The buildings, succumbed to time and vandalism hint at the educational institutions this site had been, but a part of its past has been buried in history and reclaimed by Mother nature. A designated National Historic Site since 2013, the “No Trespassing” signs and graffiti reveal it has avid devotees, and the intrigue of what it once was only adds to the list. The decayed walls and overgrown streets obscure the truth. The truth being it’s hard to imagine a place like this ever existed…. at least in Canada.
A prisoner of war camp is not hard to imagine, especially during WWII. What is hard to conceive is that the Third Reich’s highest ranking German officers when captured, were sent to a covert location, across the Atlantic ocean far from the battle lines. The theory was that should these POWs escape their confinement they could not return and benefit Germany. Yes this is the truth, a secret POW camp in Bowmanville Ontario, known as Camp 30. I knew POW camps existed in Canada, but they were for citizens of German or Japanese descent, not soldiers. And here under our noses the deadliest of Nazi’s were housed, in what some claim was no more than a “5 star” hotel, complete with theatre and swimming pool.
But Camp 30 wasn’t just a resort, a home away from home, albeit the POWs were treated and fed 
very well. This is also where the Battle of Bowmanville took place. I know. You’re asking yourself the Battle of What? It was during the early hours of October 10, 1942 when British Prime Minister Winston Churchill gave the order that all German POWs be shackled. A direct retaliation for the shackling of allied forces, there was particular attention given to Camp 30 due to its high-profile guests. Believe it or not, the Germans were asked to co-operate with being shackled intermittently throughout their day to appease the Allied directive. To say they refused would be an understatement. While the rest barricaded themselves in other buildings, 300 prisoners captured and built their resistance headquarters for defying and fighting the orders in the main cafeteria. Over 100 Canadian soldiers were sent to aid the outnumbered guards. It is said the three-day battle was fought with baseball bats, hockey sticks, iron bars, frying pans, hoses and even a jar of jam which led to the only fatality. Let’s be honest – you can’t get any more Canadian than that! By 6:00 pm on October the 12th the battle was over and control was reclaimed.
Was this little piece of our history missed or intentionally bypassed during our history lessons and text books? Why do so few Canadians know about this area and its past? Is it not a disservice to those who have fought and died for this country to allow such a significant piece of Canadian history to be lost to time? Lest we forget.
~ True North Nomad
Are there any little known secrets in Canada’s past you’d like to share? Send us your ideas.
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Wow. Incredible.
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Thank you for liking “Through the Dark Woods.” Great post! I was also unaware of this prisoner of war camp in Canada. I could understand not publicizing this place while it was in operation, but now that it is shut down I also wonder why it still remains largely unknown to the public.
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Agreed. I’m not sure why they don’t restore it and make it into a museum or something! Thanks for dropping by!
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You are welcome. 🙂 Yes, turning it into a museum sounds like a good idea.
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If you are interested in further info on German POWs in Canada have a look at the link below about Oberleutnant Franz von Werra. He escaped a few times in the UK and had become a right pain, so they sent him to Canada where he escaped and and made it back to German via the US (who were not in the war at that time) and Mexico.
A film called The One That Got Away, was made in the 50’s about his escape.
http://www.pegasusarchive.org/pow/franz_von_werra.htm
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Thanks for the information, I will definitely take a look at that!
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Very amazing! Thanks for sharing a great history piece and showing the ‘current’ pictures.
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Thanks for stopping by!
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Great blog post ! Very informative!
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Thank you!
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Fascinating history, I never knew about the POW camps in Canada! Thanks for sharing!
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Yeah this one was a shocker to me as well. Thanks for dropping by!
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Very interesting post.
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Thanks!
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WOW! I had no idea this happened in Canada. Thank you for bringing a piece of our history to light especially on this, the day we remember.
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I know I was baffled about Camp 30 as well. Who would have thought. Thanks for dropping by!
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Wow what history to learn, I had no idea. Great post and pictures!
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Thank you! Yes I know it is a bit of crazy history and who knew?
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Absolutely fascinating expose. This makes me wonder whether there were hidden camps in Australia. I know about the ones we had for the Japanese prisoners and a few others but I wonder what has been ‘not talked about’ for decades around Australia. Considering the appalling treatment we are giving would be refugees nothing could be more inhumane than those current conditions. History and matters current perhaps co-incide.
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Its crazy to think something like this existed in Canada. It would be interesting to see if Australia has some hidden secrets like this as well. Thanks for dropping by!
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What an interesting piece, thanks for sharing it.
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What a fascinating read. Its amazing to me tales of this type aren’t more on the surface of our national psyche. I have read and read the tales from the world wars, and not once has this site ever came up in my reading. Did they ever say why the captives were not just shot? or rather, why were the Canadian soldiers and guards fighting with hockey sticks and jam?
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What I had read was that the Canadian soldiers did not want to kill the prisoners so they fought them with what was available.
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