POW Camps in Britain: Enemy Prisoners on British Soil

At the war's peak, over 400,000 Axis prisoners of war were held in more than 1,500 camps across Britain. What began as a security challenge became an essential source of labour for a country desperately short of workers.

Italian prisoners, many captured in North Africa, were generally well-regarded and often worked on farms where they formed lasting friendships with local families. The famous Italian Chapel on Orkney, built by POWs from Camp 60, remains a beloved landmark.

German prisoners arrived in larger numbers after D-Day. They were classified as 'white' (anti-Nazi), 'grey' (uncommitted), or 'black' (committed Nazis) and segregated accordingly. Many underwent re-education programmes designed to prepare them for building a democratic post-war Germany.

Remarkably, around 25,000 former POWs chose to remain in Britain after the war, marrying local women and integrating into communities. Their descendants are part of the fabric of British life today.