Tourism, Accommodation and Historical Attractions in Natal, South Africa
The Natal Battlefields
The Second Boer War - The Umbilo Concentration Camp.
NATAL
tourism
The Umbilo Boer Prisoner of War (POW) camp was created during March 1902 to replace the Tin Town camp in Ladysmith which had become difficult to maintain
The Second Boer War - The Umbilo Concentration Camp.
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It was also logistically too far away from the Durban harbour from which Boer POWs were deported to India, Bermuda, St. Helena and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
The approximately 800 permanent residents of this camp were mostly officers, "penkoppe" (young bulls), old men and those who signed oaths of allegiance to Britain. The prisoners were housed in tents and busied themselves during the day by playing sport, carving artefacts or just lazing about.
Many temporary Boer POWs spent time here either on their way to the harbour to be deported or to be repatriated home after peace had been signed. The POWs who died were buried either at sea or in the West Street cemetery.
