2020

SC2482 : Detail from boundary wall

taken 4 years ago, near to Patrick, Isle of Man

Detail from boundary wall
Detail from boundary wall
This was constructed from the former buildings of the internment camp.
Knockaloe Farm internment camp

On 5 August 1914, the day after World War I broke out, the British Government passed the Aliens Restrictions Act, whereby the British Government could control the movement of “enemy aliens”. General internment of all Germans of military age began in May 1915 following the sinking of the “Lusitania”.
The first 200 internees arrived on the Isle of Man in September 1914 for internment in Cunninghams Camp, Douglas. However, there was a riot in Douglas camp leading to the death of 5 internees due to overcrowding and the poor quality of the food. Knockaloe Moar farm, a former training camp for Territorial troops, was identified as and eventually became the largest internment camp of WWI.
The first of the civilian male internees arrived on 17 November 1914 and ultimately the internees were of various nationalities including German, Austrian and Turkish.
One of the most famous internees was Joseph Hubertus Pilates who pioneered the world famous exercise and fitness foundation.
Knockaloe Camp ultimately held “nearly 24,000 prisoners in 23 compounds inside barbed wire, with 4,000 old soldiers acting as armed National Guard, and 250 civilians attending to their wants and comforts… The camp at Knockaloe was three miles in circumference; 695 miles of barbed wire surrounded the compounds”
At one time it had its own railway running from Peel via Raggatt to the old schoolhouse (now the museum) crossing the road and following the main driveway right up through the middle of the Camp. The 1 mile and 6 chains long Knockaloe railway line was funded by the British Government and was in use from September 1915 for 5 years. Only the engine house remains. One of the main locomotives used was number 15 Caledonia now restored and running on IOMSR.
The camp closed in 1919 and was demolished; the concrete lintels and blocks now form the wall to the main driveway.
There were 207 German interned civilians buried on the Isle of Man during WW1 in both Douglas Cemetery and Kirk Patrick (St Patrick) Churchyard. They came from the camp at Knockaloe.
All the Germans bar one were exhumed and reburied in Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery, Staffordshire in 1960/61 along with the majority (not all) of German casualties in the UK from WWI and WWII.
A considerable number of guards are also buried in the churchyard along with two Jewish graves and seven Turkish internees.
Knockaloe Farm is currently owned by the IOM Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture.
Part of this was taken from LinkExternal link where more information can be found.


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Richard Hoare and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Historic sites and artefacts Farm, Fishery, Market Gardening People, Events Defence, Military Primary Subject: Wall other tags: Knockaloe Internment Camp Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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Grid Square
SC2482, 45 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Richard Hoare   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Tuesday, 28 January, 2020   (more nearby)
Submitted
Thursday, 6 February, 2020
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SC 2416 8221 [10m precision]
WGS84: 54:12.3231N 4:41.8543W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SC 2415 8223
View Direction
South-southeast (about 157 degrees)
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Image Type (about): close look 
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