The battle of Elandslaagte on 21 Oct 99 resulted in the capture of 188 Boer prisoners.  No provision had been made to house prisoners and ships were initially used.  As the number of prisoners grew, for example at Paardeberg, the decision was taken to hold the prisoners away from South Africa.  Why overseas?  There was nowhere that was suitable in South Africa.  There was the problems of transport, the possibility that prisoners might be freed by their comrades and the burden of feeding the men.  Of the 28,000 Boer men captured as prisoners of war, 25,630 were sent overseas.  The approximate numbers of prisoners by camp was:

 

St Helena

5,000

The first camp to be set up

 

Ceylon

5,000

Second location to be used for camps

 

Bermuda

 

The third location for camps

 

India

 

 

 

Portugal

1,443

 

 

 

The total number of prisoners

 

Transvaal prisoners of war

12,954

Surrendered during the war

13,780

OFS prisoners of war

12,358

Surrendered during the war

8,318

Rebels convicted, awaiting trial and disposed of

7,587

Left Transvaal via Delagoa Bay

400

Left for German South West Africa

200

Made prisoners of war in error

700

Foreigners - prisoners of war

160

 

56,457

 

Prisoner numbers

 

Jan 01

15,182

Aug 01

35,000

 

When prisoners were taken, the British recorded full details under the following headings

Prisoner Number
Surname
Christian names
Nationality
Age
Home address
Town or district
Field Cornetcy or Commando
Where captured
Date of capture
Date of receipt

Some of this information was published after the war.

No: 
Surname: 
Forename: 
Captured: 
Date: 
Country: 
Camp: 
Age: 
Address: 
Search Options:
(31891 Records)

 No   Surname   Forename   Captured   Date   Country   Camp   Age   Address 
0EngelbrechtPUnknownBermuda39
0HenricoWilliam FrederickUnknownBermudaHawkins Island30Doornkloof
0TrijtsmanA JUnknownBermudaHawkins Island24Rooiplaats
0AllaartL PPortugalAlcobaca
0AllaartJ HPortugalAlcobaca
0BassonA JPortugalAlcobaca
0BeeslaarT JPortugalAlcobaca
0BeeslaarJ JPortugalAlcobaca
0BenediceHPortugalAlcobaca
0BeyersG DPortugalAlcobaca
0BezuidenhoutH PPortugalAlcobaca
0BezuidenhoutH FPortugalAlcobaca
0BezuidenhoutH JPortugalAlcobaca
0BijlP V DPortugalAlcobaca
0BlessingLPortugalAlcobaca
0BlessingEPortugalAlcobaca
0BontJPortugalAlcobaca
0BooysenB MPortugalAlcobaca
0BothaJ JPortugalAlcobaca
0BothaJ JPortugalAlcobaca
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