HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2019
Up to the entry of the USA into the war the Americans looked after the interests of the German and Austro-Hungarian Governments - one of their duties was to inspect and report on the various internment camps - one such report is given here reformatted from the original typescript but otherwise unchanged - Original held at TNA in file FO 383/262. This visit followed on a longer one to Knockaloe.
London, January 10, 1916
Sir
We have the honor to submit the following Report of our visit on December 21 to the camps at
Douglas, Isle of Man
(see Mr. Lowry's Report of July 12 last).
On the evening of Sunday, December 19, we attended two concerts there, one (programme herewith [appendix 2]) in the glass-roofed dining-room of the Lower (or Special) Camp, the other in the long recreation room of the Upper Camp. The music was excellent and at both the attendance was large.
On December 20 we spent the whole day inspecting the the two camps. In the morning we went over the three compounds (two in the Upper, one in the Lower Camp), the hospital in the outlying buildings, and had an opportunity to talk to a number of the inmates. In the afternoon we met in a large room, Mr Schmidt, Head Captain and all the hut-captains of the Upper Camp and Mr Halder, Head Captain of the Lower Camp, and spent over an hour in private conversation with them.
General Sir Henry Mackinnon, K.C.B., K.C.V.C.,
Commanding-in-Chief , Western Command,
Lieutenant-Colonel H. W. Madoc, Commandant.
Lower Camp (or Special Camp) 418
Upper Camp 2196
Total: 2614
The two camps under the presidency of Mr. Halder Lower Camp, and Mr. Gustav Schmidt, Upper Camp,:have the usual committees
as follows:
1. Kitchen Committee,
2. Industrial Committee,
3. Educational Committee,
4. Prisoners' Aid Society,
5. "Lowry" and "Markel" Committee,
6. Dramatic and Musical Committee.
As to these it seems unnecessary to repeat the particulars -which have been given in previous reports. The huts are strongly
built, and their outer cover of tarred felting appears to make them weather-tight even under the heavy rains of Winter .
Each hut (200' x 15' ) accommodating 100 men, contains; only one stove, but as each pair of huts is under one roof and the
air circulates through both huts as if they were parts of a single building, the two stoves, one, at each end of the pair
of huts, appear to give adequate heating. Two blankets are now; assigned to each man and they expressed a desire for an
extra-blanket. An order covering these extra blankets has, we understand been placed..
We saw good deal of mud in the grounds, notwithstanding the cinder paths which had proved to be sufficient during summer.
Just before our visit several thousand sleepers had been received and we saw a gang rapidly laying them
We visited the infirmary, which was extremely clean and cheerful, and spoke to the patients. We found in bed 8 case-3, none
serious, and 5 other cases held under observation. The patients expressed themselves entirely satisfied with their treatment.
We were present at the serving of the midday dinner, and tasted some of the food, which struck us as appetising. A copy
of the weekly bill of fare served to the camp is hereto attached [Appendix 1].
The following is a list of the various occupations, many of which we witnessed in full operation; together with the numbers of persons employed in them:
| No. employed |
|
|---|---|
| Wood-Carving & Art School |
153
|
| Library |
3
|
| Church |
2
|
| Watchmakers Shop |
1
|
| Jeweller |
1
|
| Shops Sentry |
1
|
| Clogmaking |
9
|
| Bootmaking & Repairing |
13
|
| Tailors |
19
|
| Navigation Class |
19
|
| Barbers |
16
|
| Sock Knitting |
17
|
| Bookbinding |
18
|
| Private Students not attending General School |
20
|
| Kitchen Staff (Cooks, etc. etc.) |
22
|
| Lavatory Attendants |
6
|
| Stewards & Waiters |
97
|
| Coffee Stalls |
10
|
| Physical Culture & Gymnastics |
114
|
| Paid Voluntary Farm Work |
20
|
| General Work on buildings, Roads & Camp Fatigue |
30
|
|
582
|
|
| Attending various classes, as below |
1400
|
| Paid voluntary gardening work in gardens outside camp |
75
|
|
2057
|
The educational classes referred to are as follows: -
1. English lessons, 1st, 2nd & 3rd
2. French lessons, 1st, 2nd & 3rd
3. Spanish lessons, 1st & 2nd
4. Italian, 1st
5. Electrotechnic.
6. Arithmetic.
7. Book-keeping.
8. Writing.
9. Political Economy.
10. Stenography (1) & (2), 2 systems
11. Mathematics
12. Geometry
13. Physics
14. Chemistry,
15, Geology
16. Auto-Engineering
17. General Lectures.
From the New Year, Hebrew, Russian and German for non-Germans.
All work or study is voluntary and all workmen receive cash payment.
An order office is. in existence for the purpose of meeting the demand for commodities from Douglas or England
In the Special Camp, which was started last Summer and the features of which are set forth in
the circular hereto attached [Appendix 3], well-to-do prisoners live in tents or small huts and enjoy other advantages;
for a weekly payment of 10/- to 20/- per man.
The inmates of this Camp may order light wines or beer - a privilege enjoyed us a rule only by officers' camps and may obtain
through the requisition office practically anything they may wish to buy.
The groups of neat huts, each occupied by 3 men ; and of tents containing 1 to 3 men, present an attractive appearance.
In the Upper Camp, as in the camps at Knockaloe, there are no tents in use, but in the Special Camp some men appear to prefer
tents to huts, owing to the greater privacy which may thus be secured.
In the Special Camp, the affairs of which are managed by its inmates, we heard no complaints as to housing or food.
1. Size of letter paper. They request issue of larger sheets.
2. A third blanket requested for each man.
3. More overcoats needed, and boots desired instead of clogs.
4. Complaint as to poor quality of tea.
5 Complaint as to general scarcity of cups, ladles etc.
6 Re-establishment of walks, outside the camp, requested.
7 Release of men over 55 years of age requested.
The complaints above mentioned were presented to us on behalf of the prisoners in the Upper Camp by their Head Captain, Mr Gustav Schmidt. They have been brought by us to the attention of the authorities and are receiving consideration . More blankets have been ordered as stated above and the issue of overcoats appears to be delayed by the time and care needed for investigating the applications.
The spirits of the prisoners seemed to us as cheerful as could be expected. In the Special Camp this is accounted for not only by their attractive surroundings and by the comforts, which they can secure by extra payment, but also by the fact that they are able to occupy themselves in study and other and other intellectual pursuits.
Similarly in the Upper Camp the contentment appears to be due, partly to comfortable housing and good food, but even more to the excellent organisation of the various employments, such as trades and art-work, athletic training etc. Wherever we went in this camp everyone was busy.
For these activities in the Upper Camp and for their admirable results the Commandant and his assistants deserve the greatest
credit. We saw much evidence of the good feeling which exists between them and the prisoners and we cannot illustrate this
better than by the following quotation from the memorandum, dated December 21,
setting forth the wants of the camp:
"This application is not meant in any way to reflect unfavourably upon the Commandant of the Camp Lieut-Col. Madoc and his officers who have shown in the past and are continuing to show every consideration in their power towards any wishes and suggestions submitted to them. If it has been decided, in spite hereof, to address you this memorandum, it is done on account of it being our firm belief that the Commandant and his officers, although desirous to acquiesce, in our requests, have not the necessary means at their disposal to carry out the remedy with the promptness that appears desirable to us."
We have the honor to be,
Sir ,
Your obedient Servants,
Leland H Littlefield
W. H. Buckler
To
His Excellency
The Hon Walter Hines Page,
American Ambassador London
BILL OF FARE (Camp II)
(For week-ending Saturday, December -16, 1915)
Sunday Breakfast Porridge with Syrup, Bread, Butter and Tea.
Dinner Roast Beef, Carrots Potatoes, Bread
Tea Tea, Bread, Butter.
Monday Dinner Irish Stew (Mutton), Potatoes, Bread.
Tuesday Dinner Konisberger Klops, White Beans, Potatoes, Bread.,
Wednesday Dinner Irish Stew (Beef), Potatoes, Bread.
Thursday Dinner Scouce (Potatoes and Beef) Bread
Friday Dinner Hamburg Steaks, White Beans, Potatoes, Bread.
Saturday Dinner Irish Stew (Beef), Potatoes, Bread.
Second helping when asked for.
Quartett "Rheingold"
Gruess Gott mit Hellem Klang
Heil Deutschem Wort und Sang!
Sonntag, 19 Dezember, 1915. Abends 7 Uhr.
KONZERT
im Saale des Camp I.
Musikalische Leitung: Herr Maximilian Jepkens. Unter guetiger Mitwirkung der Herren: E De Baneleur(Violine), W. Klein (Klavier), A. Menge (Tenor), L. Laux (Bariton)
Programm
1. Doppel-Quartett: "Weihe des Gesanges" W.A.Mozart
2. Sonate in "C" Fuer Violone und Klavier. W.A. Mozart
Herren: E. De Banefleur (Violone) W. Klein (Klavier)
3. Maennerchor: "Die Nacht" Fr. Schubert
4 .Zwei Lieder fuer Bariton
(a) Drei Wanderer (Begleitung: Klavier und OIrgel) H. Hermann
(b) Ich hatte einst ein Schoenes Vaterland E.Lassen
5. Maennerchor: "Rheinsage" C.Eckert Op.3
Kleine Pause (Ewecks Zaehlung)
6. Doppel Quartett: "Heute is heut" Volkslied
7. Quartett "Wie ein Voeglein moecht ich fliegen" J. Witt
8. Violin Solo: "Caprice" (Herr E. Baneleur) G. Paganini
9. Duett: "Venetianisches Gondellied" F. Paolo Tosti
Herren: A.Menge und L.Laux
10. Maennerchor: "Juheiss mei' Dirndl" Ed. Kremser
Mit guetiger Erlaubnis des Herrrn Commandanten
Liet-Col H. W. Madoc
Es wird gebeten waehrend des Konzertes so wenig wie moeglich zu Rauchen
Programm 3d
The No. I Camp(or the lower half) of the Aliens' Detention Camp at Douglas has been set aside for the exclusive use of
Alien Prisoners who are prepared to pay for their better accomodation whiler undergoing internment.
The Camp partly consists of tents and partly of blocks of huts.
Each hut is capable of accommodating four men 3 but as a general rule three is the complement
Arrangements have been made to build more huts in the immediate future for men who do not care to risk the winter in tents,
but it has been found that the weather is so mild at Douglas that large numbers prefer to stay under canvas.
The Scale of payment per week ranges from 10/- a head for three in a tent or hut-room to £1 for one in a tent.
For the present no arrangements can be made for less than three men to occupy a hut, for which the payment is 12/- each.
per week.
Two men in a tent pay 12/6 per head per week.
There is a large dining-room (heated in winter) within the camp, with ample room for letter-writing, indoor games etc. ,
and there is also a well-furnished coffee stall.
There is considerable apace for recreation within the Camp itself, in addition to a large recreation field common to all
the prisoners.
The catering is served by is served by German cooks and waiters specially reserved for the purpose.
Arrangements have been made for those who. wish it to employ a servant from amongst the aliens.
Beds, sheets, blankets, and towels are provided.
There is a large swimming bath and ample lavatory accommodation
There are three good meals per diem.
SPECIAL MENU.
Breakfast
Rolled Oats and Fresh Milk., Coffee, Brown and White Bread, Best Margarine, Bacon and Egg, Marmalade .
The above specimen breakfast is varied each day by cooked wheat instead of rolled oats, tea, or cocoa instead of coffee,
boiled or scrambled eggs, fresh or smoked fish., kidneys, chops or ham instead of bacon and egg.
Dinner
Soup, Roast Mutton. Green Peas, Mint Sauce Potatoes,
Bread
Boiled Fruit Pudding and Custard,
The above specimen dinner is varied each day by providing different soups, roast beef, boiled mutton or beef, roast pork
or rabbits instead of roast mutton, cabbage. turnips, beans or macaroni instead of green peas, milk pudding or plum pudding
instead of boiled fruit pudding
Tea
Tea, Brown and White Bread, best Margarine, Pastry or Cakes, Preserves.
The above specimen tea is varied each day by providing smoked or fresh fish, (boiled or fried)rissoles, tinned salmon smoked
ham, minced meat, Konigburger Klops and potatoes, German or pork sausages and salad, stuffed pancakes, or Kartoffel of cold
meat
Prisoners of War who desire to be transferred from Knockaloe Camp to Douglas Special Camp should submit their names to
the Sub-Commandant of their Camp.
Government Office, 11 October, 1915.
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