used by Allies to house high-ranking Nazi officers captured during World War II.

The site was chosen in part for its proximity to Camp X.

Originally developed as a boys reform school in 1925 (where, by all accounts, many atrocities were committed against the youth), the space was made to house approximately 300 young boys, and as such was cramped for the almost 1,000 full grown officers that would temporarily call Camp 30 home.

Beds were too short, the cafeteria too small (they ate in shifts), and many conveniences (some toilets, sinks, dorms, counters) were inconveniently ‘child size’.

After its POW history in the 1940’s, it was converted a few times for a variety of primarily educational uses.

St. Stephens High School (where many of my childhood friends attended classes) functioned here formany years, along with a variety of private schools including the Great Lakes College of Toronto, whose owner Thomas Ku was murdered by a student.

The buildings were abandoned in 2008, after the Islamic School that operated here closed its doors. The buildings have suffered much vandal damage since.

NAZI POW’S

German army officers from the Afrika Korps, fliers from the Luftwaffe and naval officers from the Kriegsmarine were residents at Camp 30.

From Wikipedia;

Among the German officers transferred from England to Bowmanville was Korvettenkapitän Otto Kretschmer, who was the top U-boat ace of World War II. Kretschmer assumed the duties of the senior naval officer, sharing the command with the senior Luftwaffe officer Oberstleutnant Hans Hefele and the senior army officer General Leutnant Hans von Ravenstein.

It was felt that Bowmanville was