TOPIC:

Hi all,

I am in the early stages of researching my MA dissertation topic, which will focus on the refugee camps of the second boer war, and what Britain learnt from them (then with a comparison to the detention camps used 50 years later in Kenya, which i touched upon for my undergrad dissertation).

From what I can tell the camps were left to the army to run, but I am having problems defining the specific organisational structure/hierarchy of the camp staff, and also which regiments were specifically given the task of running the camps? Obviously defining this would allow me to access regimental histories/archives which would hopefully provide much more detail. Any help on this starting point would be greatly appreciated.

I would also be grateful for reading suggestions on the camp side of things.

Many thanks in advance,

Jen

Good afternoon Jen and welcome to this forum,
The loss of 26,000 Boer women and children and perhaps a greater number of natives in the "black" camps was very serious indeed, it has been glossed over for many years now.
After the loss of Bloemfontein the Boers started to issue "feelers" for a negotiated peace in the form of telegrams, the official reply from Great Britain was along the lines of "HM Government cannot concede the independence of the Orange Free State or the Transvaal Republic at this time" so not really a great surprise, as the gold under Johannesberg was that much closer.
You could say that the guerrilla war started there and then.
Lord Roberts sailed home and left Lord Kitchener to carry out his scorched earth policy, now regarding the hierarchy, you can go right to the top, as I understand it, Viscount Milner was in charge, indeed after Emily Hobhouse had formed The South African Womens and Childrens Destress Fund, she sailed for Capetown in December 1900 and headed to confront Milner, with several letters of introduction, including one from Whitehall, that leaves us in no doubt who was running the show, despite Milner's initial denial.
Again Welcome and good luck with your research
Regards Frank

Hello Jen

Great topic and good luck.

From what I gather individual regiments did not run the camps as such. The RAMC provided the medical organisation (which was problematic) and no doubt the RE with African labour built the camps.

There was a significant civilian staff, especially nurses who dealt with the "inmates" on a daily basis.

Regards
Meurig

Hello Jen,

Where I work at the university, I am currently supervising some MSc students for their dissertation which is really interesting but their topics are not as interesting as yours! Your research sounds very interesting.

Like Meurig, I don't think the Army were involved in the running of the camps. The RAMC with local labour undertook this duty.

I remember seeing plans for the layout of the camps at the museum in Johannesburg and these were drawn up by the Royal Engineers.

A good place to start would be the reports submitted by Emily Hobhouse.

I am not sure where you are based but the National Archives in London would merit a visit.

Good luck with your research.
David

Hi Jen,

Are you familiar with S.B. Spies "Methods of Barbarism" (1977)? it has a comprehensive list of sources on the concentration camps.

As does (for contemporary reports etc.) Ron Hackett's 'South African War Books - an illustrated bibliography (1994).

Best of luck with the research.

Justin

Forgot to add that the University of Cape Town has a some superb online resources on the Concentration Camps at

www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/

J