UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

Welcome to Scotland's Prisoners

Cultybraggan Camp #21, Comrie

During two World Wars Scotland played host to many thousands of captured enemy personnel, as well as many civilians of German, Austrian and Italian origins who were deemed "enemy aliens" and interned until their loyalty to Britain could be confirmed.

Many of these 'camps' consisted of properties requisitioned by the government, although as time went on more and more were purpose built. By the end of WW2, even disused military facilities were being used to hold prisoners. Because of the distance from the Continent and therefore the possibility of an enemy landing liberating prisoners, Scotland was regarded as a suitable place to hold them. Prisoners were invariably used for agricultural work, or any work not actually connected to the war effort.

While the majority of German military prisoners in WW1  were repatriated by 1920, those from WW2 held in Britain did not finally see home again until 1948. By contrast, Italian prisoners and both German and Italian aliens had been freed by 1946.

This site is an attempt to tell their little-known story, and also the camps themselves, the men who guarded them, and the locals who found themselves face to face with the "enemy".

My thanks to "Nic" Nicholl for sharing his groundbreaking WW1 research with me, and also to Secret Scotland for sharing my obsession!

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