Misleading AI and Research Into POW Camps in Britain

This is written for the benefit of those unused to researching German, Italian, or other Axis prisoners in the UK, 1939 -1948.

Earlier today I posted the following in another thread in WW2Talk, AI and Misinformation

"I am getting deeply suspicious of the raft of YouTube history sites coming up running documentaries on many WW2 topics (my rant applies only to this era) with 'new' photos and content that I have never seen before. In one there's a photo of a British woman allegedly feeding three German prisoners in her kitchen. The photo is obviously staged from the postures and is incredibly pin sharp. The same film had a picture of a bombed out German street with silhouetted figures walking down it. Looked very artistic but for a B52 high in the sky top left. I didn't see any mention of AI in the blurb. Be careful what you put your trust in."

A few minutes ago, I watched another YouTube video German POW Expected Punishment for Escaping — British Officer Just Asked "Did You Enjoy Your Walk?"

The introduction stated: This is the incredible true story of how World War 2 POW camps in Britain operated under the Geneva Convention, treating enemy escapees with bizarre civility while the Eastern Front descended into horror. Discover why British officers responded to escape attempts with dry humour instead of bullets, how the 1929 Geneva Convention changed warfare forever, and what happened when recaptured prisoners sat down for tea with their captors.

It listed its sources, which is unusual, of which there are twelve, but precious few of them relate to camp conditions in Britain. Most are about allied prisoners in German camps and most of it is about British escapees and a bit of Steve McQueen along the way. It is illustrated with still photographs. Let me start there with my criticism.Two photos of prisoners in huts are WW1. Look at the hats. The prisoners guarded by British soldiers entering a field are Italians. Look at the hats. The prisoners packed in a mess hall in Feltham are Germans in WW1, even gas lamps overhead I think.

Now for another word on the sources. WO 208, presumably the National Archives reference. There are 709 digitised files that can be downloaded at cost in this reference. WO 208 contains 43,791 files. The only way into those not in the 709 is to go to Kew, sit on your backside for a long time and retrieve what you need by sheer hard graft. To help you, I have scrolled through all 709 and all but a handful are about allied escapees from axis camps and their debrief by MI9 on their return to Britain.

The commentary often refers to one one named prisoner Steinbeck at Haltwhistle Camp 18, apparently in Yorkshire. Actually Northumberland in reality. There is no mention whatsoever of the re-education policy which was a large part of the democratisation of German prisoners or the results of the prisoners mixing with the public from December 1946. He never feared being shot. His punishment after recapture (assuming this story is actually real - I have not checked) included not being able to send parcels to Germany. Sending parcels did not happen until well after the end of the war. The film says no prisoners were shot attempting to escape in Britain. Patently untrue. I can think of four immediately.

For even the newest learner on the block, I think you might spot the mistake at 20.12 in the 34 minute long commentary. Here's a gobbet from the transcript:



Yes, Camp 21 is not in Cumbria, it's Cultybraggan, near Comrie, in Scotland. I jest. There's another mistake in the transcript which I will leave you to find. I have spotted plenty of other errors but I gave up writing them all down. At least I walked into this with my eyes fairly wide open.

This is obviously a film put together with careful research.

The Who wrote a song, 'Won't get fooled again.'

Don't be.

 

A cautionary tale indeed!! Thanks for the heads-up. I really wish I could turn off all the AI generated results from Chrome searches as the stuff is getting out of hand!!

 

This one is an absolute shocker for suspect AI generation. Another error at least as awful as the Douglas Bader one in #1 above but only 25 seconds in this time.

German POW Refused to Leave Britain After WW2 - Here's Why

If you look at most of the AI generation sites, they are trotting out, sometimes, more than one a day. Several in a week. Carl Becker is the hero of the piece. There's a photo of him in the film blurb. He's never been to England, though they show his photo. Why no England? He's a US history professor who died in 1945. Once again the video photos are pin sharp generated for the key character(s).
.
0.25 into the video. A Sherman tank on it's way towards you, armed Germans not looking at it. No mud on any of them. Who'd take a photo standing up in front of
The text at 0.34 says its a German Sherman followed by three others and they had to surrender to it.

That event is September 1944 allegedly. Now follows just a few more of my doubts:

1.28 !!! Has anyone ever seen a battle photo like that? Including a rifle hovering in mid air that Sir Isaac Newton would have been amazed by.

2.45 Ashwell Camp 187. Hertfordshire 1944. No evidence of Ashwell elsewhere. Camp 187 was at Dunganon / Ivybridge, Devon. See Malcolm56's website WW2 P.O.W. Camps in the UK – ww2pow.uk for the best list out there and the provenance for his text. Second choice https://historicengland.org.uk/imag.../prisoner-of-war-camps/prisoner-of-war-camps/

3.40. Wagon like I've never seen full of soldiers dressed identically. You wouldn't find that in a camp, they'd either have a rag bag of clothes they came in or a British POW chocolate brown uniform with colour patches in the legs and back. to suit the emotional tone of the text. Look at the three brave guards, all in German uniforms holding what I think are German rifles. Now contrast the clarity of the wagon load with the slightly blurred background.

6.15 English lessons on camp by a woman school teacher. No way in 1944.

6.35 Can anyone explain this photograph? RAF Warrant Officer (?) and prisoners dressed in non-POW kit (?).

6.57-8.27. Christmas 1944 apparently fraternisation and Christmas dinner at the farmhouse, with the family and vicar. Yes, 1947 after the fraternization laws ceased for Christmas 1946.

I am not going to criticise any further as historically most of the factual and proven prisoner emotions over eastern Europe material sounds about right for the period but I have my doubts about more but no more time to raise them. I would like to know what the 'writer' and 'video editor' used as sources for this intimate portrayal. I work on the basis that any site that generates material this fast, doesn't check it for obvious errors, creates totally inaccurate and impossible pictures, and won't give references has rapidly lost my confidence even when I find something correct.

Perhaps their own text self description under 'About' says more about themselves than me. " Description Stories and Tales from the 2nd World War". The word tales is telling.

 

I sm trying to find information on a POW camp at Thornton le Dale which I know existed as my parents entertained a large number of the POWS after fraternization laws ceased for Christmas 1946; also interested in an Italian POW camp near Slingsby, North Yorkshire. Any advice on where to search would be appreciated.

 

Off hand I can't think of main camps at these locations. If you look at #5 Researching POW camps in Britain? - Help for the beginner in the UK POW camps thread there's a brief description on the types of camps and the whole thread gives background to POW research. Then go to the above post and the two highlighted references. Look up all main and working camps in either reference for Yorkshire.Often in the first reference you will find that the compiler has listed all hostels administered from the main camp which was either a base or working camp. Hopefully you can find what you are looking for. Deep research may mean a trip to the National Archives.