During the Second World War (WW2) Creebridge Caravan Park in Newton Stewart - Dumfries & Galloway - Scotland was a Prisoners of War Camp (POW). In 1941 the camp is noted as ‘Holm Park Camp, Newton Stewart, camp No.113’. It was in use for Italian prisoners of war. In 1943 the Italians were defeated and surrendered in Italy. The Italian prisoners were repatriated to Italy. The Camp then housed German prisoners of the Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht. After the war in 1945, the camp became a displaced persons (DP) camp for refugees for the Soviets. They came from former Eastern Bloc countries like Poland and Czechoslovakia.



In 1964 the Prisoners of War camp became a campsite. The first owner was Mr.David Baird. Original parts of the Prisoners of War Camp are still visible in 2009. The roads were build by the Italian Prisoners. In concrete we see the name ‘Italy 43’. De tower for the guards is not in use, but is overlooking the campsite. The storage room/garage is an original barrack with the fire buckets in front of it. The house/reception was the prison for violent prisoners. The phone box was formerly the sentry-box and the fundaments of the barracks are in use for the static caravans. The laundry room was build in 1968.



Since 1998 John Sharples is the owner of the campsite and sometimes he meets old prisoners of the barracks. At the reception desk he has a framed photo to show it to people who are interested in the history of the camp site.





Special thanks to John Sharples, owner of Creebridge Caravan Park

Source: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS)