Diyatalawa military base and Training facilities, Ceylon. Coloured image #IMG73
Date: 1910 – 1920′s
Photographer/Publisher: The Colombo Apothecaries
Location: Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka.
Boer war prison camp Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka (ceylon)
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Hi ,
My South African forefathers (Boers)were in the concentration camps in Ceylon and Burmida.
I mention you have Photo’s to identify.
Can we Help from this side.
Regards
Johan
The first overseas (off African mainland) camps were opened in Saint Helena, which ultimately received about 5,000 POWs. About 5,000 POWs were sent to Ceylon. Other POWs were sent to Bermuda and India.
The first batch of prisoners arrived in Ceylon on 9 August 1900. Diyatalawa was the main camp. Mt Lavinia was the convalescent camp while dissidents and irreconcilables were housed at Ragama. A camp for prisoners on parole was also opened at Urugasmanhandiya in September 1901. Hambantota was also a parole camp.
There were no concentration camps in either Ceylon or in Sri Lanka mate.
My great grandfater J. Van Dyk and some of the other family members captured on Surrender Hill were interned in Diyatalawa Camp.
I have a few photgraphs taken at this camp.
My great grandfather returned aboard the
ss. Mongolian.
During the first Boer war we had POW camps in Ceylon. Urugasmanhandiya, Ragama, Dyatalawa.The Boer burial grounds near the Ceylon Volunteer Camp was taken over for the Rifle range expansion.
During the first Boer war we had POW camps in Ceylon. Urugasmanhandiya, Ragama, Dyatalawa.The Boer burial grounds near the Ceylon Volunteer Camp was taken over for the Rifle range expansion.
There are maps,Sketches of Camps in the Volunteer gazette,History of the Ceylon Artillery Volunteers,2Volunteer Sri Lanka Light Infantry History.
In general from researching the subject I find that the POW’s were in general well treated. There were however deaths from illness whilst in the POW’s were interned and a number shot “whilst trying to escape” unqote.
The camps that became known as “Concentration camps” were in South Africa
and housed the women and children driven from their homes under the “scorched earth policy”. Over 26,000 women and children were to perish in these concentration camps.
As a collector of POW Boer War memorabilia I am currently in Sri Lanka researching the subject of the POW Camps. I will visit Diyatalawa 03/01/10 and am writing a book titled “Captivated Carvings-The Story of POW boer War Art”.
I am very keen to purchase items made by the POWs, or photos of them and the camps in Ceylon, St Helena, Bermuda and India to add to my collection and publication. Please contact me through the Contact Page of this site.
I have done extensive research on Diyatalawa but I never came across escapees being shot at the camp.Many items which belongs to Boers and were with the Ceylon Defence Force units.unfortunately after a century all is gone.Only few know about the Boers in Ceylon(Sri Lanka).
As a collector of POW memorabilia I am keen to purchase items made by the POW’s from ALL POW Boer War Camps in South Africa, St Helena, Ceylon, India and Bermuda together with photos and other ephemera.
These would feature in my book ” Captivated Carvings –The story of POW Art” and any additional information that can be provided about the POW, family, military background etc would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Robin i have a small box made of hardwood and covered with some type of near transparent covering carved into it are the words Boer + Camp
Ceylon 1902
My grandfather was the founder of “De Strevers” a religious publication and organisation in Diyatalawa.
I have a bound copy of each and every publication from 19 Dec. 1901 to 8 Aug. 1902. It also contains a memberlist with 600 names including their Hut numbers, home town, post office and congregation in South Africa. Receipts, poems, program of a concert, an official stamped pass issued by the Camp Commandant`s Office giving my grandfather “permission to hold religious meetings in the camp”, dated 30 July 1902. Also in the book is a photograph of the “workstaff” of “Strevers Press” with their names and towns and farms in South Africa. My grandfather was a teacher when he became a prisoner-of-war, but after the war he went back to university and qualified as a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church. He was an member of the 1914 Rebellion in South Africa and interned in Kimberley with many others who became famous political and business leaders in South Africa.
As a child I spent days on holiday atthe Survey CampDiayatalawa when myn father was in the Survey Department. I had been taken by my father to the grave yards. I remeber the sadness of some of the dead who were quite young. I also remeber Fox Hill which I think was a white image of a fox on the hill side made by the inmates, and then visible from the train on its way into Diyatalawa. On a recent visit, 2005, I wasa told that the cemetry was within the Army base nad not accesible to visitors.
I also knew of a Boer cemetry in Pettah, near the roundabout. The tombstones were on a wall next to a car park. I think it was on a side road leading onto the Hunters Building, I forget the street name.
I am interested in any information that could be provided of the inmates please.
Hi Radie Ferreira, my great grandfather was in Diyatalawa camp from 1901 – 1902. I was wondering if his name and details were in the publications you mentioned. He was CC Bester from Vrede. Thanks. Christo
Hi Radie
My Great Grandfather was also part of the rebellion He was the chief of Roads (Transvaal) I would love to know if he is mentioned in those journals
Regards
Cindy Brown
cindybrown@intekom.co.za
My paternal grandfather as well as my husband’s grandfather were both POW in the Diyatalawa camp. Does anyone know whether a complete list of POW’s in Ceylon is available on the Internet?
To all of you that have written about the Boer POWs I would like to be in direct contact as I can help you with your family research and would like to discussin depth your items. This unfortunately cannot be dont through this site.
Whilst the list of POW’s is not on the Internet I can perhaps be of assistance. However it is necessary to have the full names, for as you know, there are many names similar or even the same or spelt slightly differently. Sometimes the Brits got them wrong in the records.
You can as an option contact me through FT Print Ltd, Hertford UK. http://www.ftprint.co.uk …. robinw@…
Many thanks
Robin
I was under the impression we could not trade addresses but seeing Cindy’s above I would welcome contact from those of you who have commented here.
I am still keen to supply information and to gather more for my book as well as to buy Boer POW items from any of the camps, Belleview and others in South Africa, and Bermuda, St Helena, India and Ceyolonl that anyone would like to part with.
thank you
Robin A Woodruff
waldmeister1@aol.com
robinw@ftprint.co.uk
To Achintha Tilakawardane
Hi,
Regarding your article , the Military site is next to what was the Diyatalawa Camp and thats now used by the General Survey Dept. You cannot access that without permission , but fortunately I was able to gain through the help of a lady whose Father was a Senior member of that Dept years ago and wrote the Dutch Burger Union Journal articles. R.L. Brohier.
However what little remains of the Cemetary is outside of these restricted areas and up a road to the right of the camp, aptly named Boer Road.
It is easily accessable.
Unfortunately all of the small hand made white crosses made by the Boers were taken down, the earth flattened to make way for a “rifle range” that happens to be 500 meters away, and only the large stone cairn put up by the South African Govt in 1918 remains. Dreadful to destroy a graveyard but I guess no-one would have cared for it after all these years. Given your email address I could send you an article I wrote about my visit.
Robin A Woodruff
waldmeister1@aol.com
To Brian Badge
I only picked up your message this week. wuld you kindly contact me regarding the Box.
Robin
waldmeister1@aol.com
To Radie Ferriera
Would be interested to exchange information on the camps and to know more on your Grandfather’s details.
Robin A Woodruff
waldmeister1@aol.com
I found the following details on the National Archives website:-
Diyatalawa Concentration Camp Cemetery, Ceylon.
Jan Johannes Brooks of Harrismith.
Died 26-11-1900. Aged 30 years.
If anyone can assist me with information on him, please let me know. It will be much appreciated.
Yolanda Sim
Hello Yolanda,
There is only one Boer POW listed that could be of interest to you.
POW N0. 11673
Johannes.J. Brooks
Age 30
From Harrismith
Captured and sent to Diyatalawa.
Unfortunately this gentleman is from an area of the records that are very short of information. Usually they contain the Commando he fought with, Date of Capture , Where Captured, sometimes the Date of Receipt and the Date Sent.
It would have been in August 1900 though I believe.
In the writings of R.L. Brohier in the Ceylon Dutch Burger Union Journals is listed those who died and were recorded on the Tombstones in Diyatalawa Cemetary. Here is listed Jan J Brooks Harrismith OVS Died 26 Nov (no year) but the way they are listed above 1901 and 1902 would suggest 1900. Age 32. The cemetary is located outside of what was the Diyatalawa POW Camp, but that is now used by the General Survey Dept. and is almost in the same condition as in 1900. Access to the camp is only by permission as their is a Military Camp now built next to it. The cemetary is up “Boer Road” that was built by the POW’s and runs up and along the right hand side of the camp. Unfortunately all of the original wooden crosses were destroyed and the area flattened to make way for a rifle range that is 500 metres away.(Sacrilegious!!) All that remains now is a Cairn erected by the South African Govt in the early 1900′s. If you email me waldmeister1@aol.com
I will send you two articles I wrote after my visit in Jan this year, for the Anglo Boer War Philatelic Society Journal also published in “Knapsack” the Journal of the Museum of the Boer Republics in Bloemfontein.
I hope this helps and look forward to hearing from you.
Robin A Woodruff
Yolanda, This was never a Concentration camp and nor were any of the others where the POW’s were held “off shore”
The term Concentration Camps refers to the camps where the women and children were held in South Africa after being driven from their homes(farms) that were burnt under the British Scorched Earth policy. Many thousands of woman and children died through malnutrition, disease etc. Some very sad stories eminate from this period of the war and especially as the men were sent thousands of miles away from their country and families.
I am not in full command of the facts of this episode in what was in my opinion a dreadful and unnecessary war, and you would be advised to visit the Museum in Bloemfontein where there is a Monument to the Women and Children and books and images on the subject. Or read their web page. I have been 3 times from England now and every time I visit I learn more, best wishes Robin
Having reread Anton Edema’s response to my mail at the beginning of the year he is corrrect in that to my knowledge also no POW was shot in Ceylon. However there was one shot in Bermuda whilst trying to escape and this is what i was refering to bt had not made that clear.
Apologies.
Robin A Woodruff
waldmeister1@aol.com