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British Expeditionary Force,
P.O.W Token 10 Cents
英國遠征軍
戰俘代幣10分
Item number: A311
Year: AD 1914-1918
Material: Zinc
Size: 23.8 x 23.8 x 1.0 mm
Weight: 3.4 g
Provenance: Private Colllector, UK, 2020
This is azinc token issued during World War I by the British Expeditionary Force stationed in Northern France and Belgian Flanders. It was used in German prisoner-of-war camps under their control, allowing prisoners to purchase small amounts of food or daily necessities at the canteen or welfare office.
The obverse of the token features a four-leaf clover surrounded by diagonal lines, with the denomination “10 C.T.S” (10 cents) indicated in Arabic numerals and English abbreviation within the clover. The reverse side is smooth, with the text “P. OF W.” (Prisoner of War), “TOKEN,” and “B.E.F.” (British Expeditionary Force) inscribed in three lines from top to bottom. The word “TOKEN” is flanked by symmetrical lines and decorated with fleurs-de-lis, symbols representing France.
In AD 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, Britain organised the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), composed of six divisions, to support their ally, France. The BEF was responsible for the region of Northern France and the remaining Flanders area in Belgium. To address the humanitarian issues concerning prisoners of war (POWs) arising from the conflict, the British government established the “Prisoner of War Information Bureau” on August 17, AD 1914, in accordance with the Hague Convention. By October AD 1916, as the war expanded and prolonged, the Information Bureau was elevated to the “Prisoner of War Department” to better coordinate related matters.
According to statistics, during the war, Britain captured a total of 207,357 prisoners globally, most of whom were German soldiers from the Western Front. Nearly half of these prisoners were housed in POW camps within the United Kingdom, while the other half were held in camps managed by the British Expeditionary Force in France. The POWs in France were also used as forced labour to support the AD 1916 Battle of the Somme. After the war ended in AD 1918, these prisoners were gradually repatriated, with the process completed by AD 1919.