Monument record 0838300000 - Wilton Park, Beaconsfield

Prisoner of war camp described by the International Red Cross as a 'Special Camp' (Camp nos. 20 and 300). The camp consisted of tented accomodation (B2).
Set up in 1942 to hold prisoners likely to have information of high intelligence value, such as German and Italian officers, pilots and u-boat commanders. Among the occupants was Gerd von Rundstedt, the last Commander-in-Chief of German forces in the West (B1).
Exact location unknown. 1951 RAF AP shows an area of camp-like parchmarks to the east of the MoD buildings in the former walled gardens. NGR to area of parchmarks (B3).
Wilton Park was occupied in July 1942 as a top secret interrogation centre for prisoners of war. The White House was a three storey Palladian mansion that was turned into an officers' mess for staff and interrogators. A series of Nissen huts was built for staff of other ranks. Prisoners were housed in a compound of flat-roofed brick and concrete cells. The first high ranking prisoners began to arrive in the middle of 1943. These included Marshall Messe, Field-Marshalls von Rundstedt and Busch and Rudolph Hess. Wilton Park (Camp 300) was part of the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre (CSDIC) and this department was closed at the end of 1945 with most POWs being repatriated or moved to other camps (B4).