A Small Archive of Second World War POW Ephemera to 4272713 Lance Corporal John Heightley 7th Royal
A Small Archive of Second World War POW Ephemera to 4272713 Lance Corporal John Heightley 7th Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, who was taken prisoner in 1940 and sent to OFLAG X.C which was at Lübeck in northern Germany and then on to OFLAG VII-B at Eichstätt, Bavaria. The archive comprises two hand drawn Christmas menus for 1942 and 1943, a quantity of field postcards sent to his sister and family, a programme for Gaslight produced by Dan Cunningham, photographs of the various theatrical productions the prisoners put on, photographs of life in camp and his YMCA Wartime Log containing hand written poems and sonnets by a fellow POW R.A.Macbeth and drawings by George B Sutherland. Footnote:- There were a number of full dramatic productions at Eichstätt, as well as readings from other Shakespearean plays, sketches and pantomimes at Christmas. Many of the POW's went on to pursue careers in stage, film and music after the war had ended, including Michael Goodliffe, Brian McIrvine, Dan Cunningham, Wallace Finlayson and Desmond Llewelyn