Otherworld North East Research Society Journal 01 | Page 42

Otherworld North East

Harperley POW Camp, February 2006. Photography © Tony Liddell.
originally designated for Italian POWs though it did end up housing nine hundred German
prisoners that had essentially been labelled as ‘low risk’.
Unlike the archetypical view that many people have of POW Camps, Harperley was not a
place of harsh gruelling punishment, pain and death. Instead the prisoners there were
treated well and were even allowed a number of comforts, including a theatre, art and
sporting facilities and they were allowed to publish their own newspaper. Certainly, the
prisoners did not have it easy: they were worked hard in local construction and forestry
projects. However, for this work they were paid in shillings, though it was a fraction of the
rate the local English workers earned.
By 1948, the Camp was largely disused as its prisoners, both Italian and German had been
repatriated to their respective countries. However, many of the prisoners chose to
remain in England and moved into the communities around Harperley, and many even
regard the camp with fond memories to this day.

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