27 August 1917: Otto Figel & Eugen Linse captured at Battle of Passchendaele

On 27 August 1917 2nd lieutenant and company commander, Otto Figel was captured at Langemarck, a village to the east of the town of Ypres/Ieper. This was part of the continuing Battle of Passchendaele which had started 4 weeks earlier. Five Skipton prisoners had been captured in exactly the same location on the very first day of the battle. Figel entered Skipton Camp in February 1918. He was sent to Keighley War Hospital on 1st March 1919 suffering from influenza, but recovered and returned to camp on 12 March.

2nd Lieutenant Eugen Linse was less fortunate. He was captured north-east of Ieper/Ypres at the village of Sint-Juliaan/Saint-Julien. He had a slight shrapnel wound to his hip.

He too was sent to Keighley War Hospital. He entered hospital on 25 February 1919, but died the following day.

THE BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE, JULY-NOVEMBER 1917  A German 10.5 cm FH 98/09 howitzer wrecked by direct hit captured in its position at Langemarcke, 23rd August 1917. Copyright: © IWM (Q 2760). 

A total of 91 prisoners of war from Skipton camp were sent to Keighley War Hospital suffering from influenza. 42 of these prisoners were to die of the disease. Members of the German administration of the camp were extremely grateful for the high quality of care their officers and men received at Keighley. They were able to thank the Hospital Administrator, Dr William Scatterty in person when they happened to meet at one of the many funerals which took place at Morton Bank Cemetery near Keighley in spring 1919.