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There were both German and Italian prisoner's of war working on farms within the parish. There were several Italians working at Moulton Paddocks, Trinity Hall and Moulton Manor Farm, possibly there was as many as ten per farm. There was a smaller number of German prisoners. Some of the prisoners lived in the village, but most were brought in from their camps every morning by lorry. All prisoners wore army uniforms which were dyed brown and had patches sown onto them. Their accommodation in the village varied. Some lived in wooden huts that were constructed on the Moulton Paddocks Estate, while six Italians lived in a hut beside the river, near the footpath to Kennett. Six Italians lived in an end house on the Dalham Rd, belonging to Moulton Manor farm, three names are remembered, Antonio, Orlando and Arturo . Others lived at the R.E.M.E depot, not far from the Bell Inn at Kennett. The Germans and Italians were always kept in separate accommodation.
It was found that some of the Italians were not suitable for farm work, in that respect the Germans proved far more capable. This proved the case at Rosemary Farm Kennett, where the owner Mr Blackwell had a German as his farm manager. One of the Germans working in Moulton had a girlfriend in Gazeley who he later married. Other Germans remembered were Heinz and George.
In the latter years of the war P.O.W's would be used as message carriers between the detatchments of Home Guard.
The P.O.W's were paid a small wage after 1945. They were free to come and go as they pleased as long as their work was completed, wet days would sometimes find them in the pub. Prisoners could obtain books, crayons and clothing from their main depot in Mildenhall, it was not unknown for them to obtain items for people in the village, a new pair of boots being a favourite. The Italians were very skilled with their hands, making wicker baskets, painted picture frames, jewellery from perspex and lighters from discarded brass cartridge cases & wooden toys including a ladder on which a man would tumble & a toy simular to a table tennis bat with a carved chicken on the top, with a weight through the base which made them peck. Sometimes they sold them but mostly they gave them away. The smell of Mediterranean cooking always prevaded their accomadation. As well as farm work, some were given the task of straightening the river, from Catford Bridge to Moulton, this was not a popular job.
Trinity Hall Farm had several Germans working on it, one in particular was a good horseman. He would exercise Mr Saltmarsh's horse. One day the horse returned without its rider. The next day his body was found, he had been struck by a branch when riding under some trees, was knocked off and killed.
Some years after the war, German ex-prisoners of war, Egon Martens and Erdhard Liebgott, returned to the village with their families, to visit Mr and Mrs Saltmarsh, of Trinity Hall Farm. Mr Saltmarsh must have been a very humain employer.
Sylvester Viehl, Prisoner of War
One of the German prisoner was Sylvester Viehl, who had a family in Ludwigshafen, on the river Rhine.
Sylvester worked for Charlie Jennings of Bridge Farm. He was a good worker and was treated kindly, becoming part of the Jennings family, living on the farm. He returned home in 1948 to his wife Elsa and son Klaus-Dieter. Such was his friendship that he kept in touch with Evelyn Jennings until 1966, writing and sending gifts at Christmas. Read his letters, 'Letters from Germany'.