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Author Topic: What was a POW Company in WW1  (Read 6782 times)

Offline leka

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What was a POW Company in WW1
« 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
Solomon,Pullan,Charlton

Offline alanmack

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Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 26 June 13 20:12 BST (UK) »
Could it possibly be "Prince of Wales"?

Alan
Glamorgan - Carpenter, Chamberlain, Ellis, Watkins, Rees, Bevan
Wiltshire - Carpenter, Chamberlain, Ellis, Merrett
Essex - Burdon, Taylor, Menzies
Canada - Burdon, Parkinson
Australia - Carpenter, Burdon

Offline mmm45

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Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
« Reply #2 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
Lowe(Lower Gornall-Castleford)
Blackburn (Castleford)
Sidwell(Ledsham)
Fairburn(Hartshead)
Wood(Liversedge)
Tallon (Whittington Lancs/Hartshead West Yorkshire)

Researching all Great War soldiers from the Spen Valley of West Yorkshire Especially lads from the Cleckheaton Company of 1/4th West Riding Regiment.

Offline leka

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Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
« Reply #3 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
Solomon,Pullan,Charlton

Offline Heilan'man60

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Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
« Reply #4 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.



Offline mmm45

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Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 26 June 13 21:20 BST (UK) »
Youd need to date it Whermacht didnt exist til 1935?..,possibility though with camp

Ady
Lowe(Lower Gornall-Castleford)
Blackburn (Castleford)
Sidwell(Ledsham)
Fairburn(Hartshead)
Wood(Liversedge)
Tallon (Whittington Lancs/Hartshead West Yorkshire)

Researching all Great War soldiers from the Spen Valley of West Yorkshire Especially lads from the Cleckheaton Company of 1/4th West Riding Regiment.

Offline IMBER

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Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
« Reply #6 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
Skewis (Wales and Scotland), Ayers (Maidenhead, Berkshire), Hildreth (Berkshire)

Offline jds1949

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Re: What was a POW Company in WW1
« Reply #7 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

Swarbrick - all and any - specially interested in all who served in WW1
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