HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2020
[extracted from TNA FO 383/114/40069]
Knockaloe Camp, February 14th 1916.
Sir
Referring to your invitation contained in the letter addressed to Dr Karl Kottas I take the liberty of putting before you my case as follows: .I left Canada wll before the war, booking a through ticket from Fort William to Lemberg and arrived at Liverpool per S.S."Alsatian" on August 6th 1914, i.e. before the outbreak of hostilities between England and Austria-Hungary.
Although then a neutral and in spite of my through ticket I was prevented from continuing my journey and subsequently subjected to the hardships of internment.
In Lancaster my ticket has been taken from me by the Military Authorities and I would like to know if this is right or if there is a special reason for this. I like to be in a position to prove that I have paid my fare.
I am 49 years of age and had to undergo an operation shortly before returning - besides I have a weak chest and the climate of this island does not suit me at all.
As my wife and 6 children are awaiting me I would be greatly obliged if you would take steps to obtain my release and to hold the party at fault responsible for all consequences of my unjustifiable detention,
I am not a wealthy man just the contrary and for this reason I like to be again in in a position to assist my family, in greatest need of assistance.
Under these circumstances I trust you will do your best towards the realisation of my release and indemnification
and await the favour of your good news.
Believe me to be, Sir,
Most respectfully yours,
Roman Kasperski Camp I Compd 5 Hut 2b No 3582
One of many such letters by Austro-Hungarians who arrived in the UK in early August 1914 with through tickets, probably in normal times via the Hull-Hamburg link which had been suspended a few days prior to the war - though they could have been transferred to Holland the Shipping Lines initially placed them in their various hotels and they thereby were arrested and interned on the declaration of war between the UK and Austria-Hungary.
Dr Karl Kottas PhD was chairman of Camp 1 Austro-Hungarian Relief Committee who appears to have given the signal that such letters would be acceptable to the Americans, at the time the inspecting neutral power
The S.S. Alsatian was an Allan line vessel, in this case travelling from Canada to Liverpool, and there must have been several such Austro-Hungarian passengers as there are at least five known to have been interned at Knockaloe having been transferred from Lancaster towards the end of March 1915. Some would appear to have been relatively poor farmers who were returning to their families after working in North America - there are notes from the American Embassy asking if it could arrange for small remittances to be sent back to their wives, usually in Galicia (today's Poland). One of these Stefan Sawka - an Austrian Pole - died at Knockaloe in December 1915 from acute bronchitis, at his inquest it was stated he was a 47 year old labourer returning home to wife and familiy in Galicia.
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