A Chandler Hale jelentés 1915-ből

Egy internálótábor Angliában

„Látható, hogy a parancsnokság erőfeszítéseket tesz, hogy olyan változatossá tegye az étkezést, amennyire csak lehetséges. A konyha, a pékség, a kantin és a mészárszék kiválóak. Van egy szárító szoba, ahol ágyneműt, ruházatot, de még a sátrakat is kiszárítottak nedves időjárás után. A latrinák szokatlanul jók; a folyó ügyek elvégzésére valók sok hotelt felülmúlnak. Tisztán vannak tartva. Hideg és meleg folyóvizet adó porcelán mosdókagylók nagy számban találhatók az épület különböző részein."

Források

Copy

Report

Report upon the general existing conditions and treatment of Prisoners of War, in the Detention Camps at Douglas and Peel in the Isle of Man, and at Templemere in Ireland, by Mr. Chandler Hale, In charge for the American Ambassador, at the Austro-Hungarian Embassy.

DOUGLAS ALIEN CAMP was originally a so-called "Holiday Camp" where men of limited means, who were fond of fishing and sea-bathing, spent their vacations. 3300 non-belligerent enemy-aliens are now interned there, divided about as followings: 2000 Germans and 1300 Austro-Hungarians.

At present the camp is somewhat crowded, but the authorities expect to transfer 1000 of the men to the camp at Peel, on the other side of the island, so as soon the latter is ready.

500 men are now housed in "huts" which just have been completed. They are comfortable. Each man has a bunk with a mattress and 3 blankets. The balance, who are still in tents, will be given the same accommodation as fast as they can be completed. The men eat in a large glass roofed, steam-heated electric-lighted building, where in two rooms, with ten men at each table 1600 can be accomodated at a time. On cold or rainy days they spend most of their times in these rooms, reading, playing cards or other games. The system both at Douglas and Peel is different from that estabilished at the camps Mr. Anderson and I have visited in England. The British Government allows the Isle of Man authorities 10/- per man per week and they in turn pay a contractor for everything; food, cooking, clothing, tents, bedding etc. Aside the few men employed by the contractor in the kitchen and taking care of the latrines for which services they each receive a schilling a day, the prisoners have no work to perform.

Appended is the copy of the weeks dietary at the Camp. It will be seen that the Commandant is endeavouring to give the men as much variety as possible. The kitchen, bakery, buttery and the meat house are excellent. There is a drying room where bedding, clothing and even tents are dried out after wet weather. The latrines are unusually good; permanent affairs that would compare favourably with those in many hotels. They are kept clean. An ample number of porcelain basins with cold and hot running water are located in different parts of the building. Also, in the basement, there is a swimming tank, about 100 ft long, 20 ft wide and 8 ft deep. This has, however, been given up by the Camp doctor thought is unsanitary because of number use of it. Instead, the water has been drained off and shower baths are being installed around the tank.

On November the 23^rd the British Press published accounts of a prisoners' revolt at the Douglas Aliens Camp, which had occurred on November 19^th. This was the first knowledge the Embassy had of the incident and, by your direction, I left for the Isle of Man that night to enquire into the cause of the trouble. My visit to the camp was made on the morning of November 25^th. The riot started, it is alleged, as the result of the bad potatoes. The Commandant admitted that one shipment proved to be worm-eaten and it was rejected after a few days. On November 18^th the men declared a hunger strike at dinner. The following day they ate their dinner without any complaint. After the meal, the guards withdrew from the rooms. Almost immediately, and evidently by prearrangement, the prisoners started in to break up the tables, chairs, crockery and everything they could lay their hands up. When the guards appeared, the rioters charged them, armed with table legs and chairs. After one soldier had been knocked down and badly injured, the guards fired a volley in the air. This had no effect. Finally, and in self-protection they fired a second round which resulted the death of four Germans and one Austrian and the wounding of nineteen others.

I talked freely with the wounded and also with the many of others and gathered that the prisoners were in the wrong and had themselves to blame. One of the most intelligent men I questioned said that a considerable percentage of the prisoners was made up of a bad lot gathered in from the East End of London. Amongst them were several agitators who has busied themselves sewing discontent and insubordination, which, he said, was rally the cause of the trouble. I am satisfied that this was so as I saw the whole Camp and every detail connected with it, and have nothing but commendation for its entire organization and the kindly treatment accorded to the prisoners by the Commandant and his subordinates.

On the afternoon of November 25^th another Detention Camp at Peel, on the western side of the Isle of Man. There I found 1100 non-belligerent enemy aliens. They are housed in huts similar to the two at Douglas, which are mentioned above. The general organization of this camp is similar to that at Douglas. Additional huts are being erected as rapidly as possible and accommodation will shortly be ready for 6000 men.

(S) Chandler Hale

In charge, for the Ambassador of Austro-Hungarian intereste

Dietary, Douglas Aliens' Camp

Sunday