Prisoner of War Camp in Leeds

blackprince · Post by **blackprince** » Sun 07 Apr, 2013 7:14 pm

woodman2 wrote: On the railway bridge over Spen Lane was painted "POWs WANT TO GO HOME". This was still visible well into the 80s. Maybe it still is.I was told this was painted by the Germans who were desperate to be repatriated well after the war had finished.They had some bottle whoever painted it. I walked under that bridge quite a few times when I lived in Spen Lane 1958/59 but never spotted that message. Those POWs were lucky they weren't captured by the Russians. German POWs in Russia who survived only got back to Germany in 1954. Another example of 2nd WW graffiti that I used to see in Armley was " Open the second front now". It was still clearly readable in the early 70's some 30 years after it was daubed.

Riponian · Post by **Riponian** » Sun 07 Apr, 2013 7:32 pm

Not all the German POW's went home. One I know as the owner of a garage business here, stayed after the war, only recently retired. I expect folk know a few more examples.

book · Post by **book** » Sun 07 Apr, 2013 7:55 pm

I didn't realise that there was a POW Camp on Butcher Hill, the link given in the thread is very interesting. A good bit of Leeds history.

LS13 · Post by **LS13** » Sun 21 Apr, 2013 6:27 pm

In the woods near Leathley out past Pool is a stone carved into the shape of a red indians head, and the YEP walking correspondent tells us this was carved by an Italian POW from the 'nearby camp'. I always understood the camp was on the road from Pool towards Harrogate just past the Hunters Inn. I think its a industrial estate now (Riffa Business park?) Is that the camp referred to by the students as Otley camp? Its a long way from Otley if so!

book · Post by **book** » Sun 21 Apr, 2013 11:40 pm

LS13 wrote: In the woods near Leathley out past Pool is a stone carved into the shape of a red indians head, and the YEP walking correspondent tells us this was carved by an Italian POW from the 'nearby camp'. I always understood the camp was on the road from Pool towards Harrogate just past the Hunters Inn. I think its a industrial estate now (Riffa Business park?) Is that the camp referred to by the students as Otley camp? Its a long way from Otley if so! Not sure where they mean the Otley camp was but the Italians and Red Indian is intreguing. Cant see the connection and I thought the Italians were pretty passive in WW2? Suppose it will be described as a Native American sculpture now?

Si · Post by Si » Mon 22 Apr, 2013 5:21 pm

book wrote: ...I thought the Italians were pretty passive in WW2? I don't think the Abyssinians thought Mussolini was very passive! I believe Otley POW camp was on Weston Lane, where Throstle Nest Close now stands, but I was told it was populated by Germans.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Mon 22 Apr, 2013 5:54 pm

Was it a POW Camp in Scarcroft or WW2 refugees

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Mon 22 Apr, 2013 6:13 pm

book wrote: . Cant see the connection and I thought the Italians were pretty passive in WW2? Suppose it will be described as a Native American sculpture now? We caught a lot of them in North Africa.

book · Post by **book** » Mon 22 Apr, 2013 11:00 pm

My walking boots are scarpa, based on the Italian Army boots according to the guy on the shop where I bought them. Is that where the word, scarpered comes from? No offence meant just intreguing, I thought scarpa was a Yorkshire word

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Mon 22 Apr, 2013 11:17 pm

Given the first opportunity to surrender, or simply run away the Italians went for it. They made no secret they liked a siesta in the afternoon, and drink wine with their lady friend on the balcony on an evening.They might have been cowards, but certainly they had brains, a happy living coward is far better than being dead and brave. Don't think I can blame them.The Italians weren't used to fighting wars, unlike the German warriors who had been battling away with someone or other since the middle ages.