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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: leka on Wednesday 26 June 13 17:40 BST (UK)

Title: What was a POW Company in WW1
Post by: leka on Wednesday 26 June 13 17:40 BST (UK)
Hi
A friend of mine has a matchbox holder that was made during WW1 and etched on it is '277 POW Comp' I know it doesn't stand for Prisoner of War but can anyone shine some light on what it does stand for.
many thanks
Leka
Title: Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
Post by: alanmack on Wednesday 26 June 13 20:12 BST (UK)
Could it possibly be "Prince of Wales"?

Alan
Title: Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
Post by: mmm45 on Wednesday 26 June 13 20:27 BST (UK)
Prisoner of War Companies were usually Labour Corps.......they used captured POWs to complete labour tasks.

Ady
Title: Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
Post by: leka on Wednesday 26 June 13 20:48 BST (UK)
hi alanmack I like your thinking but I think mmm45 answer sounds more likely because on the case a German emblem with a 'W' in the middle has been etched and there are other words but they are spelt wrong, so i'm wondering if a German POW made it and could the 'W' be his sir name??.
 many thanks alanmack and mmm45 for your replies i'm very grateful.
Leka
Title: Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
Post by: Heilan'man60 on Wednesday 26 June 13 21:02 BST (UK)
Quote from: leka on Wednesday 26 June 13 17:40 BST (UK)
Hi
A friend of mine has a matchbox holder that was made during WW1 and etched on it is '277 POW Comp' I know it doesn't stand for Prisoner of War but can anyone shine some light on what it does stand for.
many thanks
Leka

Are you sure it is not 277 Prisoner of War cAmp? Camp mis-spelt as Comp?

Just a thought, it existed in Devon.  Twenty four huts round a Recreation Ground.



Title: Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
Post by: mmm45 on Wednesday 26 June 13 21:20 BST (UK)
Youd need to date it Whermacht didnt exist til 1935?..,possibility though with camp

Ady
Title: Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
Post by: IMBER on Thursday 27 June 13 11:25 BST (UK)
My grandfather was in the Army Service Corps in the Great War and had charge of German POWs used on labour duties. He got on particularly well with one of them who then retrieved some wood from a crashed French aircraft and presented him with a carved walking stick which is now one of my proudest possessions. The top of the stick is a German soldier’s head. Just under that are carved the following words:

320 POW Coy, Harnes

Harnes is in Pas-de-Calais, France. I also have brass shell cases carved by German POWs.

Imber
Title: Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
Post by: jds1949 on Thursday 27 June 13 21:35 BST (UK)
Some basic info on the POW Companies attached to the Labour Corps here:

http://www.1914-1918.net/labour.htm

jds1949