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POW Camps around Scotland

PostPosted: Mon May 31, 2004 4:14 pm
by shuttle534
Does anyone know of any POW camps near the Glasgow area that are still worth visiting? Or any WW2 buildings structures worth having a look at.
I had the luck of visiting one near the town of Alyth when I was younger but it has since been demolished. I never got the chance to take any pics of it, but can tell you that there were numerous works of art drawn on the walls within. (street scenes and buildings.) I think they had been done with chalk. When I saw them the vandals had drawn some of their own additions on them. (Stick figures getting intimate with each other and the likes).
I have also visited another one in Fife (Annsmuir) which is in fantastic condition. Many of the original huts are still standing, have the original light switches inside and have toilets and urinals. There is also a Swastika drawn on a wall in one of them. (not sure if this is original though) Some of the huts have fire places at one end. I have not bothered to get any photos yet, but if anyone is interested then I will make an effort to post them.
Nearly forgot to mention that there is also a anti tank trench running around a section of this camp, and located in the woods (several hundred yards) is a pill box. I visited this the last time I was there, taking a torch, and was not dissapointed. The inside gives some indication of the conditions that our men would have to have fought in during an enemy occupation attempt. The small slit windows (similar to those built into castle walls), no light within, etc. The wooden boards at the firing points are still there and appear to have square holes cut into them. I'm not sure what for but assume that they would perhaps have stored amo in them for easy reach.
Any thoughts.

PostPosted: Mon May 31, 2004 5:11 pm
by Fossil
There is some I hear out out Pollok way....
Hope you like this picture.. found it on an old hard drive

POW's laying drainage in Glasgow. The guy with the spectacles is the clerk of works

Image

-Fossil-

PostPosted: Mon May 31, 2004 6:20 pm
by gridrunner
The East coast is better for defences, Tentsmuir Forest is littered with dragons teeth and pillboxes, there was also a Polish army camp there during the war, though I never found it.

[img][img]http://img13.photobucket.com/albums/v37/gridrunner/pillbox.jpg[/img]

PostPosted: Mon May 31, 2004 8:16 pm
by shuttle534
http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/images/751450.jpg
http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/images/755091.jpg
are pictures of the one in East Fife

Progress chart for Prisoner of War Camp No.77, Annsmuir, Ladybank, by Dick Peddie, McKay and Jamieson, 1942. The huts coloured red indicate how many huts were completed by the 31st October 1942. The tented camp was completed on the 26th June 1942. The hutted camp was completed on the 24th December 1942. (relates to first link)

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:03 am
by turbozutek
There was a POW camp in Barrhead - now a park called 'The Jerry Park' - for obvious reasons.

I used to walk my dog there - you could make out where a few of the buildings had been and some of the paths were a little confusing till you realised they had at one point been narrow gauge railway lines.

Not much to see other than the layout though.

Chris...

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 11:54 am
by shuttle534
Could you tell me some kind of land mark or building to look out for that is near as I'm not too familiar with Barrhead.
But I like the sound of that, thanks.

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 12:34 pm
by turbozutek
Ok,

Essentially you head along newton avenue [towards the town] until you hit a group of 5 square, ugly council flats - they are abandoned and boarded up.

Just to the left of this is a road leading up and behind the scheme - that's Davernia Way - head up there about 20 feet and look right. There should be a smallish path leading between two houses into the park..

You are there!

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=55.792&lon=-4.387&scale=5000

The park is located [looking at the map] between newton avenue and aurs glen.

Oh, I also just remembered - take a look at the bridge when you are there - you can make out where the tracks are and I belive there was also some german grafitti scratched into the stone at intervals.

Chris...

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 9:49 pm
by shuttle534
thanks. I'll have a look for it in the next few days.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 9:11 pm
by The_Clincher
WW2 Building for you...these are the billets at Low Moss...to the rear of the prison.....
Image
Image
Image

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 9:17 pm
by turbozutek
Hmmmmm... Really ?

Any security here ?

Looks like it might be an interesting target ? :twisted:

Chris...

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 9:26 pm
by The_Clincher
Not sure, Chris...there are pole mounted security cams at the prison...so prob a bit risky 8O

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 9:37 pm
by shuttle534
Remember!!!
It's not illegal until they catch you.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 9:38 pm
by turbozutek
shuttle534 wrote:Remember!!!
It's not illegal until they catch you.


It's not even illegal then!

:wink:

/No trespass in Scotland boyo!

Chris...

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 10:03 pm
by shuttle534
Yeah, I've wondered about that. How does that work? Do you just say that it was already open and you just walked in for a look?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 10:09 pm
by turbozutek
Nope.

Trespass is not a criminal offense in Scotland. You have the right to roam.

You may not STEAL, BREAK AND ENTER or VANDALISE.

But turning up, getting in and looking around is a-ok.

Chris...