ISLAND FARM

2nd November 1944

The Americans weren't at Island Farm for very long before they departed for the Normandy invasion and once again the camp was empty, but this time it wasn't for as long. Soon large scores of German prisoners were being taken and accommodation needed to be found to house them. Island Farm was thought to be suitable and was given the name of Camp 198.

On 2nd November 1944 over 1,600 German PoWs arrived at Bridgend railway station. Finding that there was no transport to take them the 2 miles to the camp and that they would have to carry their own luggage, they stubbornly refused to move. It was then that the Stationmaster arrived on the scene dressed in his official uniform, i.e. long coat, and gold braided peaked cap. It is believed that the German PoWs mistook him for a high ranking officer, perhaps even a general, because as soon he instructed them to move they picked up their luggage, formed up and singing, they goose-stepped all the way to Island Farm!

The Vanquished. A seemingly endless column of German prisoners are marched under guard

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Hut Numbers

PoW Numbers

Many of the people around Bridgend thought that the life of a prisoner was an easy life, but this was far true.  Every morning at 6:00 am all prisoners were woken and then had to wash in what were very cramped and impersonal conditions. There were thirty to forty prisoners to each toilet facility.

They would then be marched to the canteen for breakfast & at exactly 9:00 am they had to parade in front of their huts in formation so that the British Officers could count them.  They were extremely vigilant to make sure that none of the prisoners dodged from one hut to another to stand in for any missing persons.

Until 5 pm the prisoners were made to be involved in carrying out various jobs. While the war was still on the prisoners were given jobs within the camp such as general maintenance, plumbing gardening or carpentry; cooking was considered to be the most sought after job !

The noise from the camp was very loud and had a very disquieting affect on the people of Bridgend. The singing never seemed to cease and night after night the surrounding air would be filled with singing which seemed to be full of defiance and hate. The noise from the camp, even when there was no trouble, resembled that of a bad tempered football crowd. Violence against prisoners who held doubts about Hitler's final victory was commonplace and there was little the guards could do to prevent it.