Krygsgevangene Kamp - Bhim Tal - 1899-1902 - Indië Gesig van die Suide
Item
Unattributed, “Krygsgevangene Kamp - Bhim Tal - 1899-1902 - Indië Gesig van die Suide”, Cory Library and Historical Archives, accessed 28 December 2025, https://digitalarchives.ru.ac.za/s/cory/item/12626
- Creator
- Unattributed
- Description
- Handwritten inscription on photo reads: "Krygsgevangene Kamp - Bhim Tal - 1899-1902 - Indië Gesig van die Suide" on top of photo.,During the Anglo-Boer War, Bhim Tal POW Camp (India) was one of the Prisoner-or-War (POW) camps used by the British Forces to imprison for Boers from South Africa. Elria Wessels wrote the following as a caption to the image, on the Facebook group “Bhim Tal POW Camp: Bhim Tal is the largest lake located in the Kumaon Hills in the Uttaranchal province. The lake is 1701 m by 454 m, making it 265 m longer than Naini Lake. The Boer camp was established at the northern most point of the lake. Situated at a level of 1371.6 m, it is twenty-two km from Nainital. The lake regulates the climate of the area. The weather is very pleasant throughout the year except during winter months. In the summer the temperature alternates between 27.5°C and 11°C and 16°C and 2°C in winter. It rains almost every afternoon and Rev. A Burger recorded that he found the camp under water after a heavy rainstorm on 21 May 1902. The 500 prisoners of war, mostly children, and the aged were housed in tents in a picturesque setting -“absolutely beautiful” according to Burger. He came to the conclusion that even the most beautiful of settings would not ever be satisfying to a POW as it was not the scenery of his beloved fatherland. Major A. de G. Hadow and Captain T.C.B. Holland were in charge. They were assisted by 2nd Lt. B. H. Hall (2nd Yorkshire Regiment); 2nd Lt. L. Lovett Thomas (Royal Engineers), Lt. F. Curtis (2nd Yorkshire Regiment) and Lt. N.E. Swan (2nd Yorkshire Regiment) adjutant and quartermaster. The camp commandant was Lt. C.F. Colquhoun (1st Surrey Regiment) while the section officer was Lt. H.J. Massey (3rd Rifle Brigade). J.F. Ferris acted both as censor and interpreter. The camp finally closed its door on 1 December 1902.”
- Subject
- Concentration camps -- South African War, 1899-1902 -- Prisoners and prisons
- South African War, 1899-1902 -- Concentration camps
- South African War, 1899-1902 -- History -- Photographs
- Type
- Image
- Format
- jpg
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/10962/154464
- Date Issued
- 1902-05-5
- Contributor
- Wessels, Elria (descriptor)
- Rights Holder
- Unattributed
- Language
- English
- useGuidelines
- Public Domain
- Item sets
- South African War (1899-1902) Collection
- Hierarchies
-
South Africa at War Collection
- The Frontier Wars (1811-1878)
- South African War (1899-1902) (103 items)
- World War II (3 items)
Unattributed, “Krygsgevangene Kamp - Bhim Tal - 1899-1902 - Indië Gesig van die Suide”, Cory Library and Historical Archives, accessed 28 December 2025, https://digitalarchives.ru.ac.za/s/cory/item/12626
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