POW Camp, Cheshire

Wrench · Oct 23, 2017

History stolen from Gronk on 28dl who in turn stole it from somewhere else

During World War 2 the site was originally commissioned as an anti aircraft defence site, to defend Crewe. The guns were never delivered as the threats from bombing had gone. Initially German, then Italian POW’s were stationed at the camp and worked on farms during and after the war. Although Weston wasn’t assigned a camp number it was a satellite camp of another camp in the area therefore not assigned an official camp number and very often forgotten about. Some of the Weston POWs stayed in the area, married local girls, raised families and lived happily in the area for many years after the war.

Prisoners held at Weston were typical ‘white’ prisoners unlike many, after capture and interrogation they were deemed not politically motivated. Just regular young men unfortunate to be caught up in the politics of war. The prisoners in this camp after gaining the trust of the guards were able to engage in local community events and in some instances wander free in and out of the camps outside of their working hours.

Explore

I had been told not to go here as it was "just a load of **** sheds" but after seeing some pics from Snapt and learning he was planning a re-visit I Arranged to meet him and another non member, Waveydave, at the nearby pub.
Pint of Guinness later and we were there.

Now the initial assesment of "**** sheds" was in all fairness quite accurate but the sun was shinning with broken clouds and it was 22 degrees so the light was excellent 

Some pics

[

Open by www.tbolt-photography.com, on Flickr

It's fair to say I loved this place, it's a bit samey but on a day like that it was really nice.
7/10 from me, hope you enjoyed it.

Sam Haltin · Oct 23, 2017

Nice shots. It looks like the nissen huts are all the same as in, four windows and two doors.

Wrench · Oct 23, 2017

Thanks Hugh, yes they are the same everywhere I imagine.

smiler · Oct 23, 2017

Looks worth a visit, Liked it, Thanks

HughieD · Oct 23, 2017

Great place and you did a top notch job there!

Wrench · Oct 23, 2017

smiler said:
Looks worth a visit, Liked it, Thanks

Thanks Smiler

Wrench · Oct 23, 2017

HughieD said:
Great place and you did a top notch job there!

Thanks Hughie

BikinGlynn · Oct 23, 2017

As far as **** sheds go thats a pretty decent set, very well photographed too!

Wrench · Oct 23, 2017

BikinGlynn said:
As far as **** sheds go thats a pretty decent set, very well photographed too!

Lol I agree it was a good explore.
Thanks for the compliment sir.

Dirus_Strictus · Oct 23, 2017

Nice photographs of this place. Pity the original writer of the 'history' did not read the actual facts. After the surrender of all Italian Forces, former POW's were actually free men and most went into gainful employment to help the Allied war effort. As there was a huge shortage of food, the vast majority went onto the land. The camp guards had nothing to do with the situation, it was official policy, and the camps were used, or partly used as lodgings in many cases for quite a time after the war. The war displaced many people, the Poles gravitating to the mining communities and the Italians to the farming locations. Being born on the fringes of both mining and farming communities, I grew up surrounded by quite large Polish and Italian based communities.

Wrench · Oct 23, 2017

Many thanks for the update there.
To be fair to the original historian much of what I found on Google said similar to what he said but the clarification is excellent

prettyvacant71 · Nov 22, 2017

Yes I enjoyed that Tbolt thank you. You made them **** sheds look rather special in that gorgeous light and your creative angles,love that final shot.

I'd give that an 8/10 you were a little lean with your calculations :applouse:

Wrench · Dec 8, 2017

Why thank you kind lady.
Much more polite than the last time we spoke &#55357;&#56834;

Rubex · Dec 9, 2017

Excellent pictures Tbolt

druid · Dec 9, 2017

Hugh Jorgan said:
Nice shots. It looks like the nissen huts are all the same as in, four windows and two doors.

I think you have become confused byt the hutting. The ones at Weston which have a door at each and and two windows each side of the door are Turner's Asbestos huts and not Nissen huts. They were designed to be erected in sections (like Nissens) and Weston has a small Turner's hut that I've not noticed anywhere else.

The site does have Nissen huts and Tbolt's set includes the Warden's office and officers ablutions which are Nissen designs.

The odd structure between the two Turner's huts in photo 2 is a post-war addition for roosting hens (the four huts in that block were all used as hen houses and two of the ones opposite were used to house pigs.

The site has planning permission for more of the much needed expensive detached houses so popular in Cheshire.

krela · Dec 9, 2017

I don't know how I missed this first time round but apparently I did.

Definitely more than just **** sheds, I'd certainly take a look if I was in the area, lots of social history and photogenic bits here. Thanks tbolt.

Ferox · Dec 10, 2017

Nice pics mate. Looks worth a look this place

Wrench · Dec 11, 2017

Thanks Ferox

Wrench · Dec 11, 2017

Thank you Rubex

Wrench · Dec 11, 2017

krela said:
I don't know how I missed this first time round but apparently I did.

Definitely more than just **** sheds, I'd certainly take a look if I was in the area, lots of social history and photogenic bits here. Thanks tbolt.

Thanks Krela, it's deffo worth a mooch if you are nearby.

POW Camp, Cheshire

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