POW camp between Lille and Armentieres

[Pierre]

Hello All,

Pte Robert George Staveley, New Zealand Entrenching Bn was captured 16/04/1918 with others soldiers.

One of the others said that they were in a POW camp in ZEDELHELM Between Lille and Armentières.

There is no village of that name or an approaching name, and I don’t find information about a POW camp in the area except Fort MacDonal in Lille.

Do you have some information about Zedelhelm ?

Many thanks.

Pierre

[truthergw]

That would be very close behind the lines. I suspect it was simply a holding camp on their way to a proper camp. Not much more than a ' cage' for collection overnight perhaps.

[Pierre]

Many thanks, Tom,

I also had a look in Peter Chasseaud "Rats Alley" it doesn't seem to be a trench name.

Could it be a German trench name ?

Thank you.

[Pierre]

here is a part of report,

Is it possible it means coming from Zeldeghem who is a small town near Bruges (Brugge) ?

Was it also a POW camp there ?

Thank you.

Pierre

[truthergw]

As you know, Lille to Armentieres is not far, only a few kilometres. He seems to be fairly sure of where it was. Brugge seems quite a bit away and hardly fits the description. It may be that the report was made some time after the events and some confusion has crept in.

[Pierre]

Thanks again, Tom,

You are right, the date of report is 29/12/1918, 8 Month after.

And for my part, now, it was to work in a German admunition dump, there was no POW camp there.

Cheers.

Pierre