Schweidnitz POW camp escapes and escapades WWI

We are a group of interested relatives of those British, NZ, Canadian and Australian allies who spent time in this Schweidnitz POW camp during WWI. In particular, we are interested in gathering information on the escape of 24 men on the night of 19th March 1918 and other aspects of camp life. The men were eventually recaptured and sent to the notorious Holzminden POW camp until repatriation after Armistice.

Lest We Forget. Rememberance Day 2020

 

Opera House Lightshow with Poppies c 2016

 It's Rememberance Day 2020 or Armistice Day if you are elsewhere. This year in particular it's a special day for all the researchers on this project as they remember the 24 Military, Air Force and Naval personnel who escaped from Schweidnitz through the tunnel and the myiad of other POWs  who have crossed our paths while turning up in memoirs, photos and documents. 

Here in Australia, we celebrate Armistice 102 years ago with Rosemary branches and poppies symbolic remembrances of both Gallipoli and the French fields.  Apparently the poppies didn't arrive in NZ in time to use for remembrance so they are more prevalent on ANZAC Day. It's remembering the 8 million  who served, 1.1 million lost, 526,816 missing and 800 women.



In our daily round of emails  there was talk of more letters/ emails sent and received trying to connect  to last known next-of-kin of these POWs. The aim is to gather snippets of information and identify photos which have landed in our collection. I know we have touched many others too and on the whole they have given their full support or pointed us in the next direction. We nearly have photos of everyone of the twenty four.



Our focus has been on Schweidnitz  POWs - including the ones they left behind.  Alas our lot were recaptured and ended up being transferred to Holzminden POW with solitary confinement for months. Not long after that on 11th November 1918 came the news of Armistice. After Armistice the prisoners were afforded more freedom and the Camp Commandant brought in the photographers to take propaganda shots of life in "Hellsminden" as it was affectionately known. This makes up a chunk of our photo collection. These men had to wait it out until late December or early January when they were repatriated gradually to England and then later to their home countries. 

This photo is supplied courtesy Margaret Clarke from Eric's collection.

One of the escapees Eric Fulton Second from right and others at Schweidnitz
                


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