POWs and Philipopolis Camp

[corisande]

I am finding it difficult to get any references to the Bulgarian POW camp at Philippopolis.

Even the number of British POWs there seems difficult to get

One source tells me that after the battle of Kosturino about 100 of 10th Division were captured and march off to Phipiloppolis.

The only information the I can find on Phipipopolis is, having spoken about the treatment of captured officers...

"Conditions were even worse for the rank and file. Bulgarian forces captured British troops near Dorian and confiscated their boots, puttees, and tunics. The POWs then marched to Sofia-150 miles-barefoot, in their shirts and summer shorts. The only food they had was found by foraging onions, roots, and corn from the fields by the roadside. On the march for sixteen days, they received a small loaf of bread on only one occasion. At the prison camp in Philippopolis, the troops were herded into filthy barracks in lots of one thousand. Many men chose to sleep outside rather than face the vermin at night. Their rations were totally inadequate and unpalatable. Like the officers, the British enlisted prisoners relied on food parcels to survive. "

Any thoughts?

[Kate Wills]

Philippopolis is the modern Plovdiv.

I remember reading one of the POW reports held in the National Archive, in which a soldier spoke of having his boots and other equipment stolen after his capture.