Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

British POWMasons' Lodges in Germany


kerry

Recommended Posts

Dear All,

does anyone have any info on British WW1 POWs at camps in Germany who might have formed Masonic Lodges or held informal gatherings whilst POWs?

Plenty of activity of this type recorded for British POW Lodges in WW2, but not found any for WW1. Any ideas? Many thanks.

Kerry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest tintin

I don't know about the Freemasons, but Liverpool Orangemen in the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division who were interned in Holland had their own Lodge. Their battalion was landed at Antwerp in 1914 and had to retreat into neutral Holland to avoid the advancing Germans.

As there were, and are, very many more Masons than Orangemen I would be most surprised if they did not do likewise. The Ancient Order of Buffaloes was also very popular in the Army of those days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

kerry

I am not a Freemason, however having seen your post, my attention was drawn to a little book being sold as part of my local library's book clearance. The Book is 'The Pocket History of Freemasonry' by Fred.Pick & Norman Knight. Chapter XIII has the title 'Freemasonry in the Forces. Unfortunately the content is somewhat limited and no mention is made of WW1 POW Lodges in Germany.

The following paragraphs taken from the book may however be of interest:

Internees in Holland

Holland was the scene of some remarkable masonic activity in the first World War. There the Lodges Gasvrijheid (Hospitality) and Willem van Oranje were warranted by the Grand East of the Netherlands in 1915 and 1918 respectively.

These were for British naval and military personnel interned in the country, the second lodge being founded by prisoners-of-war transferred from Germany under the Hague Convention.

After the War the Lodges were transferred to London.

Under similar conditions, a Gastvrijheid Rose Croix Chapter was founded under Netherlandic authority in 1916 and transferred to London in 1919 as the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Chapter, No.207.

Masonic Passports

During the 1914-18 War the Ailwyn lodge 3535, among others, provided any of its members entering the armed forces with a card of introduction for use outside the United Kingdom. This was printed in English, French, italian, German and Arabic.

Forces of Occupation

After the first World War there was formed in Cologne a lodge were Freemasons of the forces occupying the Rhineland could meet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had a quick look at Ketchum's Ruhleben - A Prison Camp Society (comprised mostly of civilians of enemy nations who were in Germany at the outbreak of war) and surprisingly he makes no mention of a Masonic Lodge, which is amazing considering the number of groupings that formed there, including a Lancastrian Society.

Waugh's The Prisoners of Mainz makes no mention of Freemasonry either.

Sorry to have drawn a blank.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear All,

many thanks for your helpful responses. They have added to the jigsaw of information on a lecture I'm delivering on British Forces Freemasons in Germany 1914-2003. The gem about the masonic passports was particularly fascinating - I wonder if one still exists anywhere? Many thanks once more for taking the time to reply, and for the photo - who/what/where/when?

Kerry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kerry

The Ailwyn Lodge 3535 mentioned in my post still exists in Huntingdonshire.

Address:Abbey Rooms, 103 High Street, Ramsey PE26 1BZ

A contact point is: leo at crossfields.co.uk

You may find this site of interest: http://www.geocities.com/lodge34/torrione_....Captivity.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kerry

As I said in my post, the photo was probably taken in the 1920's No details on it other than the names at the bottom of the picture. If you want a list of them let me know and I will e-mail it.

Terry Reeves

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Both freemasons and the RAOB were very strong among IWGC-workers ( all ex-servicemen) in France and Belgium also. There were branches in Arras and Ypres. It even caused some troubles in Ypres - at that time more catholic than the pope himself - because the church found them quite suspicious ( stories of freemasons worshiping satan were quite common among Flemish folks before WW2). As for the RAOB, I believe the Mayor of Ypres was made an hon. member to ease the public.

I believe a PhD has been written in England about voluntary organisations during WW1. The RAOB is mentioned and maybe it might have something on masons too? I don't recall the autor however, I'll try to come up with the name but can't make any promisses I'm afraid. The only thing I know is that the man who wrote it used to work at the PRO. Maybe they might know something more.

Bert.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...