The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A group is appealing for any memories South Holland residents may have of a World War Two Prisoner of War (POW) camp.
The Friends of Chain Bridge Forge museum are looking to find out more information about Camp 153 or Fulney Park Camp which was situated off Kellet Gate in Low Fulney to the east of Spalding.
Geoff Taylor of Chain Bridge Forge, said: “Little is known about this camp.
“The original entrance to the camp is still on Kellet Gate Road and the camp road has survived, but the rest has been swallowed up by history.
“The Friends of the Chain Bridge Forge Museum are trying to uncover more details about the camp and its past, including the people involved in it.
“The camp took up approximately six acres and included a reinforced concrete communications bunker, a large vehicle-servicing workshop with underground fuel storage tanks, a cookhouse and mess, an entertainment hall with a stage, and many Nissen accommodation huts along with a brick ablutions building.
“There was also a hut built from insulated panels which was used as a medical bay. The whole site was served by a purpose-built sewage farm, and itsunderground pipes were encased in concrete.
“Fulney Camp was built and used by the Army as a communications bunker during the war.
“After World War II hostilities ceased, it was then used as a POW camp. The camp was closed in 1952, and the site returned to its original landowner.
“As of 2019, the area had become a large plant nursery.”
The Forge have been able to unearth some information, but they believe local residents may be able to help.
Geoff continued: “We believe the Camp Superintendent was named Mr Godman, and most of the inmates were German and Ukrainian, though there were other displaced persons from Europe who had been conscripted by the Nazis.
“One of the inmates was called Bauer Heinz, (according to wartimememoriesproject.com), and he wrote letters to his girlfriend in Finsterwalde, Brandenburg.
“The Camp Commandant circa 1947 was a Lieutenant Colonel C T Ingle, from the Lincolnshire Regiment.”
If anyone has photos or more information about Fulney Park Camp, its staff or its inmates, you can contact Geoff at the Chain Bridge Forge museum at info@heritagesouthholland.co.uk
