War continued for prisoners at Strathearn camp
1940 Jane and Diana went to work at Bletchley Park.
Working in ‘Hut 6’, Jane was posted in a wartime section of the Government Code and Cypher School, tasked with the solution of German Army and Air Force Enigma machine cyphers.
Jane married her husband, Denis, in 1943 and returned to Bletchley Park after her honeymoon, while Denis returned to his regiment in the army.
On VE Day, Jane and Diana were in the heart of London and part of the crowds outside Buckingham Palace. Jane said: “It was an amazing occasion, certainly the biggest party of my life.“
I just remember the noise of everyone singing and dancing, waving flags and having fun outside the gates of the palace.
“Looking back, Diana and I were proud to have been there among the crowd to see the King and Queen coming out onto the balcony with Winston Churchill. Everyone was just so relieved the war was finally over.”
The day was bittersweet for Jane because she was still to be reunited with Denis who was not able to return home until later in 1945.
The nation rejoiced on May 8, 1945, and this was reflected within the village of Comrie in Strathearn.
Most families within the area had relatives who had seen war directly and felt great relief that hostilities had ended.
But there were those within Strathearn for whom the war continued.
For Colonel Wilson, Captain Makins, Herbert Sulzbach and the guards at Camp 21 – which we now know as Cultybraggan – business continued as it had for the previous two years, controlling and looking after their charges – a number of prisoners of war.
For Otto, Willi, Ernst, Walter and all their colleagues, more days of incarceration as prisoners of war were inevitable.
Policy dictated they were to be held until the Allies were sure each would no longer pose a risk of reviving the movement we had fought for six years.
Things changed as time went on.
Those originally designated as‘blacks’(serious Nazis) were moved from Camp 21 on to high security incarceration at Watten, Caithness in July and August.
The musicians and variety show team were reclassified there as category A (‘white’, not nasty, ardent or dangerous) shortly after and transferred to Moorby where their performances continued.
Comrie Development Trust has some photographs of shows there and it is hard to believe how the products of the Hitler Youth movement had changed to normal people, some even dressed as glamorous ladies in their productions.
On May 15, 1945, the new Camp 242 at Cowden – now built over by Langside Drive in Comrie – was opened and held 498 prisoners, of whom 63 were transferred from D compound, Camp 21.
Camp 242 was a work camp with all occupants going out to labour on farms and other businesses.
With all the‘blacks’moved on, about 800 lower-risk prisoners remained in compounds C and D at the end of August and conditions improved, despite rations reducing.
They were allowed out for walks but forbidden to fraternise, enter pubs, cinemas or private homes.
Nevertheless, fraternisation took place, probably less obvious at first and, later, rules relaxed.
We have heard of rivalry between prisoners and guards over local ladies.
The Strathearn Herald mentions a prisoner who appeared in court for a motoring offence – he crashed while driving a lorry.
The Herald also gives space to recall a‘Memorable Service’in which 150 prisoner musicians and choir joined in a service in Comrie Old Parish Church (now the White Church) in December 1945 with carols and lessons in both languages.
The prisoners that mixed with locals showed themselves to be genuine, honest, kind, trustworthy and good workers.
Many had no homes or family to return to and chose to linger on.
A number married into local families, staying in Scotland and becoming respected members of society.
At least two remained in Comrie, surviving into the 1980s.