Displaced Persons -
Researching Scotland
by Alan Newark braveheart562002@yahoo.com
Scotland National Archives: http://www.nas.gov.uk/
in the search box, type Ukrainian Displaced Persons 1945
The Freedom of Information Officer,
The National Archives of Scotland,
HM General Register House,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3YY
Telephone: +44(0) 131 535 1371
Email: foi@nas.gov.uk
General Register Office for Scotland http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/
BBC WWII http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2
DPs in Scotland - Jan 23, 2012, Reply to reader from: Alan Newark
It is not impossible that some documentation at Kew might mention your father when he was at Lockerbie - you could try running a National Archives catalogue or Archives search. If you have the camp number just run a search with that number and every file, on assorted topics, with that number in the title should be listed. There might among files so listed be files about the camp and your father's name might, when files are checked at Kew by you or your researcher, be mentioned but there are very few, if any, surviving lists of camp inmates at Kew.
In the 1960's, masses of documents pertaining to individual German (sic) POWs were transferred by the UK to the German Red Cross. I know this because until I, as a freelance journalist and researcher, pressed for an internal inquiry about the claimed disposal of such documents, the then Public Record Office had officially stated in its POW research guidance leaflets that all such files had been destroyed in that decade. These files are now held by the WAst-Dienstelle Personnel Records Centre in Berlin. Your father's military service records might also be available. Enquiries are, be advised, sometimes not pursued by staff / replied to for several months.
A problem with the Rimini Ukrainians et al is that the bulk of German POWs were repatriated from Britain by 1947, the year in which most of the Rimini Ukrainians arrived in the UK. The Rimi Ukrainians were collectively exempted by the UK authorities from the compulsory repatriation provisions of the Yalta Agreement and therefore avoided Soviet punitive action.
The Geneva Archives of the International Red Cross and the International Tracing Service at Arolsen in Germany might also hold information. Again, the ITS can take some time to reply. Both centres permit access by researchers, though this can be limited at the ITS.
Alan Newark braveheart562002@yahoo.com
Ukrainian POWs, Hallmuir, Scotland, 1947
http://www.nothingtoseehere.net/2007/11/ukrainian_pow_chapel_hallmuir.html#more
"From the outside, this doesn't look like a place of worship. The small, corrugated iron hut is pretty anonymous but the crucifix on the door marks it as special. Inside the drab exterior there is an ornate world of wonder. Simple wooden pews face a beautifully decorated altar. There are religious statues on both sides and numerous brightly-coloured ornaments. If you look closely you can see that they’re hand-made, the best example being the Blue Peter-style chandelier made from tinsel and coathangers, still going strong after 60 years service.
"This chapel was built by Ukrainian prisoners of war who were sent here in 1947. Between 420 and 450 men were imprisoned in Rimini and sent to Scotland instead of being sent home where they would have been tried as traitors and faced almost certain death. They arrived in Glasgow wearing German uniforms, and came to Happendon Lodge near Motherwell, then Carstairs before landing up in the camp at Hallmuir, 3 miles outside Lockerbie in the Scottish Borders.
"90% of the men were farmers so the Ministry of Agriculture gave them jobs on the local land. One man, Mr Fallat, bought some fruit seeds from Italy and planted an orchard that still stands to this day. Inside the church they were just as creative. The landowner, Sir John Buchanan Jardine gave them this small hut and after humble beginnings they began to decorate it as a home from home. On the high altar is a model of their local Ukranian cathedral, carved with a pen knife. It was made from memory as the Russians destroyed the real one. The candlesticks beside it are made from shell casings and the standards surrounding the arch from a tent brought over from Rimini. For a place decorated in a time of austerity it's wonderfully cheerful."
Submitted by Alan Newark braveheart562002@yahoo.com
More on Ukrainians / POWs in Scotland
http://leithchurchestogether.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Ukrainian-newsletter-June-20101.pdf
Scottish Ukrainian Community Newsletter
Edited by M. Kerr
Club & Committee Contact Details
AUGB Edinburgh,
14 Royal Terrace,
Edinburgh, Scotland,
EH7 5AB
T: 0131 556 7622 Email: edinburghukrainians@btinternet.comChairman
Michael Ostapko
Tel: 01383 410 205
E-mail: ostapko@btinternet.com
http://skipcottage.blogspot.com/2010/05/lockerbie-secret.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjiQVbnWZ-g
Uploaded by STVScotland <http://www.youtube.com/user/STVScotland> on 6 Sep 2010
In 1947, 460 Ukrainian soldiers were marched through Lockerbie en-route to Hallmuir Prisoner of War camp having been picked up in Italy during the Second World War.
From the article at http://entertainment.stv.tv/tv/124897-quirky-homes-lockerbies-ukrainian-warti... <http://entertainment.stv.tv/tv/124897-quirky-homes-lockerbies-ukrainian-wartime-chapel/>
Ukrainian POW Chapel
Step inside to see what lies hidden behind the outer walls of this relatively unassuming pre-war building.
Early on the morning of 27 May 1947, between 420 and 450 Ukrainian prisoners of war arrived at Glasgow docks from a POW camp near Rimini in Italy. Unlike German and Italian POWs who were repatriated, the Ukrainian POWs could not return to the Soviet Union for fear of reprisals by the Communist authorities.After a short stay at Happendon Lodge, they were then taken by train to Lockerbie on the morning of 6 June 1947 where Ukrainians marched through Lockerbie to Hallmuir Camp. Of the 40 huts that were home to the Ukrainians, only seven now remain. The Ukrainian POW's quickly adjusted to life in the local community and the landowner at the time was Sir John Buchanan Jardine kindly donated one of the huts to the Ukrainians so that they could use it as a chapel. At first the chapel was very plain but with a lot of hard work and devotion, the simple timber and plaster board chapel was transformed and decorated to become the inspirational place it is today.
It is the first Ukrainian chapel of its kind in Scotland and is still in use to this day. Services are still held on the first Sunday of every second month. The Garden of Remembrance for the Lockerbie Air Disaster is situated 3 miles fromthe chapel.
Contact Family Pufkyi
Tel: +44 (1576) 203069
Tel: +44 (7932) 438817Muirhill
Lockerbie
Dumfries & Galloway
DG11
ScotlandVisitScotland.com The official site of Scotland's national tourism organisation
A Ukrainian who loved Lockerbie
http://www.eladvertiser.co.uk/a-ukrainian-who-loved-lockerbie-1.381125?referrerPath=2.1916
David Guide, Published at 01:00, Friday, 01 October 2004
Mykola Pufkyj, 80, chapel caretaker, of Lockerbie
MEMBERS of the Ukrainian community in Carlisle may soon be able to worship more often in a cross border Greek Orthodox chapel that is one of Scotland’s hidden gems.
Created by prisoners-of-war half a century ago and cared for devotedly ever since, it is now an officially listed and protected building where services are held every two months.
Soon, it is planned to hold them more frequently for the Ukrainian faithful.
Created in a one time PoW hut on the Hallmuir Camp at Lockerbie, the chapel was looked after for a very long time by just one or two people, and especially by Mykola Pufkyj who has died, aged 80.
Now, his voluntary caretaking job has been taken over by his son and daughter-in-law, Zennon and Ina.
Widely known as Nick, Mr Pujkyj was born in Ulich and was a Ukrainian army soldier when the Russians invaded his country. Unable to resist the invaders, many Ukrainians decided that their enemy’s enemy was their friend and threw in their lot with the Germans, fighting with them through World War Two. Thousands were captured by the Allies and, after the war, were offered repatriation to their home country, which was by then part of the Soviet Union.
As most of them detested the Russians and believed labour camps or execution awaited them, they took the advice of a British officer and pretended to be Poles. The Ukraine borders Poland and most of them spoke Polish and so it was that they were put aboard a ship for Glasgow, arriving in May 1947. There were about 10,000 and 450 of that number arrived in Lockerbie – Mr Pufkyj among them, where they were put to work in farming and forestry.
In one of the 40 huts on their camp they created a Greek Orthodox Chapel, using their traditional skills in wood carving and rich decoration to create a place of worship that is still a thing of beauty today. The area’s Roman Catholic Churches helped, giving statues and other items and the chapel was completed.
Mr Pufkyj had too many memories of Russian brutality and never wanted to return to the Ukraine and so he stayed in Lockerbie and married a local girl. He worked in forestry on the Castlemilk estate and, later, at the town’s cheese factory until he retired at 65.
In retirement he put even more time into caring for the chapel and he also helped with activities at the local Holy Trinity RC Church, where his funeral was held.
A guard of honour was mounted for him by Ukrainians from Lockerbie, Carlisle and Annan and he was buried at Ruthwell, close to his wife. Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk
I thought you or your readers might be interested in this. Pictures and history of Ukrainian Chapel in Hallmuir, Scotland. Hallmuir Farm Camp. Small chapel apparently still in use.
Submitted by Anne Chreptak anne.chreptak@utoronto.ca
http://www.nothingtoseehere.net/2007/11/ukrainian_pow_chapel_hallmuir.htmlhttp://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/lockerbie/ukrainianchapel/index.html
http://www.heritageandhistory.com/contents1a/2010/09/hallmuir-ukrainian-pow-chapel/
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/sc-49592-hallmuir-ukranian-chapel-greek-catholic-w
E-mails from those who wish a connection
Subject: Displaced person in Scotland
Please can you help me. I am trying to trace my grandfather who was from Hungary (Budapest). He came over to a POW camp in Stuartfield in the north east of Scotland around about 1945 -1946 but it is possible he was over before that. Could you tell me if there would be any lists of the personnel who were at the camp. I would be greatful if you could help me or give me some leads i could try and follow. With Regards, Donna Ritchie.
Archives of Europe: http://www.uidaho.edu/special-collections/euro1.html
