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Island Farm POW camp Bridgend, South Wales

SG500

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I've just spent a really interesting afternoon at Hut 9, Island Farm, Bridgend. As its only 10 miles from where I live I HAD to go.
Hut 9 is the sole remaining hut on a site that used to be a POW camp housing German inmates in the latter stages of the war.
The huts were originally constructed as dormitories for the nearby Bridgend ordnance works, a huge factory which employed 40000 people but didn't get used as the workers prefered to go home each day.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROF_Bridgend

There followed a period when the Americans moved in and then later some very high ranking German prisoners were brought to the camp. There was also a mass escape when over 70 prisoners got out through a tunnel which was dug from hut 9.
The following web site gives some really good information about it.

http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/

The open day that I went to today was run by a volunteer group of people who are dedicated to preserving the history of the site. They were all very enthusiastic, knowledgeable and hard working, highly recommended. They have another open day tomorrow. Entry is free although I certainly felt a decent donation was needed.

The photographs show various images inside and outside the hut. There are a lot of drawings that were done by the POW's that were carefully removed from the walls of the other huts before they were tragically knocked down a few years ago.


Dave.

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Hi Dave,
Thank you for the pictures and info, I was unaware of its existence and I am sure others just like it that have been or are being demolished.
Best regards Weasel.
 
Today I had the pleasure of attending an open day at Hut 9 again. Its 2 years since I went but what a difference!
The volunteers there have certainly worked incredibly hard to build on the previous success.
The visit kicked off with a 45 minute talk in the newly opened visitor centre, a converted building which the volunteers rescued from the elements. Within the building they have built a mock up of the escape tunnel, the first photograph shows it, complete with a ventilation pipe made out of food cans, just like the original would have had. The talk was really informative about the nearby former Bridgend munitions factory and the POW camp. This was followed by a tour hut 9 where the living history volunteers were doing a good job at being WW2 prisoners.

Unfortunately it is not possible to view the escape tunnel due to the presence of bats in that end of the building but there is plenty to see all the same.

I've attached a few additional photographs and the information leaflet which gives further details of the huts layout.

A few links for further information:
http://hut9.org.uk/
http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/
http://bracklaordnance.co.uk/

Highly recommended.

Dave.

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NOTE acknowledgement is given to the "Hut 9 preservation group" for the photographs and information on this thread.
 
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