Rainford POW Camp, nr Liverpool

[tom83]

Hi all, this is my first report, so bare with me.

I found out about this site through my Great Uncle, he was an Italian POW during the second world war. He was sent to Rainford POW Camp, where he was allowed to work on a nearby farm, where he met my Great Aunt, and after the war he stayed here and married.

The site itself has almost all gone, just a couple of buildings still stand, its well camoflaged from the road, as I have driven past hundreds of times, and never seen it. The Camp had its own Resovoir, with steps leading into it.

I also believe there is a Bunker at this site, but the entrance has caved in.

Anyway, on with the pics

Leading up to the site

The Surviving buildings

The Resovoir and Steps

What I think is the colapsed entrance to an underground bunker

These last 2 pictures are of concrete blocks, there were signs saying Danger underground shafts, and I think these blocks of concrete cover the tops, but I'm not sure. Can anyone tell me what they are???

Hope you enjoyed my pics

 

[the_historian]

Hi Tom,
Welcome to the forums.
Good pics btw. Do you have any more info on that camp, as I don't seem to have heard the name before? PoW camps are a special interest of mine, you see.

 

[4737carlin]

They could be Dragons Teeth, a anti tank thing, there was lines of them all over the place during WW2

 

[tom83]

Hi Historian,

I havent been able to find out much about this camp on the internet, and my Great Uncle hasnt got the best memory anymore.

Apparently It is just known as Rainford POW Camp, It was a camp made for Italian Prisioners of War. I have no idea when it was opened, or closed down.
According to my Great Uncle the Prisioners, were allowed into the community for 5 hours a day, to work on local farms. The Resovoir was used for swimming.

Unfortunatly this is all I have been able to find out on this particular site.

Another Site you may be interested in is close to Widnes, called South Lane Camp. I have some pics of that camp also. I shall post them when I get chance over the weekend.

 

[tom83]

Hi Carlin,

They do indeed look very similar, but I cant understand why they would be there. I do know it the second world war there was (and still is) a huge site full of Bunkers a few miles down the road where Tanks were stored before being shipped into action.

So maybe they are from that site and moved up the road when the camp was shut down.

Thank you

 

[Morrisey]

Hi Tom,

The concrete blocks are definitely the cappings of an old mine shaft.

 

[fluffy5518]

Hi all;
Cant beat a new thread with a bit of mystery to it !!
Right, i've had a trawl thru a document entitled Prisoner of war camps 1939-48 published by the 20th century military recording project and there is no mention of a Rainford camp-HOWEVER there are 3 camps listed as Merseyside these are;
Camp 29 Ormskirk
camp171 Knowsley Park Prescott
camp 678 Fort Crosby Sniggery Farm Hightown
Could it be one of these ?
Also the other camp you mention as being in Widnes must be
Camp 290 Penketh Hostel South lane farm Barrows Green - Shown as a German working camp on an ex HAA site.The grid ref is SJ5416 8789
Hope this is of some interest !!!!

 

[sallybear]

Knowseley/Prescot must be the one surely, thats about as close as you can get.

Great first report!! Not all that far from me, might take a mooch up there if I can find it sometime.

 

[sallybear]

Hang on I mean Rainhill dont I not rainford, maybe I should go to bed its late and im tired!!

Found this though, might be of some use...from this website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/articles/2006/04/24/huyton_internment_camp_feature.shtml

During the Second World War, Huyton was home to an internment camp, a prisoner of war camp and a base for American G.I.s. The Prisoner of War camp only closed in 1948, amongst its inmates was Bert Trautmann who later went on to be goalkeeper for Manchester City.

The internment camp was opened in 1939 and held mainly Italian and German nationals who had been resident in the U.K. Conditions in this camp seem to have been very bad with many inmates living in tents, making their own bedding from straws.

The Prisoner of War Camp opened in 1943 and held German serviceman who had been captured, amongst them Bert Trautmann who locals recall playing in a game against the local pub team, The Eagle and Child. Trautmann later became famous for playing through the 1956 FA Cup final despite having broken his neck.

This pic looks like it could be one of those buildings in your pics maybe.

 

[the_historian]

Cheers Tom et al.
#171 Knowesley Park is listed as a base camp, or glorified holding camp supplying other camps in the immediate area. Could be that Rainford was a working camp for men supplied from there, and as such it would have a lower security level because the PoWs would already either be "White" (completely pro-British) or "Grey" (politics unsure, but not necessarily regarded as security risks).
Businesses wishing to employ prisoners would have to apply to the County War Agriculture Executive Committee (and pay for having the prisoners if successful!). If you can find the Lancashire(that right ?!) CWAEC records at Kew, that might give you more info. Failing that, your local council archives might have something of interest.

 

[tom83]

Hi all,

Great to have loads of interest in my post.

The site I visited is Ormskirk, Camp 29, if thats any help, it wasnt a very big camp. I am going to visit my uncle next week, so hopefully I may have a little more information.

Thanks to the person who mentioned about the Shaft Caps. Any ideas why there would be shafts at a POW Camp???

 

[Foxylady]

Wow, what a find! Amazed to see the lights still in the nissen hut.
Definitely 'dragon's teeth' anti-tank blocks, I'd say. Anywhere military during WW2 would have had anti-tank defences.
Excellent first report, tom.

 

[Urban Mole]

Nice report there matey.
If I was you, Id be working on those shafts asap, get down there

 

[tom83]

Hi Urban Mole,

Glad you liked the post.

Unfortunatly I do all my exploring by myself, so moving those blocks would be near impossible.

Would love to see the results if somebody else got down them tho

 

[Andrew Smee]

Hi all;
Cant beat a new thread with a bit of mystery to it !!
Right, i've had a trawl thru a document entitled Prisoner of war camps 1939-48 published by the 20th century military recording project and there is no mention of a Rainford camp-HOWEVER there are 3 camps listed as Merseyside these are;
Camp 29 Ormskirk
camp171 Knowsley Park Prescott
camp 678 Fort Crosby Sniggery Farm Hightown
Could it be one of these ?
Also the other camp you mention as being in Widnes must be
Camp 290 Penketh Hostel South lane farm Barrows Green - Shown as a German working camp on an ex HAA site.The grid ref is SJ5416 8789
Hope this is of some interest !!!!

Hello.The list of pow camps is not exhaustive.For example ,my dads golf course,Ashton in Makerfield was an Italian pow camp.