Eden Camp Museum, Malton

Eden Camp is a modern history theme museum with a military flavour - and with an interesting history of its own.

Eden Camp has been open to the public since 1987; and the Museum is now one of the most comprehensive locations covering British military and social history from 1914 onwards.

The History of Eden Camp stretches back to WWII.

In early 1942, the site was purchased on the outskirts of Malton in order to build a POW camp for Italian and German Africa Corps POWs captured in Tunisa, Algeria, and Libya by the British 1st and 8th Armies.

As an aside, my Father was in the Lothian and Border Horse - part of the British 1st Army - and was present during the surrender of 250,000 German's at Cap Le Bon in Tunisia.

A temporary camp was established for the arrival of the first 250 Italian prisoners who were tasked with building the permanent camp.

From December 1943 the camp's purpose changed from prison to garrison.

The huts were used by Polish Soldiers preparing for the Normandy Invasion.

From July 1944 until early 1949 the camp changed back to a prison and once again became a home to German POWs captured in Northern Europe.

After the war, the camp was used to accommodate displaced persons.

In 1955 the site was returned to its original owner.

Stan Johnson bought most of the site in 1985 with the intention of developing a potato crisp making factory.

But a chance approach by ex-Italian POWs seeking permission to look around their former home gave Stan the idea of preserving the camp and opening it as a museum.

And the rest, as they say, "is history".

The museum slowly developed and new displays were added covering not only life on the Front Line, but also the Home Front.

It was Stan’s intention to pay tribute to all people from the Forces, to women in the factories, school children and people at home.

Today, you will find displays and collections covering a wide range of interesting topics - and most inside the original refurbished prison huts.

In one hut you can discover the political and military events of World War II from around the world; and for each year of the war.

There is a “Dig for Victory” garden and a social history showing how post-war housing was developed.

The Museum also covers all post-World War II conflicts that British Forces personnel have been involved in.

In another hut, there is a War News Reading room, where the front page of a newspaper from every day of the war can be found.

And the Museum also houses the most comprehensive collection of POW artefacts in the world.

A really interesting aspect is the Medal Room which displays an ever increasing collection of medals and decorations.

And my favourite is the "Forces Reunion" hut where hundreds of photos of ex-services personnel can be viewed.

Eden Camp is located just outside Malton and about 19-miles from Rosella Cottage (Postcode for GPS = YO17 6RT).

You can telephone the Museum on 01653 697777 for opening times and admission prices.