Work Camp  10106 GW

Location: Ferndorf

Type of work: Heraklit factory

Man of Confidence: Staff Sgt Erwin Stray

Number of Men: 50

Known to be present

(Details kindly provided by Sue Lawrance, Cyril Crawford's granddaughter, and Angela Ashworth, daughter of George Leadbetter.)

June 1942

Date of visit: 3 June 1942

General Description
In this camp are 50 British POWs, 8 of whom are in the hospital at present. All the men are working in a heraklit factory. They are working in two shifts of 8 hours. 14 of the men on odd jobs work for 10 hours a day. They all have Sundays free. The pay is the regular 4.20 RM weekly with bonus for a good job. There had been some accidents, as several of the men are working at sawing machines, which once the men are used to it, cannot be considered a dangerous job.

Interior arrangement
These are satisfactory with sufficient free space. There is a garden in which the prisoners can spend all their free time. This garden is surrounded by barbed wire.

Bathing and washing facilities
The sanitary installations are sufficient. Hot showers can be had daily in the factory.

Food and Cooking
The food is prepared in common for the civilian workers and the prisoners in the factory canteen, They all receive a small extra ration for "long working hours".

Medical attention and sickness
The Man of Confidence is a qualified sanitator and takes care of the medical attention. Of the 8 men in hospital at present, 2 were said to be acute appendicitis, 2 otitis media, and 4 small industrial accidents. None of the cases were considered serious. The general health conditions were considered good.

Clothing
Satisfactory.

Laundry

Recreation and exercise
There were only about 40 books in the camp and no games or sports equipment. all these things had already been asked for at the Stalag but the matter will also be brought to the attention of the YMCA.

Mail
Mail is coming in alright and so are private parcels. Red Cross parcels have so afr arrived in sufficient number.

Welfare work
There is in this camp a young sailor from HMS Gloucester. His name and number are Harry Edwin COXELL, Navy number DGX/162661, POW number 1010, Stalag XVIIIA. He has no papers to prove himself belonging to the Royal Navy and therefore has in vain asked to be transferred to Marlag & Milag. It would be useful to receive an identity card from the British Government, but the matter will immediately be taken up with the German High Command.

Complaints
There were no complaints.

General impression
Considered quite a good camp.