First World War internee drawing of Knockaloe Camp
Date made: 1915-1918
Description: A pencil sketch of Knockaloe camp by P.O. Flugge showing the waterlogged conditions in the camp. The sketch shows an internee walking on stilts, an internee walking with his trousers rolled up and wearing blocks on his boots to keep him out of the water and another wading through calf deep water. The pencil sketch appears to be a study of the figures in MNH collection ID Number: 2008-0170/11. The drawing is mounted on brown card.
Background:
During the First World War (1914-1918) the Isle of Man was used as an internment base for civilian ‘enemy aliens’. They were held in two camps, a requisitioned holiday camp in Douglas and a purpose built camp located at Knockaloe near Peel on the west coast of the Island. These held at their peaks over 4,000 and 23,000 men in some cases for nearly five years between opening in 1914 and final closure in 1919. Over 30,000 men passed through Knockaloe between 1914 and 1917, more than the population of Douglas. Other historic names referring to the camp include Knockaloe P.O.W. Camp, Knockaloe Prisoner of War Camp and Knockaloe Alien Detention Camp.
Measurements: overall: 12.7 cm x 9 cm
Materials: paper
Object name: drawing
Collection: Art Collection
ID number: 2008-0170/12
Subject tags : #WW1INTERNMENTMUSEUMCOLLECTIONS