Text + Transcription © F.Coakley , 2021
The first prisoners. a party of 68, arrived on 8th December 1914 to the converted poorhouse in a small town in County Meath, probably chosen for the availability of a nearby railway station which facilitated transport of internees from elsewhere in Ireland. There was already a camp at Templemore Dublin from which a party of 303 had been transferred to Douglas in September - it is likely that this first party originated from Templemore. Local press reported the arrival of further parties including on 17 March 1915 'upwards of two hundred' from Stratford camp in London
Probably the first visit was that of a small Parliamentary Committee who visited several other camps in 1915
Mr. Roberts, Mr. Tyson Wilson and I crossed to Dublin on Saturday night, April 10th., and on Monday, 12th April, we were joined by Mr. Pat O'Brien, M.P. for Kilkenny, and went by motor to Oldcastle, as we had to come back the same night and the train service was not convenient. We arrived about 1 o'clock. The Camp is formed at the Oldcastle Workhouse, which is divided into two blocks, A and B. We went through Block A before lunch, and through Block B in the afternoon. There are 520 Prisoners interned, and there is room for about 600 altogether. Perhaps a few more could be fitted in if need be.
The Workhouse is a stoutly constructed stone house, and the men were comfortably housed with a liberal allowance of blankets, which is only fair, as a stone house is some- times chilly. Everything was satisfactory. All prisoners who had come there from Templemore and Stratford - and there were a good many from the latter place - were pleased with their new quarters. Of the Stratford prisoners the decent Germans told the Commandant there was a fair proportion of blackguards - white slavers and such-like. So far they have behaved well enough, but one remembers the one-legged blackguard at Handforth and the trouble brought about by him
The situation of the Workhouse is open, healthy, and pleasant. The system of route marches obtains, and there is a fair recreation ground which is going to be added to, so no doubt the prisoners feel well.
We seemed to get back here to the English system of Regular Rations. The Prisoners draw their own rations and cook for themselves. The Kitchens were clean and the food wholesome. We paraded the Mess Captains and there were no complaints of any substance. There was a generally expressed wish for some more butter, but there was no suggestion that they did not get their proper allowance. An occasional variation from Beef to Mutton was asked for and might perhaps be granted.
The sanitary arrangements were on the dry system and worked all right.
The hospital accommodation was good and clean, and the patients happily were very few - three in all - one being a segregated case of syphilis.
There were no officers' quarters adjacent to the camp at its installation, but we were informed that this was to be remedied. I suggest that the officers' quarters should always be on the spot.
All prisoners were contented and we congratulated Major Johnston, V.C., on the satisfactory conditions prevailing at Oldcastle. Ireland is also to be congratulated that there were so few inmates of the Workhouse that it could be taken over without inconvenience for other purposes.
One internee thought so highly of the camp that a copy of a censored letter was sent onto the Foreign Office
The Director of the Intelligence Division presents his compliments to the Under Secretary of state for Foreign Affairs and begs to forward herewith for his information copy of a letter from G.L. Ehlers. Prisoner of War at Oldcastle, to Tom Gooch, Emigration Officer, Astoria, Oregon.
Admiralty War Staff Intelligence Division. 7th March, 1916.
Letter dated 22.2.16.
Oldcastle,
County Meath.Friend Gooch,
Received your letter of the 25.1. yesterday and found in closed £2.1.1. Now I thank you very much for your trouble taken for me. My last letter received from home dates the 17.1. and till then my mother didn't receive any money from Paul. In three days I will write letter to Capt. Tonissen to beg him to collect my money and belongings for me. I do not wonder you didn't find Oldcastle on the map, because it is only a very small town, situated about 70 miles N.N.W. from Dublin and in the County Meath. One of your mother's relatives ist[sic] a Capt, Tagge on board S.S. "BAHRENFELDT" now lying in Buenos Aires. I am sorry indeed I didn't reach home, but I did all I could and nobody can approach me for not doing duty to my fatherland. I caught the best camp. Good food and clothes are given us. Treatment is very good. The Commandant is in every way a gentlemanNext letter more. Kindest regards to all. Hope this finds you well.
I am, your's sincerely
signed Gosch Loy Ehlers
The short delay between the posting of the letter and its transmission from the censor suggests at the time all censoring of outgoing letters was done in London.
There was however a complaint re the conditions raised by the German Government in March 1917 :
Note Verbale.
Information from a German recently returned home from internment in the United Kingdom is in the possession of this Office in regard to the Civilian Prisoners' Camp at Oldcastle, Co. Meath, Ireland, according to which it must be assumed that the conditions of internment at that place leave much to be desired. According to this information the Prisoners' Camp is in a workhouse whose roof is said to be so dilapidated that in rainy wather the water penetrates into all the rooms and the inmates of the camp are obliged to sleep in wet beds.
The Foreign Office would be grateful if the Swiss Legation in London would kindly cause the appropriate steps to be taken for this complaint to be attended to, and, if necessary, will insist on a speedy remedy.
The Foreign Office would also be grateful so receive a communication respecting the result of the steps taken.
Berlin, March 5, 1917.
The UK Foreign Office made a non-commital reply
In reply His Majesty's Government have the honour to state that the report made on this camp by Mr Lowry, of the United States Embassy, in July last does not suggest that any such complaint is likely to be well-founded, but that enquiry will be made and a further communication address to Monsieur Carlin as early as possible
Foreign Office April 29 1917.
The report by Mr Lowry is still to be located - but Dr A L Vischer of the Swiss Legation visited the camp in July 1917:
I have the honour to submit a report covering & visit of inspection to the place of Internment for Civilian Prisoners of War at OLDCASTLE, Co. Meath, Ireland, on July 28th, 1917.
The "Camp" stands on even ground just outside the town of Oldcastle.
Direction
The Commandant is Major R. Johnston, V.C., Captain Faussett is Adjutant and Dr Skelly, a practioner of Oldcastle, is the Medical Officer-in-Charge, at the "camp".
Prisoners
There are 494 civilian prisoners interned here, of whom 398 are German, 95 Austro-Hungarian, and 1 of other nationality.
Description of Camp
The two buildings in which the the prisoners are housed, Block "A" and Block "B", were formerly used as a Workhouse. Each Block stands in a seperate compound and holds about the same number of prisoners. No communication is allowed between the compounds. The dormitories are of various sizes and hold from 4 to 23 prisoners. Measurements of dormitories in Block "B", together with the number of men accomodated in each, are attached (see Exhibit A). The floors of the dormitories are partly of wood, partly of stone.
Each prisoner is supplied with a board and trestle bed, a straw mattress, and 3 blankets. In some of the dormitories the beds have been arranged as the bunk system. In each dormitory there are also tables and benches where the meals are taken.
The water supplied is sufficient in quantity. As it is not quite pure, all water for cooking purposes is boiled before use.
The latrines are on the pail system. Each compound has a bathroom with four slipper baths. The water for bathing is provided from boilers until May, but during the summer months only cold water can be used. In the winter each prisoner has a hot bath every twelfth day. There is a drying room which is used from October to April, and which is used alternatively by the two compounds. Its measurements are, length 7 metres, width 6.50 metres, height 3.50 metres.
Kitchens
There are 3 Kitchens in the camp - one for each compound and one for 23 ship captains. The storerooms are good. The cooks and kitchen assistants are paid 5/- to 10/- a month out of the "Canteen Fund". One of the daily scale of rations is annexed.
The "Camp" has its own bakery, where a German baker and attendant work, paid 6/- a week by the the Government. There is also provision for smoking herrings. There is a Canteen where the prisoners can still buy, through their "captains" margarine, cheese, eggs and some fruit.
Medical Information
The hospital is in a special building provided with 31 iron hospital beds. Two British R.A.M.C. orderlies and one German Orderly work there under the direction of Dr. Skelly, who calls daily at the camp, or when required.
A special ward has been set apart for infectious diseases, but it has not been used
On the day of inspection there were 5 patients in the hospital - one suffering from rheumatism, one from epilepsy and three from skin diseases.
Serious cases are sent to the King George [Vth] Hospital in Dublin, and lunacy cases to the Mullingar Lunatic Asylum.
Since the "camp" was opened two prisoners have died and four had to be transferred to a lunatic asylum, but no death or case of lunacy has occurred since January 1st, 1917.
Recreation
There is a recreation hut in each compound with pianos, and in addition, a Y.M.C.A. Hut in one of the compounds, which is used as a school. Each compound has a courtyard and a garden where vegetables are grown. There is a sports field outside the "Camp", to which the prisoners have daily access for two hours. Escort marches are arranged once a week for the prisoners in each compound on condition that 100 men participate.
There are two shoemakers and one tailor in the camp, each paid 6/- a week by the Government. Many of the prisoners here are engaged in woodcarving, watchmaking, and gardening, while musical and theatrical entertainments are arranged. Each compound has a school, including one for nautics.
Letters from Germany take from six to eight weeks, and parcels sometimes longer.
Visits
Prisoners are allowed to receive a visit of twenty minutes' duration from their relatives once a fortnight.
The German Chief "Captain" of Block "A" is Mr. Thement and Mr. Immelmann is the "Captain" of Block "B". Mr. A. Worm is Chairman of the Benevolent Society, which is in touch with Dr. Markel's Agency. The Rev. Mr. Knowles, an interned Anglican priest, supervises the educational work.
Complaints
There were not many complaints and none of a serious nature. Many applications for repatriation were made by the men over forty-five years and invalids. We told them that, at the recent Hague Conference, both the British and the German Governments had arranged to carry out existing agreements and that, therefore, they could entertain legitimate hopes of repatriation in the near future. A German priest, by name Heider, formerly a missionary in Samoa, and a German civilian doctor also applied for repatriation.
The prisoners very much wish that, since the total number of interned is small, free intercourse between the compounds might be allowed.
Major Johnston, V.C. is a very considerate Commandant and much apprecated by the prisoners.
Exhibit A - Measurements of Rooms in Block "B"
Room Length Width Height No of men
all measurements in metres; no rooms #13 & #16
There was a later complaint from an internee on his repatriation to Germany:-
COLOGNE, 10th March, 1918.
The undersigned begs to report to the Foreign Office respecting the civilian camp at Oldcastle, Ireland, as follows:- The camp is situated in a healthy neighbourhood but the weather is constantly changing and but seldom fine.
The civilian prisoners are composed of seamen, including a few captains and merchant service officers, waiters, barbers, butchers, clockmakers and clerks (merchants),
They are housed in the Oldcastle poorhouse in batches of 6 to 25, in rooms which are very poorly furnished,
The diet is the same as in other English internment camps. Latterly margarine and cheese have been entirely wanting, so that fats are but very sparsely provided. The rations supplied by the British Government - at any rate for young and strong persons - are quite inadequate. The only provisions now purchasable to supplement the rations, are potatoes, and the quantity of these thus procured is a proof of the inadequacy of the regulation supplies.
The chief complaint made by the prisoners refers to the medical arrangements. Mr. Skelly is the doctor. He is quite inefficient and lacking in knowledge. He is not capable of conducting a proper examination, making a diagnosis, or formulating a scheme of treatment.
A German (Bockmeier) while attempting to escape was shot in the stomach and is stated to have been bayonetted while he lay helpless. On the part of the British a veil is drawn over the affair. His death, 6 hours later, was attributed to internal hemorrhage. Not the slightest effort was made to save his life by medical means.
Excepting for thermometers and stethoscopes there are no instruments for examination. Even in severe cases of fever no curves were taken and some of the patients were even regarded as malingers.
Medicaments also are very sparsely supplied. Special diet was only supplied in exceptional cases. People in a high fever were given the ordinary food which often got cold on the way from the kitchen. Operations were only performed in extreme cases. Even in a case of rupture (Duffner) which got strangled one day, no operation was performed. Many of the interned suffered from ear trouble but only in rare instances could the services of a specialist be obtained. It may be said in general that the prisoners at Oldcastle feel that in case of severe sickness they are without efficient medical aid. Fortunately such cases are rare owing to the healthy situation. Mental cases are relatively high. 1% of the interned have had to be taken to asylums and still many such cases are at large
Not the most deserving cases were selected for internment in Holland. Of many cases requiring such change I name only 6 viz: Zorn, Dorfschmidt, Klaus, Jespersen, Bierschevale, Goller.
On leaving Oldcastle I was deprived of a list which I had compiled of sick Germans and Austrians both at Oldcastle and at Ahmednagar in India, There was nothing political in these, but the censor confiscated them. I should be glad to get them back as they would be useful to me in making reports to relations and for the issue of certificates of sickness,
Letters addressed from Oldcastle to the Swiss Legation were always sent by the Commandant to the Home Office and in some cases it happened that the Home Office declined to transmit them. It goes without saying that these letters contained no disrespectful remarks. (Signed)
Dr. med. Theodor Lenders, German and Turkish Doctor,
This was passed onto the British Government and provoked the following responses
WAR OFFICE, LONDON, S.W. 1. 28th September, 1918,
With reference to your letter No.108625 /1918/P./1218 of the 12th of July transmitting a copy of a Note Verbale from the German Government regarding conditions said to have prevailed at the civilian internment Camp at Oldcastle. I am commanded by the Army Council to acquaint you that they have caused exhaustive enquiry to be made into the allegations contained therein The assertion made by Doctor Lenders that the the Medical Officer at this camp is inefficient and lacking in knowledge is totally unjustified. The Medical Officer always carried out his duties conscientiously and entirely to the satisfaction of those in a position to judge his capability,
There is no truth in the statement that no efforts were made to save the life of Bockmeier. Not only did the Camp Medical officer do his utmost to render medical aid but a specialist was called in to the case. The allegation that he was bayonetted as he lay helpless can only be characterised as an unwarranted statement which is devoid of foundation.
The injury to Duffiner was caused by his accidentally slipping on the passage from his room thereby causing slight hernia. His removal to hospital in Dublin for treatment was accomplished within three hours of the accident.
The six prisoners named by Doctor Lenders as being suitable for transfer to Holland were all medically examined, but other more deserving cases were selected to fill up the limited accommodation in Holland.
Secretary Prisoners-of-War Department, Royal Court, House of Lords, S.W.1
The assertions made by Doctor Lenders regarding the equipment of the hospital are entirely without foundation The Hospital was well supplied with medical and surgical appliances and with medicines, and all prisoners received every care and, attention. There were [no] cases of fever and only six cases of insanity during the whole period that this camp, which has now been closed, was in existence as a place of internment for prisoners-of-war.
I am to add that the Council regret that they are unable to accede to the Swiss Minister's request that the [] containing notes made by Doctor Lenders be returned to him.
Lenders' comments that the selection of those selected to transfer to Holland were not the most worthy would be reflected in the situation at Knockaloe where Dunbar was allowed this transfer though he had no medical reason to be selected.
The camp was closed at the end of May 1918 with some 449 prisoners transferred to Knockaloe, probably for security reasons, though there was already it seems a policy of concentrating most civilian prisoners on the Isle of Man. Their arrival caused some excitement in Douglas, as reported in the Isle of Man Examiner, of Saturday, June 1st1918:
German Prisoners for the Isle of Man.
ANOTHER 500. MISTAKEN FOR SINN FEINERS.
An extraordinary rumour got about in Douglas on Sunday to the effect that a numerous batch of Sinn Feiners arrested in Ireland under the provisions of the Defence of the Realm Act were to arrive at the port by steamer during the day for purposes of internment in the Isand. The origin of the canard was probably the fact that one of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's steamers had left for Dublin on Saturday night, and that she was expected to return on Sunday night, carrying as passengers a number of prisoners. At once. then, the more credulous section of the townsfolk jumped to the conclusion that these prisoner-passengers could be no other than deluded dupes of De Valera and the other leaders of the Irish rebel movement.
Sure enough a steamer came into Douglas shortly after 9 o'clock p.m.. and sure enough well on to 500 prisoners disembarked from the ship. But these were not Sinn Feiners, though they were enemies of the British Empire. They were, in fact, Germans and other aliens of enemy nationality who had been interned for some time in Ireland, and whom, for obvious reasons, it was considered desirable by the Imperial Authorities to remove from detention in the " Disthressful Counthry." Accordingly these enemy aliens were shipped to the Isle of Man for internment at Knockaloe, and as stated they duly arrived on Sunday night. Owing to the rumours which had obtained currency during the day, a considerable crowd of local people assembled on the pier, and many of those who thus fore gathered persisted in their belief that the disembarked men were Sinn Feiners. and this notwithstanding the contrary evidence furnished by the physiognomies and bearings of the prisoners. One patriotic lady, fired with indignation by the recent refusal of Irish people to accept conscription and by the revelations concerning the preparations by Sinn Feiners to actively aid the Germans in connection with the present war, addressed the prisoners in terms of fierce reproach, and it took some little persuasion to induce her to desist.
The prisoners, who were accompanied by a military escort under Capt. Gillis, were marched to the railway station, whence they entrained at 11 p.m. for Knockaloe, where they were interned. Most of the prisoners were in the prime of life, and their condition afforded excellent evidence that they had been well-fed and well treated while in camp near Dublin. They carried hand luggage, and many of them had in their possession musical instruments. The heavier luggage was conveyed to Knockaloe by a transport party. Capt. Fox, transport officer at the Camp, being in charge. As the train by which the prisoners travelled moved out of Douglas station, a number of English holidaymakers groaned and hooted. It is said that while the Germans were marching through Dublin to the boat, they were cheered, whereas the military escort were groaned at.
The considerably briefer report report in the Chief Constable's log stated 449 prisoners left by train for Peel at 11.45 p.m. and that a constable stayed overnight on board the vessel to guard the luggage. The name of the vessel was not given in any of the reports.
TNA FO 383/162 - Ehlers's Letter
TNA FO 383/276 - German note of complaint
TNA FO 383/277 - Vischer's 1917 report
TNA FO 383/432 - Lenders's comments + response
TNA CAB 45/207 - contains a series of reports found in the collected papers
of G Stewart M.P
Tom French (ed) Oldcastle Camp 1914-1918 An Illustrated History Meath County Council 2018 ISBN 978-1-900923-33-0 - An excellent publication covering both the camp, its prisoners and the strained political situation of Ireland in that period.
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