German POW´s
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German POW´s
Found this website while surfing the www to find out more about Cannock Chase.
http://www.kriegsgefangen.de/
http://www.kriegsgefangen.de/
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- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:00 pm
- Location: tutbury
There were German prisoners of war up the chase in the Great War. Near the Brocton camp. I found a Imperial button up there once and the broken remains of one of those fancy china pipes with an Iron Cross in a wreath painted on. Beautifull bit of painting and tiny details too.
If you get chance, go early and see the deer roaming around . Plenty of traces of the camps too .
If you get chance, go early and see the deer roaming around . Plenty of traces of the camps too .
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- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:00 pm
- Location: tutbury
Well when i was a nipper i knew an old bloke who had done his training in Rugeley camp as it then was . He mentioned how they used to tip any rubbish into ash tips he called them. Always wondered why they did'nt use bins but there you go. Anyway i was up there once many years ago and amongst the hut indentations i saw a small mound. A rabbit had obviously been digging there (the shite was me clue Watson) and i noticed that there was ash in the spoil.
Well turns out the old chap was right and they did chuck broken gear etc onto ash tips as there were GS buttons, heel plates, assorted buckles, those little old inkwells in brown clay, ceramic jam pots dated wartime, buttons even old pocket watches, knackered but still nice which the squadies had chucked as no good. Even found toothbrushes, no hair just bone handles. I dont think there has ever been a serious dig up there (cept for dumping rabbits of course) but if you imagine how many soldiers were up there, usualy division strength at least and for three or four years then those ash tips must be bursting with stuff. And if you look amongst the old hut outlines you will see little raised mounds and there be treasure cos thats probably your ash tips.
Naturaly its all forestry land as far as i know so best not dig . I have'nt been up in years so dont know how the law stands but no one seemed to care years ago. Its nice to wander amongst the old huts though and if you go to the 'Little Fawn' cafe in Brocton you can get a decent meal, best fish and chips for miles . To me while the cemetries up there commemorate the dead the camp sites to me commemorate those about to go to war.
There were two camps on the chase, Rugeley and Brocton, a hospital and prisoner of war camp ,both of these were at Brocton.
Well turns out the old chap was right and they did chuck broken gear etc onto ash tips as there were GS buttons, heel plates, assorted buckles, those little old inkwells in brown clay, ceramic jam pots dated wartime, buttons even old pocket watches, knackered but still nice which the squadies had chucked as no good. Even found toothbrushes, no hair just bone handles. I dont think there has ever been a serious dig up there (cept for dumping rabbits of course) but if you imagine how many soldiers were up there, usualy division strength at least and for three or four years then those ash tips must be bursting with stuff. And if you look amongst the old hut outlines you will see little raised mounds and there be treasure cos thats probably your ash tips.
Naturaly its all forestry land as far as i know so best not dig . I have'nt been up in years so dont know how the law stands but no one seemed to care years ago. Its nice to wander amongst the old huts though and if you go to the 'Little Fawn' cafe in Brocton you can get a decent meal, best fish and chips for miles . To me while the cemetries up there commemorate the dead the camp sites to me commemorate those about to go to war.
There were two camps on the chase, Rugeley and Brocton, a hospital and prisoner of war camp ,both of these were at Brocton.
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- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:00 pm
- Location: tutbury
LOL Tim!
We have technicians who work on cell sites (Mobile phone masts) up there - Can see for miles apparently - Usually have a pair of very high powered Binos for doing line of sight on microwave dishes (yeah - - - - right!) and the things they see from up there are quite..... well..... you know......
We have technicians who work on cell sites (Mobile phone masts) up there - Can see for miles apparently - Usually have a pair of very high powered Binos for doing line of sight on microwave dishes (yeah - - - - right!) and the things they see from up there are quite..... well..... you know......
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- Posts: 66
- Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:00 pm
- Location: tutbury