. I know my 1950s property was just built on a farm - at least the people who live in these houses in the video have a story to tell (if they know!)

[@RichardVobes]

Well that's the thing - I bet half of them don't!

[@CradleEpiscopalian56]

Oh my, how horrifying. To be sure, those who purchased homes there are completely unaware of the history of the land they now live on. But be absolutely certain the purchaser of that land from the British government by the community developer knew! Sadly this happens when we fail to keep a watchful eye.

[@RichardVobes]

CradleEpiscopalian56 So very true!

[@frizzer1970]

Not entirely true, I own one of those houses and knew the history of the place before I bought it. I was a local already though.

[@hfvhf987]

You should check out the old victorian school Richard, you may find it interesting. Also if you need wellies Billingshurst has a great country store with great staff willing to assist :)

[@RichardVobes]

Oh right - where is it -in Billingshurst?

[@hfvhf987]

Yar up east street opposite the catholic church

[@travelfox4820]

Hello my aunty married a Italian pow he ran his own cafe in lambeth walk london and was one of the first to sell italian icecream his son is quite big in the advertising world so it all worked out well

[@gregorybilotto6620]

Hey Richard, can you share where the entrance is to the Daux Wood footpath?

[@stefankremhelmer3524]

My grandpa was a German prisoner of war at Camp Billinghurst Kingsfold Camp Marringdean Road from 1945 to 1948.Looking for Photos from the 1945

[@CradleEpiscopalian56]

Richard, where did they bury the dead who passed away while in captivity? God forbid someone's home is sitting on a cemetery of a massive grave or even one grave. So now I'm just sad. 😢

[@RichardVobes]

That is a very good question. There must be official cemeteries somewhere.

[@mspring00]

Most at German War Cemetery - Cannock Chase. Some in War Graves around country.

[@Duffy512]

Richard I think that you should persuade one of the people in those fancy houses to turn their house back into a prisoner of war camp. Think of the tourist possibilities of barbwire and watch towers and machine guns in that neighborhood? Sort of a Disneyland for war enthusiasts.

[@RichardVobes]

Hahaha- Yes, I am sure they would agree to that! :)

[@newspaniard]

You were talking about the time it took for repatriation of some of the prisoners. I have read elsewhere that prison camps in Germany, which were overrun by the Russians were worse in that Stalin moved the Allied prisoners to Russian POW camps and were allowed to die there. The British government mildly protested this treatment but the Russians denied that the Allied prisoners existed and the protests were allowed to fizzle out with the cowardly British Government taking little or no further interest owing to "international relations". I have no documentation to back these stories up as they are decades old and I was too young to appreciate the tragedy.

[@kerryfoster1]

I used to work with a German ex- POW. He liked the British enough to stay here after the war. He would say how he had to prove he was not a NAZI. Never said how he did it. Decent enough chap though, they weren't all fanatics!

[@RichardVobes]

Brilliant story. I bet there were plenty of Germans who hated what Hitler had made them.

[@hsbcgeoff]

Another interesting walk Richard - thank you. However, you said (at 5:10) that there were other POW camps affiliated to this one at "Sompting and Warningcamp". I have never heard of one at Warningcamp (as you know, my predecessors were Warningcamp people) Could you have meant to say Westergate? Oh, and btw it was No.46 not 49 - sorry, I'm feeling a bit pedantic today! lol.

[@RichardVobes]

Be pedantic. You are right - a slip of the tongue (I had been to Warningcamp recently and the name must have stayed in my mind.) Yes, and I typed that wrong No. 49. It was late last night as I edited the video in a panic to get it out today. Sadly I do make mistakes. But I think the houses are new and the wood is called Daux Wood - but I could be wrong! :)

[@RichardVobes]

More info here: sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=1577.0 - It's hard to go back and correct a live video, unfortunately.

[@hsbcgeoff]

Please don't apologise Richard, we don't want your walks to become a rigid history lesson ( I hated history at school) Just 'carry on regardless'.

[@sandrahipkin1]

My house in goring was built by the POWs

[@CradleEpiscopalian56]

I just subscribed!

[@RichardVobes]

Thanks you very much - you are a star!

[@ralphtomlinson2461]

It's a sad fact of life that the rich can basically get whatever they want .Here in Sheffield we are trying to save an open space where people go to developers building flats and apartments

[@jmeyer3rn]

The fence looks pretty nasty evidence of a camp. Would the prisoners have been soldiers? And a schilling is how much? I’m googling that.

[@RichardVobes]

Yes, I think the fence is genuinely from that time.

[@bethanhughes-smith6518]

I live there 😂