HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2018
Played a significant role in the administration of Camp 4 as secretary to the Central Camp Committee. There were however it seems many in the Camp who considered him too pro-British. Austrian - arrested at Brixton, spent time at Handforth and was transferred to Knockaloe in October 1915 on the opening of Camp 4 and given Camp No 21870. From that time until Camp 4 closure in April 1919 he acted as Chair (+ secretary) of the Camp Central Committee initiated by the sub-Commandant Major Nodin who often referred to the valuable assistance and loyal service rendered. This service was perceived by some of the more extremeist elements in the camp as spying and earned him some opprobium from one section and at times actual violence.
Baily in his account of the camps states about Camp 4 "one outstanding feature about Camp 4 was the gradual development of a centralised form of Camp Government that was due to one of the internees planning out a scheme and winning the sub-Commandants approval which showed that its author was either a born or trained administrator, his name was Kny, an Austrian, an educated and cultured young man and so far as I was able to judge, of pleasing personaility. He was possessed of much driving force, this together with his exceptional gifts created jealosies and dissatisfication among others in the Camp.
He would appear to have some connection with the early aeronautical industry and had offered to be of service as an aircraft designer to the British Goverment - he had certainly impressed Major Nodin who wrote to the War Office concerning his offer however the covering letter from the Commandant Col Panzera stated that he, Panzera, had strong suspicions about any alien who turns against his original country anf offers service to its enemies.
He authored two reports on the organisation of Camp 4 - interim issued July 1917 and final report of April 1918.
Released 26 September 1919 to proceed to 41 Christchurch Road, Streatham Hill, London SW2
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Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2018 |
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