Former Prisoner of War (From Tivyside Advertiser)

Former Prisoner of War

1:23pm Thursday 21st May 2009

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Dear Editor, Reading in the May 12th issue o the TivySide, I noticed a column noting the death of Mario Ferlito, a former Prisoner of War at Henllan Camp.

It is possible that I met him at Henllan during the making of the sacred Heart Church.

During the war years I was working for the Ministry of Works and Buildings as an electrical engineer and was responsible for the wiring of the church, due to shortage of ordinary cable it was wired in U.I.R cable on cleats of porcelain, quite a tricky business.

I remember well the columns around the alter made of round tins of dried milk and boiled beef and painted expertly to look like marble, alter decorations and candle sticks were also cleverly made and looked so real.

I also worked in the kitchen area and was surprised to see whole carcasses of meat hanging in the cold room wile we were on ration, also there were huge bottles of "camp coffee" available and needless to say I had a cup or two whilst working there.

Many other incidents also come to mind of how the prisoners made beautiful rings from silver coins given to them by farmers after they had been working on farms outside the camp.

I had no problems with the internees yet I was supplied with a guard during my numerous visits to do various electrical work at the camp, though one had to keep an eye on one’s toolbox as tools would go missing.

Memories are not lost.

W.T.Griffiths Llechryd Cardigan

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