PoW Camp 165 Watten

The camp is reported as having held 2,800 German PoWs, closing in March 1948. The site today is mainly a children’s playground

Location

Watten Play Park, Watten, Wick, Caithness

Description

Site Visits

August 2019

Material

DSLR and Drone Photos
Information Signs

Alongside this children’s playground there is an info board with details about the camp saying that it opened in 1943 for use by Polish Troops before becoming a PoW Camp.

The camp is reported as having held 2,800 German PoWs, closing in March 1948. The site as it exists today is divided into three main areas:

  • Housing Estate to the left
  • Filling Station and Gardening Centre to the front
  • Park and play equipment to the rear.

There are some surviving hut bases at the back of the playing field and the buildings used by the Filling Station and Garden Centre may be converted former military buildings. However, I was unable to verify this as they were closed on the day and time of my visit.

Camera and Drone Images of the site of former PoW Camp 165 Watten

Extracts from UK Foreign Office Inspection Report from UK National Archives Kew:

Watten Play Park Information Signs

  • The camp is reported as having held 2,800 German PoWs, closing in March 1948. The site as it exists today is divided into three main areas: •Housing Estate to the left •Filling Station and Gardening Centre to the front •Park and play equipment to the rear. There are some surviving hut bases at the back of the playing field and the buildings used by the Filling Station and Garden Centre may be converted former military buildings
  • The camp is reported as having held 2,800 German PoWs, closing in March 1948. The site as it exists today is divided into three main areas: •Housing Estate to the left •Filling Station and Gardening Centre to the front •Park and play equipment to the rear. There are some surviving hut bases at the back of the playing field and the buildings used by the Filling Station and Garden Centre may be converted former military buildings
  • The camp is reported as having held 2,800 German PoWs, closing in March 1948. The site as it exists today is divided into three main areas: •Housing Estate to the left •Filling Station and Gardening Centre to the front •Park and play equipment to the rear. There are some surviving hut bases at the back of the playing field and the buildings used by the Filling Station and Garden Centre may be converted former military buildings
  • The camp is reported as having held 2,800 German PoWs, closing in March 1948. The site as it exists today is divided into three main areas: •Housing Estate to the left •Filling Station and Gardening Centre to the front •Park and play equipment to the rear. There are some surviving hut bases at the back of the playing field and the buildings used by the Filling Station and Garden Centre may be converted former military buildings
  • The camp is reported as having held 2,800 German PoWs, closing in March 1948. The site as it exists today is divided into three main areas: •Housing Estate to the left •Filling Station and Gardening Centre to the front •Park and play equipment to the rear. There are some surviving hut bases at the back of the playing field and the buildings used by the Filling Station and Garden Centre may be converted former military buildings