100 Stories > Prisoners of War

Over 400 Burnley men were POW’s, 70% of whom were captured in 1918.

Research published on www.burnleyinthegreatwar.info suggests that about 50 spent most of the war in captivity having been captured in 1914.

At least 57 died during or just after the war : at least one man Charles Smith 6742 1st East Lancs was murdered by the camp guards after 4 years of captivity. One PoW escaped from captivity: Alfred Birley MM became an officer.