Spalding Camp 1917-1919

Introduction

Following the cessation in repatriation of civilian internees in January 1917 extensive discussions between the British and German representatives at the Hague which, aided by suggestions from the neutral Dutch, finally resulted in a set of criteria to allow repatriation of civilian internees unsuitable on grounds of age or health to be either repatriated or to be held in internment in Holland.

The Germans would only agree to a safe channel for the Dutch ships to be established between Boston and Flushing. As the harbour at Boston had insufficient depth to take the Dutch vessels, the ferries would remain off shore in the Boston Roads with an Admiralty tender vessel used to convey internees and their luggage to the ferries.

Though there was already a work camp at Boston docks the decision was to establish two transit camps, one at Spalding and a smaller and short-lived one at Sleaford. Both camps opened in late November 1917, the Spalding camp remained in operation through to the end of March 1919 by which time over 8000 internees had transited through it. Sleaford had a much shorter life being used for just 4 months to transit some 750 internees. It is possible that the initial idea had been to separate those internees destined for internment in Holland from those for repatriation.

The first party to arrive at Spalding was a large party of 350 Germans transferred from Knockaloe on the 20th November 1917, it would appear that either the arrangements were either not fully in place or the weather was unsuitable as the first significant repatriation voyage was not until the 10th January 1918. The second on the 22nd January appeared to be restricted to internees held at Sleaford which camp seemed to have closed after the 16th March voyage. Internees could be held back for reasons of illness or even sent back to their originating camp.

The Spalding camp was in a converted workhouse and almshouse - Dunbar has left a colourful account of a stay there some four months after it had opened and the crossing on the 11th such repatriation voyage by which time over 2500 internees had been transferred. Also on this voyage was Captain Schönfeldt who also left an account of the dismal state of Spalding and Boston

As mentioned the Dutch ferries were required to remain off shore and a tender used to convey internees and luggage to them - this arrangement was open to much abuse and there are many accounts in the files in the FO 383 series of the claims for loss of luggage - it must have been connived at by the authorities as merely placing a marine officer on board the tender to supervise should have been all that was required to prevent the thefts described.

As in all such arrangements between the British and German Governments there was constant bickering over details and tit-for-tat reprisals if one party felt the other was not keeping strictly to the agreement. One aspect of the agreement was that for military exchanges these would be in ratio 1:5.5 for German held prisoners : British held prisoners and in ratio 1:4 for German held civilians : British held civilians. Both military and civilians could be included in the same transport.

This Hague agreement about exchanges covered only UK/Germany, Austro-Hungarian internees were quick to point out that they were not included and as Austria had interned relatively few civilians they felt yet again that they were being unfairly treated. Some arrangement seems to be worked out and a number of Austrians were specifically to be included on the 11th transport.

Vessels

It would appear that the usual arrangement was for two vessels to operate the service together - The first services used the paddle steamers Konigen Regentes and Sindoro - the former had been fitted out as a hospital ship, painted white with a red stripe for increased visibility. It had previously been used on the Gravesend-Vilissingen service but an attack on it in Oct 1916 by UB-19 together with attacks on other boats saw the Zeeland company pull out of this service in January 1917 and to refit it as a hospital ship. It was torpedoed by UB-107 on 6th June 1917 with the loss of seven lives whilst returning to Rotterdam lightly loaded. The effect of this attack on a clearly painted hospital ship on a safe route agreed with the German government saw an immediate break in the prisoner exchange transports - civilian exchanges were, as can be seen in the following section, also severely curtailed until the armistice allowed safer passages.

There is a memo [in FO 383/383] dated 19th Sept 1918 which throws some light on the arrangements:

Board of Trade Surveyor's Office, Custom House Grimsby
19 September 1918

Exchange of prisoners Service by Dutch Steamers

Sir,
When at Boston on the 15th and 16th instant I made enquiry re the statement being made that the "SINDORO" is to be taken out of the service about the middle of October, As far as I can learn the following appears to be the position. The the German "Safe Conduct" for the ships expires on 30th September and though application has been made for renewal no reply is yet to hand from the German Government. The Company feel that the Governments are not making proper use of the steamer and if the service is to be continued, it should be on the understanding that both Governments will not send the steamer across with only a few passengers. Arrangements to be made so that the Steamers may not sail until they have their full complement of passengers on board for which arrangement there appears to be a difficulty of who will pay the demurrage for detention of the vessels while waiting for a full complement of passengers,

The Zeeland Company's representative states he has not heard anything of his Company taking the "Zeeland" out of the service but has heard there is a proposal to put one of their latest turn screw vessels in the Service.

The vessels arrived last Sunday morning and as it was a midday tide I did not go down until Sunday morning. It was expected they would arrive again on Sunday the 22nd, but may possibly be delayed by the weather, as they were on the outward trip leaving Boston at 6.30 pm. on 9th instant and did not arrive at Rotterdam until 8.30 p.m. on the 11th.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
(Sgd.) J. McEwan.

[Added overleaf]
Forwarded for the Board information I may say that these Dutch steamers have practically carried 5 times more German prisoners &c. from Boston than the number of repatriated British from Rotterdam. No delays have taken place in the embarkations at Boston and therefore any delays at Rotterdam involving demurrage are due to the action of the German Government who alone should be held responsible
(Sd. ) R. Watt, Principal Officer; 21.9.18
to The assistant Secretary,Marine Dept.

Transports

Note the dates are those given in the I.C.R.C. lists as boarding the vessel - as seen above weather may delay the sailing.

The lists give the internee's name and Spalding camp number - not the camp from which they were transferred to Spalding though in many cases this additional information can be gleaned from other lists. These lists of repatriations ceased as of end of January 1919 though it is obvious from other lists that repatriations continued until the end of March 1919 by which time the normal pre-war services had restarted and could be used (e.g. Alexandra Palace provided a transit camp using the Medway ports as well as Harwich and a new camp established at Ripon the services from various East coast ports)

Some lists are still to be investigated.

References

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor Text + Transcription © F.Coakley , 2021