In the summer of 1941, Italian POWs captured in North Africa were brought to Allington (Grantham) to construct a POW camp. Opened in August, this was the first of some twenty camps in Lincolnshire that held Axis POWs between 1941 and 1948. POWs provided a vital source of agricultural labour across the UK, including the famers of Lincolnshire. As their employment expanded, Axis POWs became a feature of the local landscape. With the lifting of the fraternisation ban in December 1946, POWs came into closer contact with the British people and struck up friendships with local families. Not all the POWs returned home and instead opted to settle down in the county.
This project explores the presence and legacy of Axis POWs in Lincolnshire during and after the Second World War. The aim is to collect and preserve memories and material associated with them and the various camps, hostels, and sites used to accommodate Axis POWs.
If you are interested in finding out more about this project, please email alan.malpas@bishopg.ac.uk
Cover Image: Italian Prisoners-of-war Working on the Land by Michael Ford © IWM (Art.IWM ART LD 1833)