Mystery Drawing

[PaulKent]

HI, I live at Brook House, Ardingly POW 238. It doesn't look familiar but then again there are many new trees here. I know where the foundations are for the POW huts so will take a look. We also have some etchings on the front pillars of the drive from POWs. I will see if I can dig out the photos for you

Kind regards

Paul

[Beavances]

Thank you - this is so helpful and interesting! Do you have any idea of when the POW camp would have been built/prepared?
 I am still intrigued as to why such a careful drawing would have been done and stored by the Grenadier Guards.

[Viktoria]

 Sorry but George V did not die until January 1936, when Edward VIII acceded to the throne, so well after WW1, 1914-1918.
 Edward abdicated in 1936, then George VI became king   .Viktoria.

[newburychap]

Sorry but George V did not die until January 1936, when Edward VIII acceded to the throne, so well after WW1, 1914-1918.
 Edward abdicated in 1936, then George VI became king   .Viktoria.

True, but a drawing of a WW1 could be posted any time after it was drawn - but a picture of a WW2 camp is unlikely to be sent before it was built.  So George V, Ed VIII means it was a WW1 camp.

[Viktoria]

Ah- I assumed it would be posted around the time it was drawn- that is why I queried it, also the mention of the two monarchs as making it definitely WW1 was confusing the issue.
There is something similar on Cannock Chase, which was for WW1 training but used in WW2 also.
                                             Viktoria.t

[Pete_Wood]

You are all getting muddled. The drawing is by someone in 203 Prisoner of War Company. This was a WW1 Labour Battalion, formed in September 1918. They dug trenches and did other manual work, as well as looking after PoWs. They were stationed in Abbeyville, France. They then moved to St Omer, France, in January 1919.

The drawing is almost certainly the hut in which they stayed (slept at night).

Many of the men, in a PoW Company were those classed as unfit (previously wounded, older, had a current medical issue etc etc) for front line duties - and previously served in an infantry unit. You should try investigating your man, as having served in one of the Guards Regiments. He would almost certainly have received his medals as serving with 203 PoW Coy - and may even have been invalided out. Look for a Silver War Badge (SWB) in his name.

[Pete_Wood]

I also think the 'tube' is probably that in which a memorial scroll was issued (to the next of kin of a soldier that was killed). It should have the address of the soldier's next of kin, on a label.

Google "memorial scroll and tube" to see some pictures

The 317 number is interesting as it is a very low number, which was issued at the beginning (if not earlier) of WW1.

[John915]

Good evening,

You are all getting muddled. The drawing is by someone in 203 Prisoner of War Company. This was a WW1 Labour Battalion, formed in September 1918. They dug trenches and did other manual work, as well as looking after PoWs. They were stationed in Abbeyville, France. They then moved to St Omer, France, in January 1919.

The drawing is almost certainly the hut in which they stayed (slept at night).

Many of the men, in a PoW Company were those classed as unfit (previously wounded, older, had a current medical issue etc etc) for front line duties - and previously served in an infantry unit. You should try investigating your man, as having served in one of the Guards Regiments. He would almost certainly have received his medals as serving with 203 PoW Coy - and may even have been invalided out. Look for a Silver War Badge (SWB) in his name.

This is all undoubtably true, but the number in the corner of the drawing is not 203. It says 238 PoW coy, a different unit altogether.

John915