HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2020
Taken from FO 383/114/40086
Knockaloe ,
22nd February 1916
I should thank you Sir to interest yourself in my case which is as follows:
I left Ottawa on July 23rd 1914 on a through ticket to Krakau and arrived at Glasgow on August 3rd 1914 per "S.S. Corsican" my voucher bearing the No.9245 Allan Royal Mail line 114I thus arrived in this country before England had declared war on Germany and as an Austrian subject I was a neutral up to August 12th when the relations between England and Austria-Hungary were broken off.
Now in spite my qualification as a neutral and in spite of my through contract booked well before there has been any question of war and further in spite of my repeatedly expressed wish to be allowed to continue my journey, I was kept at the beginning in a kind of Hotel. Later I way subjected to the hardships of internment , but I do not know if there is any real reason for this and I question if the procedure is in accordance with any established or recognised Law
At all events I venture to call it illegal when at the beginning I was put, in a cell without being convicted and kept there for one day and during this time I have received hardly anything to eat.
Since when are peaceful neutral travellers treated in this way? Had I expected anything of the kind beforehand, I certainly would not have booked my passage with a British Company.
I am 39 years of age, married and have a wife and children waiting for me. I have been declared unfit for military service. As you wish to give our grievances due consideration I should thank you to hold the party at fault fully, responsible for breach of contract and all the consequences resulting thereof and out of the unlawful detention as well as the unwarrantable treatment which is greatly effecting the health.
I trust you will be able to obtain for me full satisfaction and be able to announce to me at an early moment the result of your steps leading to my liberation.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant, (Sd) Petro WOROBEC
Camp I. , Compd 5, Hut 2a, No.2017.
This is one of many such complaints raised via the American Embassy, at this time a Neutral state looking after the affairs of both Germany and Austro-Hungary in Britain - recall also that at this period today's Poland was split between Austria and Russia, with East Prussia containing many of the Baltic coastal cities now in Poland.
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see also other complaints |
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| Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The
Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2020 |
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