Granada Prison Camp 1941-1945 by Emil Berg taken from "Where the River Lobstick Flows"
They built two large buildings side by side on the hill just south of "our" hill. One building was one level for the cookhouse. The larger one to the west was a two-storey structure for the sleeping quarters. On "our hill" there were two houses, the "Berg house" and a short distance away was the "guard house". The prisoners were German, about 125 and the guards were Canadian, about 4 or 5.
The prisoners worked in the mill for Swanson and earned about a dollar a day. Once a week the guards marched them down to Johnny Hrychuk's store for cigarettes, etc. The prisoners were well respected in the town and really became part of the community. Many people would go and watch them play soccer in the evenings. Also a few times a year doctors and dentists would come to the mill and set up shop for a few days to look after the prisoners and the townspeople. I remember getting teeth filled there also. About a mile out of town in each direction there were signs marking the limits for the prisoners. As a kid I wasn't too happy when the prisoners had to wear jean type two piece work suits with a big red circle on the back that looked like a target. I didn't like that too much.
A prisoners did this painting and gave it to us when they left. The painting here was done from the hill and near the prison camp. Some of the houses you see, families of Johnsons, Bjornstads, Hermansens, Hohrs, and Fleiders. The tracks run on the side of the houses, the hall, store and garage are off to the right on the side of the tracks and the railroad station just north of the store.
Mr. McNarry (Ray) was cook (chief cook) for the prisoners and since his son Larry and I were close friends, we ate suppers with the prisoners quite often. One prisoner was an "SS" and was one of Hitler's top men. He didn't associate with the other men and kept to himself a lot. On Sundays he would tour the town in his polished uniform and "High Officers" hat. He always carried a type of cane and his black dog marched beside him in strict unison. Word was out that he was seeing a local girl out west (past the sign limits) and that she had helped in his escape. They later told us he was captured in Vancouver.
Then one day in 1945 the train pulled up at the station to take all the prisoners back home. This was a very sad day for the whole town. Many of us went down to see them off. Everyone was shaking hands and hugging and many even crying. We were really losing half of the community. Many of them said they would bring their families back to live here and some did just that. The Fehlberg family was one that returned and their son Deiter and I became very close friends. When Granada sawmill shut down in the spring of 1953 the whole town moved to Bickerdyke, 15 miles west of Edson.
There is not much remaining at the location. Metal laying all over the place, a couple of buildings that are dangerous to enter. On the west bound lane of highway 16 (N 53.36.774 W 115.21.681) You will see an old gate from that era.
FTF prize for first and second finder. Could be an easy or tough walk depending which side you come in from.