Christmas in Camp. Page 27

Christmas in Camp

It is a credit to the prisoners that they tried to make camp life as best they could.  Each year that passed in captivity was a learning curve,  anything and everything was used to further the men's  fortitude and resolution adapting to each year in captivity always hoping the war would be ending soon.  Christmas was no exception.

From 1942 onward the prisoners had radios in camp so were able to follow the wars progress which boosted morale enormously,  by 1944 the camp boasted three.  Many German guards would enquire how the war was progressing, choosing to believe the prisoners rather than the propaganda from Berlin told to them by their superiors.

Christmas cards could be traded to send back home.  Some men would design and colour their own, often using a Kriegsgefangenanpostkarte  which were available to all the prisoners.  Others would have a talented pal to draw a scene then colour it themselves using whatever colouring they could make themselves.  Many Christmas cards were printed inside the camp.











Left. Example of a printed Christmas card.   Above. The senders additions.




Hand drawn Christmas card sent from BAB21.
Courtesy. J Crouch.


















Also sent from BAB21.








The prisoners would look forward to a small Christmas parcel from home.  One such parcel was delivered with a family photograph included, courtesy of the Y.M.C.A


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