Numerous residents have come forward with their memories of the POW camp at Beckenham

The outlines of the Ravensbourne Camp, in Beckenham Place Park, re-appeared after dry weather affected the grass.

A wealth of memories of the Italian and German POWs has been uncovered from residents who were children at the time.

Peter Gray, 84, lived in Chancery Lane near his grandmother, Annie Davies, who ran a corner shop which was frequented by the prisoners.

Mr Gray, who now lives along Sandhurst Road in Orpington, said: “There were armed guards walking around with what looked like a rifle.”

The father of three and grandfather of three, who lives with wife Eileen, 79, added: “They had uniforms, with a shape like a diamond on the back to show everybody they were prisoners of war if they went on the run.

“The soldiers used to come in to the shop and buy cigarettes while I was there.

MORE TOP STORIES “I never spoke to them even though they stood right alongside me in my grandmother’s shop. At 12 years old I was aghast at this German soldier standing there.”

Rosemary Empeigne, from Gillmans Road in Orpington, is the daughter of one of the German POWs.

Her father fell in love with her mother after working for her grandfather in Ravensbourne Avenue.

Mrs Empeigne said: “My mother taught the English language to my father, as all he had managed to pick up were swear words from working on a building site.

“Although obliged to return to Germany four years after the Second World War was over, he had decided and was determined by then to return and spend the rest of his life in England – a country he grew to love, and all things British, to cherish.”

Her father, despite prejudices after the war, was naturalised in 1957.

84-year-old Iris Humphries, from Otto Close in Sydenham, remembers the POWs before she was evacuated to Dorset.

The mother of two and grandmother of one, who joined the YMCA youth club along London Road, said: “We had dances to gramophone records and several young Germans were invited to join us.

"They were about 18 years old, very handsome with blonde hair. They were courteous and danced well.

“I think the girls were rather nervous, and I expect the boys were as well. To the best of my knowledge, we all went home separately.”

The outlines of the camp

Joyce Way, 78, was seven at the end of the war and lived in Fairfield Road.

The great-grandmother of eight, who now lives in Kynaston Road in Orpington, said: “There was one girl who got herself pregnant by one of the prisoners.

“I remember her being chased down the road by the women. For the women, after losing husbands and brothers to get caught up with the prisoners wasn’t very good.”

David Neighbour, 80, lived in Downs Hill when he was around eight years old.

The retired florist, who now lives in Murray Avenue in Bromley, reminisced: “The POW camp was for Italian soldiers. They were noisy and would stand on the bank near the road shouting at passers-by. They were allowed to roam the streets and annoy the local girls.

“One came up to me one day and asked me the time. I refused to tell him as he was ‘the enemy’. One escaped into Beckenham on a bicycle but was soon caught.”

If you have any more memories, Mal Mitchell from Friends of Beckenham Place Park is keen to hear them, email BPP.friends@hotmail.co.uk.