Alcudia Old POW Camp Wakefield Feb 19

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

wappy

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
116
Reaction score
490
Location
Pontefract
Alcudia was historically a prisonor of war camp in Woolley Wakefield.The sheds still exist but have more recently been used as a poultry farm.The land has planning permission for 4 bungalows and is up for sale with offers around £600,000.

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by the Barnsley Archives and Local Studies Department on behalf of T S Leigh."

1943? — I was 16 years old and walking with two pals along Woolley Edge towards Crigglestone.

We saw three Italian P.O.W.’s arguing along the road. They had obviously come from the P.O.W. camp down the road. The camp is still there but it is a poultry farm — I think! and still intact. These Italian P.O.W. waited till we got to them. They were still arguing and gesticulating with their hands and pointing in both directions along the road. As we got to them the middle and smallish one turned to us and haltingly said “Scusama plaisa wichawya wakafi”. This was repeated three or four times until the penny dropped. He was asking ‘excuse me please which way to Wakefield’.

They were considered harmless enough to let out after work in the fields and decided apparently to walk in the direction of Wakefield but turned right instead of left from the camp. I have called Wakefield WAKAFI ever since!
thanks to https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/32/a2894132.shtml for that.


Old Huts
32306528167_aa34579a54_b.jpg

Horse Trailer
47196724632_0033aaae76_b.jpg

Some rack
33372945328_c618d4de3b_h.jpg

Large Front Shed
47196729422_bd2e82f246_b.jpg

Inside Rear Shed
47196738662_a392750a35_b.jpg

Inside One Of The Sheds
33372941648_dc13fa81c3_b.jpg

Looking Out From Rear Shed
46334158745_76deb9c436_b.jpg

Bungalow On The Site
40283768673_f4f0dac1d9_b.jpg

Out Side Toilet
40283762533_c4a22ef0c0_b.jpg
 
The fact that the Italians were out alone suggests that the time of the sighting was around mid September. Italy had surrendered and in early September declared war on Nazi Germany. Thus they were not POW's - just displaced persons.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top