German officers held in Skipton recorded minute details of their lives in the book ‘Kriegsgefangen in Skipton’, writes historian Alan Roberts Some drew sketches and others opened up their diaries for scrutiny by the historians of the future. Their book was so carefully compiled by its editors. One delayed his return to teaching to work on it, while another took time off from the German Navy. Skipton Camp functioned as a self-governing republic and the British were primarily concerned about what entered and what left the camp (including escaping prisoners)! The German administration extended its long arms into almost every aspect of camp life, and the book was no exception. Expect no salacious details here. The word used for unsubstantiated rumours was ‘latrines’. One officer writing in the book could not bring himself to write the full word because it was too rude and stopped short at l……… .