Monument record 8119/1 - Byfield WWII Prisoner of War Camp

The site of a Second World War prisoner of war camp at Byfield, known as Camp 87. This was a purpose-built, standard type camp. Common buildings and facilities at standard type camps included water towers, offices, officer's mess, a canteen, guard rooms, barrack huts, ablution blocks, cell blocks, a camp reception station (medical facility/hospital), a cookhouse, dining rooms, recreation rooms and living huts or tents. The camp initially held Italian prisoners, and then later held German prisoners. A visit by the International Red Cross in 1944 reports that up to 520 prisoners were held at the camp. It functioned as a work camp, where prisoners were sent to work as labourers in the local area and could have been in use up until 1948. Partial remains of the camp survive, this could include structures or roads and pathways.

{1} Reputedly held Italian POW's; subsequently used for agricultural puposes/training. Some structures including a water tower and buildings reputed by G Taylor to survive in 1996;

{2} Classified by the Red Cross in 1945 as a 'German Working Camp'. Partial remains still exist.

{3} Byfield PoW Camp 87. This had no satellite camps but did have nine hostels at Sulgrave, Greens Norton, Long Buckby, Barby, Thorpe Mandeville, Litchborough, Royal Oak (Daventry), Yelvertoft and Naseby;

{4} Letter from Armishaw saying same thing as {4} "Byfield….was the WW2 parent PoW camp, and parent to 9 hostels at…(as above);

{5} Photocopy of an issue of a German POW magazine

{6} Detailed history of site. Opened to house Italian pows working on local farms up to 1945, then a German working camp. In 1946, there appears to have been up to 500 men in the main camp with another c350 in hostels located in nearby villages. The camp closed in 1948. Presently a scrapyard.

{7} The site of a Second World War prisoner of war camp at Byfield (SP 5020 5340), known as Camp 87. This was a purpose-built, standard type camp. Common buildings and facilities at standard type camps included water towers, offices, officer's mess, a canteen, guard rooms, barrack huts, ablution blocks, cell blocks, a camp reception station (medical facility/hospital), a cookhouse, dining rooms, recreation rooms and living huts or tents. It functioned as a German work camp, where prisoners were sent to work as labourers in the local area. Partial remains of the camp survive, this could include structures or roads and pathways.

<1> ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Unspecified). SNN53390.

<2> Thomas, R.J.C., 2003, Prisoner of War Camps (1939-1948), P. 27 (unchecked) (Report). SNN103942.

<3> Armishaw, A., 2001, 20th Century Military Sites, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN104209.

<4> Armishaw, A., 2002, Prisoner of War Camps, (unchecked) (Letter). SNN104216.

<5> 1946, Der Aufbau, (checked) (Magazine). SNN108717.

<6> Sanders, Malcolm, 2008, WW2 POW Camps in the UK, https://www.ww2pow.uk/home/camplist/ -site 87 [Accessed 28/03/2024] (Website). SNN115038.

<7> Thomas, R.J.C., 2003, Prisoner of War Camps (1939-1948), p. 29 (Report). SNN103942.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:17PM