Archives reveal the suffering of British PoWs

Sunday Telegraph
By Chris Hastings, Media Correspondent
(Filed: 02/01/2005)

The handwritten accounts of more than 80,000 prisoners of war including Sir Douglas Bader, Donald Pleasence and Ronald Searle, are to be made public for the first time.

The accounts, which were given to British intelligence by the servicemen shortly after they were freed at the end of the Second World War, provide an often harrowing insight into life in some of the most infamous PoW camps, including Colditz.


'Liberation questionnaire' filled in by Douglas Bader
Some contain descriptions of torture, escape attempts and acts of sabotage as well as the names of those suspected of collaborating with the enemy. There is also a mass of information about the prisoners' daily routine in camp.

Until now, the accounts, which are held by the National Archive in Kew, have remained secret, but from this week they will be available for public inspection.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=VAE50UNLPUJQ3QFIQMGCNAGAVCBQUJVC?xml=/news/2005/01/02/npow02.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/01/02/ixhome.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=70334