Setley Prisoner of War Camp – Wooden Carvings
Included in the Mueller family collection are these four wood carvings, each about a 12inch tall (30cm). It is unclear where they were placed at the camp. One suggestion is that they adorned the entrance gate to the camp another it that they may have been on top of a pagoda in the officers area built by the German PoWs. They depict two PoWs, the camps Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) and the senior British Officer.
Each was carved on one side of a single plank of wood and painted. On one of the two PoW carvings it is possible to make out the diamond patch, on the right knee, that was a standard emblem to identify the person as a PoW when out of the camp.
The carving of the RSM is the largest of the four and has a striking resemblance to the RSM seen in a rare photo taken in the camp (see the main article for this image). On the left of this photo is Max Mueller, at 6’2” tall you can see that the RSM was a tall chap. The oral history interview with Gordon Forsey (Officer in charge of the Motor Transport section) revealed his name to be Sergeant O’Grady. He went on to tell us about the camp’s commandant, one Colonel Utley.
The final carving is thought to be this British Officer, Colonel Utley, and he was in charge of the camp during the German occupation. He uniform is that of the Guards but it is unclear which regiment. The only name we currently have for the Commanding Officer is a Col. Utley. From Gordon’s memories were understand that he may have been in the Irish Guards before the war (retaining the “regt. drum and their silver”). Volunteers have tried to find out a little more about Col. Utley but so far the name has not been found in any of the Guards historical records.
We would like to thank the Mueller family for granting us access to this material.
Visit the main article about this collection from Setley POW Camp.