Good afternoon,
Could anyone tell me if they know of a P.O.W. camp in Russia that British POW's were held.According to my nan and her sister one of their uncles was captured and sent to work in salt mines in Russia.Exactly where unsure but definately in Russia.As his record goes again I'm not sure but he might have been in the Navy.I've tried getting hits with surname but too many possibilities I'll have to work through them.
Regads,
Simon.
Full Version: MADE TO WORK IN SALT MINES
A British PoW camp was unlikely to have been in Russia as they were our allies (unless you are talking 1919).
I have a friend whose records show that his g/father was sent to work in salt mines but the camp and mine were in Germany.
I have a friend whose records show that his g/father was sent to work in salt mines but the camp and mine were in Germany.
Unless your relative was captured by the Bolsheviks, then it is a bit hard to see why he would have been in a POW camp in Russia.
Anyway, I am not sure that Russia is actually noted for its salt mines. Surely something of a myth.
Anyway, I am not sure that Russia is actually noted for its salt mines. Surely something of a myth.
Armoured Car Squadrons of the RNAS served in Russia, under Lt Commander Oliver Locker Lampson, from June 1916 to February 1918.
British, French and American troops arrived in Murmansk on 23rd June 1918 as part of the Allied Intervention Force. British troops entered Baku on the Caspian Sea on 4th August the same year.
Terry Reeves
British, French and American troops arrived in Murmansk on 23rd June 1918 as part of the Allied Intervention Force. British troops entered Baku on the Caspian Sea on 4th August the same year.
Terry Reeves
http://big.chez.tiscali.fr/prisonniers-de-...stecomplete.htm
The above site has a list of camps in Russia but probably containing German prisonners. The list of German camps probably contains all their camps including those outside of Germany itself except those in occupied belgium which are in a separate list.
Doug
The above site has a list of camps in Russia but probably containing German prisonners. The list of German camps probably contains all their camps including those outside of Germany itself except those in occupied belgium which are in a separate list.
Doug
QUOTE (simon2 @ Oct 17 2005, 01:59 PM)
Good afternoon,
Could anyone tell me if they know of a P.O.W. camp in Russia that British POW's were held
Simon.
Could anyone tell me if they know of a P.O.W. camp in Russia that British POW's were held
Simon.
There were, and may well still be, salt mines in Poland. WW2 prisoners worked in them. I wonder if this part of Poland was in Prussia or occupied by Prussians? It may be that this was confused with Russians.
QUOTE (Terry Denham @ Oct 17 2005, 03:09 PM)
I have a friend whose records show that his g/father was sent to work in salt mines but the camp and mine were in Germany.
Where were the salt mines in Germany, Terry?
Marina
Thanks for replies,
I will confirm whether it was Russia or not as I have only just started researching this part of my family tree and certain aspects are quite vague and sometimes its difficult to remember things from many years ago.
It is quite possible it may have been Poland or even Germany or even Russia 1919 and if I can confirm the gentlemans name I may find the answer.
Like Marina,can you confirm Terry where the salt mines were in Germany?
Regards
Simon.
I will confirm whether it was Russia or not as I have only just started researching this part of my family tree and certain aspects are quite vague and sometimes its difficult to remember things from many years ago.
It is quite possible it may have been Poland or even Germany or even Russia 1919 and if I can confirm the gentlemans name I may find the answer.
Like Marina,can you confirm Terry where the salt mines were in Germany?
Regards
Simon.
Well, there are mines (now just a museum) at Berchtesgaden, for a start.
Many thanks,
Simon.
Simon.
Thanks, Healday. Berchtesgaden - that's amazing. I'd never heard that before. One of my great uncles was sent to the mines in Germany but we have no idea where. I wonder about that sometimes.
Marina
Marina
Salt mining
The following gives the locations of a few of the salt where POW's worked:
Sarstedt - parent camp Hameln
Neuhof salt mine - parent camp Giessen
Grasleben salt mine - parent camp Hameln
Ehmen salt mine - parent camp Soltau
The men who worked in these mines came from the parent camp and were organised in work Kommandos. The POWs were hired out by the German government to private companies and were supervised by a detchment of soldiers from the parent camp and the foreman of the mine where they were employed.
POWs not only worked in salt mines, they were also sent to work in coal, silver and iron mines.
This information is taken from a Report on the Employment in Coal and Salt Mines of the British Prisoners of War in Germany, published in 1918, Miscellaneous No 23 (1918).
Desmond Morton gives some details of men who were forced to work in the mines in his book Silent Battle, Canadian Prisoners of War in Germany 1914 - 1919 (Lester Publishing Limited, 1992). He details some of the problems encountered in working in salt mines "prisoners discovered some of the nastier features of salt mining, particularly the boil-like sores which developed whenever fragments of salt lodged in the skin or entered wounds or open sores"
POWs in Russia
In May 1916 the Germans formed three “Work Battalions”, which were to titled Englander Kommando (EK) I, II and III. EKI was formed by approximately 1000 POWs from Doberitz POW camp and were transferred to Russia. Michael Moynihan records the experiences of one of the men from EKI, Able Seaman James Farrant in Russia in Black Bread and Barbed Wire (Leo Cooper, 1978). Farrant spent 18 months in Russia, he spent time working on the docks in Libau and in February 1917 he was sent to Reiskatte on the Russian Front. He was made to carry timber and work close to the front line. In June 1917 he was moved back to Libau and in December 1917 he was moved back to Germany. Other men also served in Windau.
Farrant's account mentions Young of the RND dying on 3 May 1917. A check of CWGC shows H G R Young, 298446, Stoker 1st Class, Colling wood Bn. as being buried in Nikolai Cemetery, Latvia. The following is the description:
Jelgava, better known as Mitau, was captured by German forces in the summer of 1915; and in 1919 it became part of the Republic of Latvia. The establishment of the Republic was followed by a successful struggle for national existence against Russian and unofficial German troops. To the right of the main path are the memorial and the graves of Latvian soldiers killed in the war of independence; to the left is the British plot, covering 299 square yards, and marked by a War Cross. Between the two plots is a memorial chapel with a belfry. The British plot contains 36 Commonwealth burials, 4 of which are unidentified. Most died as prisoners in 1917 on what is now Latvian territory. All the graves were brought in from other burial grounds after the Armistice; 17 came from Mitau Russian Cemetery, 4 from Moniak Farm Cemetery(near the prison camp at Latschen), 3 from Libau North Cemetery, 3 from Kliwenhof Chruchyard, and 9 from other places.
The men buried in Nikolai Cemetery come from a wide range of regiments and the Royal Navy.
The following gives the locations of a few of the salt where POW's worked:
Sarstedt - parent camp Hameln
Neuhof salt mine - parent camp Giessen
Grasleben salt mine - parent camp Hameln
Ehmen salt mine - parent camp Soltau
The men who worked in these mines came from the parent camp and were organised in work Kommandos. The POWs were hired out by the German government to private companies and were supervised by a detchment of soldiers from the parent camp and the foreman of the mine where they were employed.
POWs not only worked in salt mines, they were also sent to work in coal, silver and iron mines.
This information is taken from a Report on the Employment in Coal and Salt Mines of the British Prisoners of War in Germany, published in 1918, Miscellaneous No 23 (1918).
Desmond Morton gives some details of men who were forced to work in the mines in his book Silent Battle, Canadian Prisoners of War in Germany 1914 - 1919 (Lester Publishing Limited, 1992). He details some of the problems encountered in working in salt mines "prisoners discovered some of the nastier features of salt mining, particularly the boil-like sores which developed whenever fragments of salt lodged in the skin or entered wounds or open sores"
POWs in Russia
In May 1916 the Germans formed three “Work Battalions”, which were to titled Englander Kommando (EK) I, II and III. EKI was formed by approximately 1000 POWs from Doberitz POW camp and were transferred to Russia. Michael Moynihan records the experiences of one of the men from EKI, Able Seaman James Farrant in Russia in Black Bread and Barbed Wire (Leo Cooper, 1978). Farrant spent 18 months in Russia, he spent time working on the docks in Libau and in February 1917 he was sent to Reiskatte on the Russian Front. He was made to carry timber and work close to the front line. In June 1917 he was moved back to Libau and in December 1917 he was moved back to Germany. Other men also served in Windau.
Farrant's account mentions Young of the RND dying on 3 May 1917. A check of CWGC shows H G R Young, 298446, Stoker 1st Class, Colling wood Bn. as being buried in Nikolai Cemetery, Latvia. The following is the description:
Jelgava, better known as Mitau, was captured by German forces in the summer of 1915; and in 1919 it became part of the Republic of Latvia. The establishment of the Republic was followed by a successful struggle for national existence against Russian and unofficial German troops. To the right of the main path are the memorial and the graves of Latvian soldiers killed in the war of independence; to the left is the British plot, covering 299 square yards, and marked by a War Cross. Between the two plots is a memorial chapel with a belfry. The British plot contains 36 Commonwealth burials, 4 of which are unidentified. Most died as prisoners in 1917 on what is now Latvian territory. All the graves were brought in from other burial grounds after the Armistice; 17 came from Mitau Russian Cemetery, 4 from Moniak Farm Cemetery(near the prison camp at Latschen), 3 from Libau North Cemetery, 3 from Kliwenhof Chruchyard, and 9 from other places.
The men buried in Nikolai Cemetery come from a wide range of regiments and the Royal Navy.
http://www.zip.com.au/~lnbdds/ww1/Blueeyes/blueeyes7.htm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/special/mem...atures/pow.html
A couple of links to some minor items relating to prisoners and salt mines. The first is quite something to read just for the sake of it!
Doug
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/special/mem...atures/pow.html
A couple of links to some minor items relating to prisoners and salt mines. The first is quite something to read just for the sake of it!
Doug
Doug - Thanks for posting those - it was very interesting to read them, especially the one by the ex-prisoner who suffered so many years after it all. My great uncle, so family legend has it, didn't get brought home until 1920, and arrived 'wrapped in a bale of cotton'. Reading your post about the sores and boils caused by salt mining, I see that it's possible he really did.
The inspecting officer is a honey - a miracle he got in any inspecting what with opera and lunches and all that!
Marina
The inspecting officer is a honey - a miracle he got in any inspecting what with opera and lunches and all that!
Marina
Berchtesgaden mine is now a museum. I haven't been in myself but I have had reports that it is very interesting. I do know that it is well signposted. I found it without trouble just after closing time!
Marina
http://www.jacksdale.org.uk/pages/MemorProj/WW1F/bacon.htm
A story of a man who did not work in the salt mines!
Doug
A story of a man who did not work in the salt mines!
Doug
FO383/160 contains reference to a camp at Courland, Latvia
Doug
Doug
Having now read FO383/157 there is reference to a report by a German Officer Hauptmann Draudt of the camps at Courland, Latvia: Libau, Wainoden, Angernsee, Mitau and Windau.
Doug
Doug
I served in Berchtesgaden in the early 1970's, attached to the US Army at Strub Kaserne.
I believe that the salt mines were worked by WW1 POW's.
On the plus side, Berchtesgaden is amongst the most beautiful countryside in the World. The beer is excellent too !
It's no wonder that Hitler had this place as his 'hidey-out '!
I believe that the salt mines were worked by WW1 POW's.
On the plus side, Berchtesgaden is amongst the most beautiful countryside in the World. The beer is excellent too !
It's no wonder that Hitler had this place as his 'hidey-out '!
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