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Outside Influence, Part 4:
Italian POWs

Italian Prisoner Of War Camp 34's Football Team

After the Royal Oak was sunk in October 1939, Winston Churchill ordered four barriers to be constructed to close off most of the eastern entrances to Scapa Flow.

Between January 1942 and September 1944 over 1000 Italian prisoners of war who had been captured during the North Africa Campaign, were in Orkney engaged on the construction of these Barriers. They stayed in 2 camps, Camp 60 on Lamb Holm and Camp 34 at Warebanks, on Burray.

Amongst a wide variety of recreational activities organised by the prisoners for themselves, both camps had football teams. Camp 34's endless practice of ball control and fancy footwork enabled them to score a resounding win over a team from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

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