Lanarkshire during the First and Second World Wars

It must have been a shock to the small communities of rural Lanarkshire to wave off their brave boys to fight in two world wars and in their stead have to welcome hundreds of enemy prisoners of war.

In the First World War German prisoners were put to work on the Camps Reservoir near Crawford and in the Second World War POW camps were established at Thankerton and Douglas.

At Douglas local people have strong memories of the POWs being marched from their camp at Happendon to the pithead baths at Douglas West for their weekly wash.

More welcome guests were the many thousands of terrified refugees who fled to the UK in search of safety.

In 1940 the newly built Glengonnar Outdoor centre near Abington , South Lanarkshire welcomed a group of Dutch refugees and their royal chaperone Princess Juliana, later Queen Juliana, of Holland. The centre was to accept many more Dutch children and evacuees from Glasgow as the war wore on.

It was however the Polish Army, who were to make the biggest impression. In the summer of 1940 they arrived in Lanarkshire to set up camp and occupy the large country houses.

Officers, for instance, were stationed in Carmichael House whereas the regiments including the 10th cavalry brigade, 10th mounted rifles and the 24th Lancers set up camp in the Douglas Castle policies.

The summer of 1940 was one of the wettest on record but the very warm welcome they received at Douglas restored their morale and many Polish soldiers considered it the high point of their time in exile.

Locals also remember that when the Polish soldiers marched to Douglas West for their weekly bath they sang as they went.

When they left Douglas in October 1940 they presented three memorials to the people of Douglas as a sign of their gratitude.

Carved in stone with polish emblems the memorials are placed within a garden at the entrance to the Castle Policies. One of the memorials was presented by General Maczek commander of the 10th Brigade.

The Poles also set up camp around Biggar and in September 1940 General Sikorski, the Polish Prime Minister in exile and leader of the Polish armed forces visited the town to take the salute from his troops.

Historic Points of Interest in Lanarkshire 
 

• Abington – the Glengonnar outdoor education centre was used to house Dutch refugees and evacuees from Glasgow. www.soec.org.uk
• Biggar – a plaque on the wall of the Elphinstone Hotel, High Street commemorates the visit of General Sikorski in 1940.
• Camps Reservoir – three miles east of Crawford. The German POWs were forced to work on the construction of the dam from 1916.
• Douglas – Polish Army memorial garden at the entrance to the Castle Policies. The POW Camp at Happendon is no longer visible. The Gateside cemetery contains one grave of a Polish soldier
• Carmichael house – housed Polish officers and can be visited on the Carmichael history trail. A map can be obtained from the visitor centre by the A73 south of Lanark.
• Symington – graves of Polish soldiers in the churchyard of St John’s Kirk near Symington.