Stringer's Books and Ephemera
Rare and Fine Books and Ephemera
300 P.O.W. CAMP WILTON PARK BEACONSFIELD 1947
(Original German POW British Camp Pass)
(England) 1947
325.00
Condition is very good with a bit of wear to the cloth covers, a bit of smudging to the paper interior.
Cloth covered, thick card stock. Size is 3 ¼” x 2 ½” closed, open 3 ¼” x 5 1/2”.
An original pass issued to a German prisoner of war to have leave of 300 Camp and proceed to Windsor, "He must return to camp by 22.00 hrs and give back his pass to the Interpreter Office." The pass is dated 24 August 1947. The pass is stamped "German P.O.W. Camp No 300" and signed. Written in ink on the pass is, "This pass is not valid without signature or a accompanying slip".
According to the Buckinghamshire's Heritage Portal Camp 300 is, "... described by the International Red Cross as a 'Special Camp' (Camp nos. 20 and 300). The camp consisted of tented accomodation (B2).
"Set up in 1942 to hold prisoners likely to have information of high intelligence value, such as German and Italian officers, pilots and u-boat commanders. Among the occupants was Gerd von Rundstedt, the last Commander-in-Chief of German forces in the West (B1). Exact location unknown. 1951 RAF AP shows an area of camp-like parchmarks to the east of the MoD buildings in the former walled gardens. NGR to area of parchmarks (B3).
"Wilton Park was occupied in July 1942 as a top secret interrogation centre for prisoners of war. The White House was a three storey Palladian mansion that was turned into an officers' mess for staff and interrogators. A series of Nissen huts was built for staff of other ranks. Prisoners were housed in a compound of flat-roofed brick and concrete cells. The first high ranking prisoners began to arrive in the middle of 1943. These included Marshall Messe, Field-Marshalls von Rundstedt and Busch and Rudolph Hess. Wilton Park (Camp 300) was part of the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre (CSDIC) and this department was closed at the end of 1945 with most POWs being repatriated or moved to other camps (B4)."
According to the Buckinghamshire's Heritage Portal Camp 300 is, "... described by the International Red Cross as a 'Special Camp' (Camp nos. 20 and 300). The camp consisted of tented accomodation (B2).
"Set up in 1942 to hold prisoners likely to have information of high intelligence value, such as German and Italian officers, pilots and u-boat commanders. Among the occupants was Gerd von Rundstedt, the last Commander-in-Chief of German forces in the West (B1). Exact location unknown. 1951 RAF AP shows an area of camp-like parchmarks to the east of the MoD buildings in the former walled gardens. NGR to area of parchmarks (B3).
"Wilton Park was occupied in July 1942 as a top secret interrogation centre for prisoners of war. The White House was a three storey Palladian mansion that was turned into an officers' mess for staff and interrogators. A series of Nissen huts was built for staff of other ranks. Prisoners were housed in a compound of flat-roofed brick and concrete cells. The first high ranking prisoners began to arrive in the middle of 1943. These included Marshall Messe, Field-Marshalls von Rundstedt and Busch and Rudolph Hess. Wilton Park (Camp 300) was part of the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre (CSDIC) and this department was closed at the end of 1945 with most POWs being repatriated or moved to other camps (B4)."
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