Devizes Museum appeal to buy diary of PoW (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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Devizes Museum appeal to buy diary of PoW
7:00am Saturday 2nd January 2010 in News
Diary of a prisoner
Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes has appealed for donations so it can buy a superb diary created by a German prisoner of war held captive in the town.
The soldier, whose name is not known, wrote the exquisitely illustrated diary while held at Le Marchant Camp on London Road between 1944 and 1946.
Some 7,500 prisoners were held there and many were sent out to outlying villages to work on farms.
The diary, 56 pages long and written in rhyming German dialect, contains humorous accounts of life in the camp, including the terrible food and how cigarettes were used as currency.
Curator Lisa Webb said: “This is a highly significant object for Devizes and the museum has applied for a grant from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Purchase Grant Fund.
“However, this would only cover half the £900 cost and the museum is seeking donations for the remainder.”
To contribute should (01380) 727369.
