Zonderwater POW Camp

Discussion in 'World War 2' started by liverpool annie, Mar 26, 2009.

  1. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    In February, 1941, Italian prisoners-of-war began arriving in South Africa where the Zonderwater Camp had been established in the Transvaal, twenty-three miles from Pretoria. These prisoners were captured during the Somaliland and Ethiopian campaigns. Thousands more were brought in from the campaigns in Egypt, Libya and Tripolitania during the years up till 1943. Around 9,000 of these prisoners were illiterate and among the greatest and most lasting achievements at Zonderwater were that before the camp closed in February, 1947, all had learned to read and write their mother tongue during their six years confinement. Some 5,000 learned a trade before returning home and another 4,000 were allowed to work outside the camp on neighbouring farms. A symphony orchestra of 86 musicians was formed and a brass band of 65 instrumentalists was welded together from the prisoners. Fifteen schools were established teaching a variety of subjects.

    At its peak, on December 31, 1941, there were 63,000 prisoners in the camp. A total of 233 prisoners died from illness and 76 lost their lives through accidents. What was done at Zonderwater represents a great achievement in the field of human relations in the treatment of prisoners-of-war. Their efforts were recognized by the post-war Italian Government when the Camp Commandant, Colonel Hendrik Prinsloo and three of his officers were invested with the 'Order of the Star of Italy'. Colonel Prinsloo was further recognized by the award of the 'Order of Good Merit' by His Holiness, the Pope.

    Lesser Known Facts of WWII 1941
     
  2. liverpool annie

    liverpool annie New Member

    Colonel Hendrik Fredrik Prinsloo, O.B.E., E.D., passed away at Ermelo in the Eastern Transvaal on 20th November, 1966, after a long and distinguished career of service during which he gained both local and international honour.

    As a boy of twelve he was taken prisoner-of-war by the British while carrying arms in his father's Commando (the Carolinaers) during the South African War 1899-1902 and, because of his tender age, was lodged in the Barberton concentration camp with his mother.

    During the 1914-1918 war he saw service in the South West Africa campaign in which he received the award of the Croix-de-Guerre (avec palmes) from the French Government of that time.

    Later, in 1922, when a Lieutenant in the Military Constabulary in South West Africa he took a leading part in ending the Bondelswart Rebellion (which has often been referred to as ,,the last of the tribal wars") and was in fact the leader of the force which tracked down and killed the rebel leader Abram Morris, bringing about the subsequent surrender of the Bondel insurgents.

    In the final action in which Morris was killed, air support was provided by two small aircraft of the period led by Colonel van Ryneveld (now General Sir Pierre van Ryneveld, K.B.E., C.B., D.S.O., M.C.) who only three years previously with Sir Quentin Brand had made the first historic flight down the continent of Africa.

    At the outbreak of the 1939-1945 war Colonel Prinsloo was Commanding Officer of the Regiment Botha. When on the point of leaving for North Africa with his Regiment he was recalled at the instance of the late Field Marshal J. C. Smuts and placed in Command of the vast Italian prisoners-of-war camp at Zonderwater

    In 1947 Colonel Prinsloo represented South Africa at the Diplomatic Conference held in Geneva for the purpose of revising the International Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners-of-War, that is, the Geneva Convention of 1929.

    South African Military History Society - Journal- Forty-seven Years After "Spion Kop"
     
  3. Antipodean Andy

    Antipodean Andy New Member

    Some excellent history there, Annie. Did not know about such an extensive POW camp in South Africa but it makes sense. The prisoners obviously held their captors in high regard and vice versa.
     

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