I am researching the Prisoner of War camp in Skipton. In 1919 the influenza epidemic hit the camp at Skipton. 105 POW's were taken for treatment at the British military hospital at Keighley, also known as Morton Bank. 47 prisoners died altogether, 5 before they reached hospital. A German prisoner wrote a book about the camp. He writes that the prisoners were impressed with the quality of treatment they received there despite the high mortality rate.
I would like information about the following prisoners all were navy personnel and most were submariners. I am relying in part on entries made by British medical orderlies and the language barrier was a big problem in Yorkshire in 1919. Other information comes from a role of honour in the above-mentioned book.

Rank Family Name Christian Name
Mar-Ing Dietrich Friedrich
Kplt Krech Günther
Oblt.z.S.von der Lühe Vicco
Oblt.z.S.Schmitz
Cpl. Wölke R.
Cpl. Voalca Robert
Lt. Strang Paul
L.Cpl Mertens C.

date of admission date of departure
28.2.19 died 2.3.19 in Keighley
28.2.19 died 5.3.19 in Keighley
27.2.19 died 1.3.19 in Keighley
died 4.3.19 in Skipton
16.12.18 14.1.19
15.12.18 unknown
26.2.19 died either 28.2.19 or 1.3.19.in Keighley.
16.7.18 25.7.18

age place of origin unit
28 Potsdam U Flott Flander
Berlin-Zehlendorf 5 U Flotille
28 Schwerin i. Mecklenburg U Flott Flander (UB 16)
Berlin U Flott Flander
25 Marine Inf
25 Marine Inf
35 Kleve Rheinland 2.See Fl Abt
32 German Navy



The table I prepared does not seem to have transferred too well, so I hope it is comprehensible. Admission and departure dates are from the hospital in Keighley.


I am not sure if the other ranks were submariners or not, but I have included them to
be on the safe side.

In addition Robert Wilhelm Moraht was according to your website imprisoned at Colsterdale. Prisoners form Colsterdale were transferred to Skipton in January 1918 He was commander of U64. The Skipton camp contained 546 officers and 137 other ranks. Of these 324 officers and 47 other ranks became ill with flu.

I am researching the camp at Skipton/Colsterdale and would like to know:-

Details of other submariners who may have been imprisoned there
Biographical details about all submariners imprisoned in the camps.
Details of the uboots they served in and details of their capture and the fate of their vessels.

Thank you in advance for your help. I must admit I am quite new to using an internet forum, so with a large amount of trepidation I await the results. Hope the above information is useful to other people.

Alan Roberts