During WWII many Italian and German soldiers were shipped over seas to be held in P.O.W. camps, one of these camps (Camp 133) was in Lethbridge. By November of 1942, 13,341 P.O.W.s were moved to Lethbridge (the population of Lethbridge at the time was just under 15, 000), to a camp constructed between 28th and 43rd Streets along 5th Avenue North. With the large number of prisoners, the camp became a city within itself. The camp was divided into six sections, each with six dormitories, mess halls, kitchens, and entertainment facilities. By necessity, meals were in shifts with prisoners acting as cooks. Tailor, barber, and shoe repair shops were also staffed by prisoners. Non-combat prisoners were engaged in their professions as doctors and orderlies in the infirmary and dental clinic. Many of the prisoners grew to love the area and returned once the war ended.
http://www.galtmuseum.com/pdf/Internment%20Camps.pdf
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