Help preserve the history of Island Farm

We are a voluntary group that is trying to keep the WWII history of Island Farm PoW camp remembered.

During 1939-1948 the Island Farm camp that existed in Bridgend South Wales, had an incredible history and usage:

1) The camp was initially built as a dormitory for Royal ordnance factory workers - the largest employer factory there has ever been in Britain

2) used by the American 28th Inf Div pre D-Day

3) Used as a German Pow Camp 198 and the site of the largest German Pow escape in Britain

4) Renamed Special Camp 11 and held Germany’s highest ranking officers pending war crimes trials.

As a Preservation Group we have been established for 9 years and have built up incredible public support. We host open weekends which are so popular they are fully booked literally in a few days with over a thousand people attending over the course of a single weekend.

From generous donations raised during these events we have already secured a considerable amount but in order to continue to preserve the history we desperately need to raise a further £20,000 to buy the building which has kindly been loaned to us to date but is now up for sale. We would continue to refurbish and use this building as a Visitor Centre / museum (see photo).

Without this building we have no storage, no display area or building from which to give our history talks.

Island Farm has featured on numerous tv programmes and its history has literally touched countries across the world and we would truly be grateful if you could make a donation and help us to reach our target and preserve the WWII history of Bridgend.

sincerest thanks for your support,

For further history reading:

www.IslandFarm.wales