Fife Stop Line - POW Camp 77 Traditional Geocache
Fife Stop Line - POW Camp 77
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This cache is one of a series based around the Fife Stop Line, a
second world war anti-invasion defensive structure built in
1940/41, see cache GC11H67 for more details.
This is the 20th and final cache in the "Stop Line" series because,
quite simply, I have now run out of material. This cache is placed
on the northern boundry of what used to be Prisoner of War camp
number 77.
The camp, which was completed in December 1942, consisted of a
square formation of wooden huts, with lookout towers on each
corner, surrounded by barbed wire and bounded on one side by an
anti-tank ditch which formed part of the Fife Stop Line.
Interestingly, the location of the camp is to the East of this,
indicating that at this point in time the authorities were not
afraid of invasion from the coast. The plans shed some light on
life inside the camp, with a separate area for officers and guards
with electricity and hot water, and for the prisoners, a recreation
hut, barbers, tailors, grocery store, reception centre (with a
separate entrance for the 'wounded and contaminated' and a
detention block
Please don't come expecting to see any of this because almost none
of it exists any more, however I have managed to find architectural
plans of the camp, an aerial photograph taken in 1946, and drawings
of the boundary fence design. If you compare the aerial photograph
with the modern map you will see that the arrangement of field
boundaries and tracks remains almost unchanged (Annsmuir House
circled in red on both images). This also reveals that the area
formally occupied by the POW camp is now a caravan and chalet
park.
Having heard rumours that a few original huts still exist, I made a
quick visit to the chalet park but finding nothing was about to
leave when my eye was caught by a rusty 1930s metal window frame.
There are a couple of huts at N56°17.481, W003°06.793 which have
now been incorporated into a more modern agricultural building but
to be honest they are not worth visiting and it would be intrusive
to the residents of the campsite. The only other indication of the
site's former purpose is a commerative plaque at the
entrance.
The camp remained in use until 1948 and held both German and
Italian prisoners and perhaps the longest lasting memorial to it's
existance is the high number of Italian surnames to be found in the
Ladybank, Falkland and Markinch areas. Quite a few men had found a
very good reason not to go home.
I have recently contacted by a German cacher, Kalkeule, whose
father was a prisoner at the camp, and who has provided a
photograph of some of the inmates. In the background is a local,
possibly a farmer, who he would like to identify. He also wishes to
contact a lady by the name of Chrissie Anderson who lived on a
local farm.
Coming soon, a new cache series "Secret Scotland".
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Haqre n fgbar