The author of the book is Elria Wessels, Historian at the Anglo-Boer War Museum in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Those of you who are looking for a certain prisoner of war can search at http://www.anglo-boer.co.za in the Database Index, Section: Prisoners of War.

Erina

Erina

Thanks

I hope this email finds you well. I saw your name on a website concerning
persons researching the history
of relatives who were Boer prisoners in Ceylon. I hope that you can help me in
my search.

I can tell you what I know from the papers of my Great-Grand Father though some
facts are sketchy:

His name was William Frederick Karsten.
He served in the Boer Kommando credited with blowing up the train on which
Winston Churchill was riding as a
young man. His Kommando also captured Mr. Churchill during this attack.

William became a prisoner later in the war and was sent to Ceylon, where he
resided for many years (up to eight years?). He was
placed in one of the camps there saved for “less-cooperative” prisoners, maybe
called “Diyatalawa”?. His journal was signed by members of his camp including
Americans, Italians and Irishmen. They may have been referred to by the British
as “foreign volunteers or fighters”. From the journal it appears that all of
them were extremely anti-British in their feelings.

According to his papers, he and many others were “forgotten” on Ceylon and kept
by the British on Ceylon long after the war was over. Again, according to his
journal, My Great-Grand Mother appealed to the wife of “Oom-Paul”(spelling?) or
Paul Krueger for help. His case was presented through Oom-Paul or Paul Krueger
to Queen Victoria, who interceded on their behalf and ordered their release.
Mention was made of these “special” prisoners being given a small bag of gold in
compensation by the British upon their release. He was then transported by a
German ship potentially to England, from where he immigrated to the United
States.

These journals and oral histories have long been passed down by my relatives and
have been the source of great interest.

I would be eternally grateful for any help you could provide me in my search for
information concerning my Great-Grand Father.
I would also be more than willing to share with you copies of his journals,
drawings and pictures. They may aid others in their search.

Thank you for your consideration and best wishes:

Todd Cole
6541 Shady Brook Lane ste 5109
Dallas Tx 75206