Alcudia Old POW Camp Wakefield Feb 19

Alcudia was historically a prisonor of war camp in Woolley Wakefield.The sheds still exist but have more recently been used as a poultry farm.The land has planning permission for 4 bungalows and is up for sale with offers around £600,000.

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by the Barnsley Archives and Local Studies Department on behalf of T S Leigh."

1943? — I was 16 years old and walking with two pals along Woolley Edge towards Crigglestone.

We saw three Italian P.O.W.’s arguing along the road. They had obviously come from the P.O.W. camp down the road. The camp is still there but it is a poultry farm — I think! and still intact. These Italian P.O.W. waited till we got to them. They were still arguing and gesticulating with their hands and pointing in both directions along the road. As we got to them the middle and smallish one turned to us and haltingly said “Scusama plaisa wichawya wakafi”. This was repeated three or four times until the penny dropped. He was asking ‘excuse me please which way to Wakefield’.

They were considered harmless enough to let out after work in the fields and decided apparently to walk in the direction of Wakefield but turned right instead of left from the camp. I have called Wakefield WAKAFI ever since!
thanks to https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/32/a2894132.shtml for that.


Old Huts

Horse Trailer

Some rack

Large Front Shed

Inside Rear Shed

Inside One Of The Sheds

Looking Out From Rear Shed

Bungalow On The Site

Out Side Toilet

The fact that the Italians were out alone suggests that the time of the sighting was around mid September. Italy had surrendered and in early September declared war on Nazi Germany. Thus they were not POW's - just displaced persons.