- Contributed by听
- eileenohara
- Location of story:听
- The Oval, Stainton Grove, Barnard Castle. Co Durham
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A7149666
- Contributed on:听
- 21 November 2005
Today this tank track is a public right of way but it was once part of the WW2 Stainton Camp. The eastern edge of The Oval can be seen through the trees on the far left.
In April 1942 and May 1944 the War Department purchased more land between Stainton Camp and the Darlington and Barnard Castle railway line which ran south of the camp. Black Beck runs on the far side of the railway line.
Blackbeck POW Camp was built here only a field away from the railway line and was known to the ICRC as a POW camp for German prisoners. It is said that prisoners snared rabbits in this field and taught some local youngsters this useful skill.
It can be seen on the RAF aerial photograph of 1946 but not on the 1945 photograph. A track led from Stainton Camp along the northern side of the railway embankment to Blackbeck Camp.
Stainton Camp continued to be used by the army after the end of WW2 and more housing was built on the land to the south and west of the original camp including the site of Blackbeck POW Camp. Today the site is known as The Oval, Stainton Grove.
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