At the onset of the war many German nationals were detained in Internment Camps and as the war went on the allies had to deal with large numbers of German prisoners of war. Some of these were housed in France but many were brought to Great Britain where they were held in secure POW Camps, The injured in hospitals, the more trusted in lighter secure work camps and in some cases unguarded to work on farms.
Initially internees and POW's were held in the same camps but as the war progressed the different needs of the two types of captive led to the development of separate camps.
Conditions were described by the Red Cross as reasonable with the provision of sufficient if somewhat boring food with the main problem experienced by POW was that of boredom.
By mid 1919 most German POW had been repatriated and all had returned home by 1920, so the Camps returned to local use.
Click here to read about British POW held by Germany
For more information click on the links below.
Britons giving aid to German prisoners of war
German prisoner of war escapes in Essex
Illness and death to German prisoners of war
Locations and information about Prisoner of war/ Internment camps in Essex
Prisoner of war/Internee Prison Ships at Southend on Sea 1914-1915
Relations of German POW's with the British Public
Use of German POW for agriculture and other trades
