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Anglo Boere Oorlog/Boer War (1899-1902) POW Ceylon

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Top Surnames

Badenhorst, Barkhuizen, Barnard, Booysen and 16 others
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Profiles

  •
    Field-Cornet Gert Cornelus Botha (1871 - d.)
    ===Prisoners of War AOB == Added by AR Swanepoel Database ID: 8572 POW Number: 9488 Surname: Botha Name: GERT CORNELIS, FIELD-CORNET Age: 29 Address: KRANTZKLOOF District: ROUXVILLE Where Captured: FO...
  • Gerhardus Maritz Botha (1883 - 1965)
    ===Prisoners of War AOB == Added by AR Swanepoel Database ID: 14160 POW Number: 15078 Surname: Botha Name: GERHARDUS MAURITZ Age: 16 Address: BLOEMFONTEIN District: KROONSTAD Where Captured: BOTHAVILL...
  • Frederik Petrus Botha (c.1877 - d.)
    ===Prisoners of War AOB == Added by AR Swanepoel Database ID: 8569 POW Number: 9485 Surname: Botha Name: FREDERIK PETRUS Age: 23 Address: KLUITJESKRAAL District: BLOEMFONTEIN Where Captured: FOURIESBU...
  • Philippus Jacobus Welthagen (c.1874 - c.1960)
    ===Prisoners of War AOB == Added by AR Swanepoel Database ID: 7763 POW Number: 8679 Surname: WELTHAGEN Name: PHILIPPUS JACOBUS Age: 26 Address: HIGHLANDS District: SMITHFIELD Where Captured: FOURIESBU...
  • Christoffel Johannes Botha (c.1882 - 1913)
    ===Prisoners of War AOB == Added by AR Swanepoel Database ID: 7044 POW Number: 7960 Surname: Botha Name: CHRISTOFFEL J Age: 16 Address: DEWETSDORP District: BLOEMFONTEIN Where Captured: FOURIESBURG Wh...

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CEYLON

Approximately 5,126 POW were held in the following camps:

Camps

  • Diyatalawa (Main camp)
  • Mount Lavina (Convalescent camp)
  • Ragama (Camp for dissidents and irreconcilables)
  • Urugasmanhandiya (Camp for prisoners on parole)
  • Hambantota (Camp for prisoners on parole)
  • Nuwara Eliya (Prison for irreconcilables)
  • Welikada (Prison in Colombo)

When St Helena filled up, Ceylon was chosen as a destination. The first batch of prisoners arrived in Ceylon on 9 August 1900
A large camp was set up at the hill station at Diyatalawa. The hill station proved to be good for the health of the incarcerated.

They are housed in large huts constructed of wood, and having roofs of galvanized iron to keep out the rains and the rays of the tropical sun. The roofs are covered with cocoa nut leaves, so that the iron doesn't get heated during the middle of the day. In each hut we saw beds for about forty prisoners. They were ranged along the wall on either side, and over each was a shelf on which the prisoner kept his books and other small belongings. Under the bed was his clothes-chest and the tin plate and knife and fork with which he ate at table. Some of them had their tables in the huts where they slept, but more had spread their meal under some shady tree in the open air. They are furnished with the raw materials, and each hut is supposed to prepare its own food.

Schedule of Boer arrival in Ceylon

  • Date of Arrival *Name of Vessel *Free Staters *Transvaalers *Uitlanders*Total

1900

1901

  • Jan 10 Catalonia * - * - * - * 500
  • Jun 1 City of Cambridge *- * - *- * 103

The exiles in Ceylon were the most active in printing. Using an old Eagle hand press purchased from the Ceylonese, the prisoners of war in Ceylon printed the newspaper De Strever, organ of the Christelijke Streversvereniging (Christian Endeavour Society), which appeared from Saturday, 19 Dec. 1901, to Saturday, 16 July 1902. Other newspapers, which they published, mostly printed by roneo, were De Prikkeldraad, De Krygsgevangene, Diyatalawa Dum-Dum and Diyatalawa Camp Lyre.

Escapes

The conditions did not stop escape attempts.
Five exiles – Lourens Steytler, George Steytler, Willie Steyn, Piet Botha and a German named Hausner – succeeded in swimming out to a Russian steamer in the port of Colombo, travelled by a devious route through to the Crimea and from there to St Petersburg, Russia where the locals, sympathetic to the Boer cause, celebrated their escape. Then on to Germany, The men then visited Kruger in Holland and finally landed at Walvis Bay. They then made their way back to South Africa to rejoin their comrades. "Die vyf swemmers" - ‘n ware ontsnappingsverhaal geskryf deur Prof C.J Barnard

POWs in Ceylon

A









  • Jacob Arlow 1853 to 1917. POW in Ceylon, DIYATALAWA camp.


  • John Ayres 1861 to ? POW in Ceylon, DIYATALAWA camp.

B

















C



D





E

  • Henry H. Engelbrecht refused to swear allegiance.Was later released and stayed in Sri Lanka as Game Ranger at Yala National Park
  • "Christoffel Petrus Johannes Erasmus" POW in Ceylon, DIYATALAWA Camp.

F

G

  • Hendrik Petrus Geldenhuys 1838 to 1904. POW in CEYLON, Diyatalawa camp. Refused to take the oath of allegiance and not allowed to return home. Died on the island in 1904 age 65

H



J

K


  • Richard Kuit 1880 to 1945. POW in Ceylon, DIYATALAWA Camp.

L

M

N

O

P

R



S





  • Jacob Johan (Japie) Strating. Along with 19 other P.O.W’s. he refused to sign the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown and they were interred in the Welikadi Prison in Colombo

V




W


  • Ernst Frederik Wepener 1876
  • John Weinberg A Jewish Transvaler. He was classified as a Russian because of his birth and moved to Ragama with the other foreigners.
  • Jacobus Wille "The diary" - written during his time in the Diyatalawa camp in Ceylon - was transcribed by his daughter Minnie Postma.

Russian POWs

  • Yudel Pline
  • Ilya Rubinshtein
  • Mikhail Sheinker
  • Hirsh Yavshits
  • Vasily Rukert (marked as "returned to Russia under his own steam")

Died in Ceylon

Cemeteries, Batticaloa cemetry, Colombo. Kanatta cemetry, Colombo

There are 133 Boer graves marked by plain wooden crosses. Seven are unmarked as the great stone monument erected by the Government of South Africa in 1913 bears 140 names.

  • Badenhorst Adriaan Bloemfontein 17 26-9-1900

  • Barry Jacob Jan W. Ficksburg 17 ? ?

  • Bekker Nicolaas Johs. Smithfield 36 18-11-1900

  • Bernardie Alexander Ladybrand 18 25-11-1900

  • Bester Johannes A. Winburg 20 20-12-1900

  • Blignaut Phillip Smithfield 29 ?

  • Booysen Johannes M. Zastron 20 ? ?

  • Bredenhamer Leopold Johannesburg 21 26-11-1900

  • Breed Dirk Cornelius Ficksburg 18 10-12-1900

  • Brits Johannes J. Senekal 21?

  • Brooks Jan Johannes Harrismith 30 26-11-1900

  • Cleaver Ferrar R.M. Johannesburg 29 18-11-1900

  • Coetzee Jan Adriaan Thaba Nchu 55 18-10-1900
  • Coetzee Floris Petrus DeWwtsdorp 29 ? ?
  • Coetzee Abraham P. Johannesburg 3? ?

  • Coller van Johannes Winburg 47 15-12-1900

  • Beer de Nicolaas Kroonstad 19 ?

  • Bruin de Philip R. Ladybrand 216-12-1900

  • Jager de Stephanus S. Bethulie 23 ? ?

  • Jonge De Frans Corns. Rouxville 44 30-10-1900
  • Jonge De Johannes J. Bethulie 38 14-11-1900

  • Villiers de Jan Daniel Ficksburg 25 23-11-1900

  • Dickson George Bethlehem 43 ?

  • Plessis du Andries P. Bloemfontein 19 28-11-1900
  • Plessis du Roelf C. Wepener 31?

  • Preez du Stefanus J. Wepener 25 6-12-1900

  • Fick Johannes Jacobus Wepener 21 12-11-1900

  • Fourie Johannes Herm. Ficksburg 17 19-12-1900
  • Josephus Fourie Ficksburg (27) May 18, 1873 - December 23, 1900

  • Geldenhuis Jacobus Brandfort 4? ??

  • Greyling Jacobus F. Wepener 23 ? ?
  • Greyling Jacobus L. Ficksburg 23 ??

  • Grobbelaar Johannes Smithfield 22 1-12-1900
  • Grobbelaar Gert P. Winburg 19 ?
  • Grobbelaar Pieter A. Thaba Nchu 51 ?

  • Haley Johan Michal Rouxville 19 ?

  • Hartman Jan Philip Thaba Nchu ? ? ?


  • Henning Andries S. Rouxville 20 21-11-1900

  • Henop David Schs. Kroonstad 30 ?

  • Hugo Jacobus Rouxville 34 ??

  • Human Dirk Corns. Rouxville 24 ? ?

  • Kotze Christian B. Wepener 23 24-11-1900

  • Kruger Theunis Johs. Bethulie 29 25-11-1900

  • Lamprecht David J. Smithfield 2119-12-1900

  • Langeveld Christoffel Bloemfontein 36 15-12-1900

  • Laubscher Frans G. Kliprivier 38 24-11-1900

  • Wille Lodewyk Ficksburg 44 ??

  • Lombaard Jozua J. Ladybrand 22 12-12-1900

  • Lubbe Gert Schalk Thaba Nchu 19 16-11-1900

  • Moolman Petrus L. Ficksburg 4? ?

  • Myburg Sarel Jacobus Bloemfontein 25 14-11-1900
  • Andries Myburgh 1845-1902

  • Nell Andries Jacobus Reddersburg 27 14-12-1900
  • Nel Jan Izak Wepener 3? ?

  • Nezar Michiel Gill. Ficksburg ? ? ?

  • Niemand Petrus J. Winburg 35 6-12-1900

  • Niewoudt Hendrikus Jagersfontein ? ? ?

  • Olivier Andries Ficksburg 17 14-11-1900
  • Olivier Jan Hendrik Ladybrand 28 28-11-1900
  • Olivier Gert Cornelius Ficksburg 42 2-12-1900
  • Olivier Johannes L. Rouxville ? ? ?

  • Oosthuizen Cornelius Smithfield 24 17-11-1900
  • Oosthuizen Willem N. Winburg 27 ? ?

  • Palm Pieter Thaba Nchu 31?

  • Pietersen Pieter J. Rouxville 26 ?

  • Pretorius Johannes M. DeWetsdorp 39 31-10-1900

  • Prinsloo Pieter Willem Ficksburg 28 ?
  • Prinsloo Louw Ficksburg ? ?

  • Rautenbach B.Johs. Bethlehem 22 31-10-1900
  • Rautenbach George F. Thaba Nchu 36 ? ?
  • Rautenbach Nic.M. Thaba Nchu 2? ?


  • Roos Cornelius J. Bethlehem 3? ?

  • Roux Michiel Chris. Bethulie 33 27-11-1900
  • Michael Christoffel Roux 1864-27/11/1900 Cause of death – Typhoid
  • Simon Gettleson Left a number of painted seashells, made during his last days on Ceylon, now housed in the Anglo Boer Museum in Bloemfontein.

  • Schoeman H.N. Harrismith 4?

  • Schutte Pieter George Winburg 22 5-12-1900

  • Smal Andries Jacobus Smithfield 22 23-12-1900

  • Smit Johannes Stefs. Heidelberg 25 14-11-1900



  • Stroebel Daniel R. Thaba Nchu 18 21-10-1900

  • Swanepoel Marthinus Smithfield 39 ? ?

  • Aswegen van Willem S. Smithfield 17 ? ?

  • Biljon van Johannes Krugersdorp 39 ? ?

  • Berg van der Barend P. Potchefstroom 23 11-10-1900
  • Berg van der Barend Johannes Bethulie 33, 1867, died of Typhoid Fever

  • Walt van der Rudolph Thaba Nchu 41 23-11-1900
  • Walt van der Douw G. Bloemfontein 16 16-12-1900

  • Deventer van Johs.H.C. Thaba Nchu ? ? ?

  • Heerden van Pieter S. Winburg 28 ?

  • Niekerk van Johannes Bethlehem 28 6-12-1900
  • Niekerk van Gert H. Johannesburg ? ? ?
  • Niekerk van Izak A. Ficksburg 2? ?

  • Staden van Hermanus Bethulie 48 14-9-1900

  • Rensburg Jacobus G.Jv. Smithfield 2? ?

  • Rooyen van Jacobus P. Wepener 19 29-11-1900

  • Tonder van Cornelius Ladybrand 18 9-11-1900

  • Wyk van Hendrik P. Vrede 42 29-11-1900

  • Venter Hendrik G Johannesburg 36 14-9-1900
  • Venter Jacobus J. Bethulie 20 25-10-1900
  • Venter Jan Gerhardus Bethlehem 20 ? ?

  • Volschenk Andries A. Harrismith 19 ?

  • Weber Cornelius Johs. Johannesburg 33 ? ?

  • Lourens Wessel H. DeWetsdorp 19 31-10-1900

  • Wessels Phil.Johs. S. Harrismith 3? ?
  • Wessels Wynand S. Winburg 2? ?

  • Wiese Willie Tobias Bloemfontein 2? ?

  • Wiesner Abraham J. Thaba Nchu 16 27-11-1900

  • Zwart Dirk Jozua Harrismith 22 ?

Buried at Sea

Those who died on sea on the way to Ceylon were buried at sea.

How to Participate

If you have an ancestor who was in the Ceylon POW Camp:

Get yourself added as a collaborator Navigate to your ancestor's profile Under the "More Actions" link choose "Add to Project" Select the Ceylon POW " project How to add a link is explained in the attached document - Adding links to Geni profiles to projects.

Optional:

Try and include in the "About Me" section of each person a brief biographical sketch of their lives. Include a photograph/painting of your ancestor if one exists. You are welcome to use the projects Icon if not.. Your ancestor's profiles should be set as "public" and not "private". All included profiles should attempt to include full identifying information including birth and death dates as well as birth and death locations. It would also be very helpful if the immediate family of your POW ancestor, (their parents, siblings and children) profiles were public profiles also. Do not make public any profiles of living people. NOTE: All POWs included on this project will have their profiles editable by other GENi.com collaborators of this project. To take part in any project - you do need to first be a collaborator - so join the project. See the discussion Project Help: How to add Text to a Project - Starter Kit to get you going!

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