Somes Prisoners
Links to other Relevent Websites
Dept of Conservation's webpage & links of Matiu/Somes Island
Dept of Conservation's webpage on the post-European history of Matiu/Somes Island
Dept. of Conservation 2-page pdf information sheet on Matiu/Somes Island
Matiu/Somes Island - Modern photos - which are slow loading
Remains of Anti-Aircraft batteries from WWII, Somes Island - The WWII internees were removed to a new purpose-built internment camp at Pahiatua while these batteries were active. However, they later came back to the desolate and wind-swept island camp when Polish refugee children were given the Pahiatua camp in the latter stage of the war.
South African (Boer) War database - 20 deaths on Somes (and scroll down)
Famous cavalry horse 'Major' quarantined after Boer War on Somes
The 'Leper' of Somes Island (actually Mokopuna Island adjoining Matiu/Somes)
Shipwreck information - the 'Defender' blew up off Somes Island 2 August 1918
Re German internment on Somes Island WWI & WWII: The Western Samoan Nazi Party
Prisoners of War from Samoa to Somes Island - WWI (and scroll down) See other 'Defence Force Jottings' on related matters on the same website.
Archives NZ article on a part-Japanese, part Maori man interned briefly on Somes in WWII
Webpage including Amerigo Tavan, NZ-Italian interned on Somes in WWII
NZ Herald, 27 January 2003: Italian sailing ship circles Somes Island in honour of Italian POWs held there in WWI
Matiu/Somes Biographical & Genealogical websites
George Dibbern: Sailor, citizen of the world, and POW on Somes in both World Wars
Burials on Somes Island - Not burials of deceased interned enemy aliens. They are buried at Karori Cemetery
Island of Secrets. A History of Matiu/Somes Island, by David McGill (2001). (Recommended general overview of the island's whole history, and very good chapters on the two Internment Camps.)
Out of the Shadow of War: The German Connection with New Zealand in the Twentieth Century, James Bade (Ed.). (Good chapters and personal interviews re the two Internment Camps.)
Novel on the WWII camp: Live Bodies by Maurice Gee (I am yet to finish reading my copy, but perhaps as a historian familiar with the island, I am just a bit hard to please!!)
The Featherston Chronicles: A Legacy of Way, by Mike Nicolaidi (This book is about the Japanese POW camp at Featherston (near Wellington) during WWII. While not about Somes, it gives an insight into the times and what else was going on in the 'enemy locking up' field in NZ at the time. A website containing info on the notorious 'Featherston Massacre' which occurred there [where the guards machine-gunned and killed many Japanese POWs] may be read by clicking here. That website is partially in response to the book. A useful review 'A view from inside the wire' by a journalist whose father was one of the guards concerned, is worth also reading.)
The Voyage of the 'Collingwood', 1875, by Bob Molesworth (2000) A ship that ended its voyage from England quarantined at Somes in 1875,and based in part on the diary of the author's grandfather during the voyage.
A Bibliography of useful books on NZ's coastal defences etc., including Somes Island See also the page on coastal defences
Von Luckner: A Reassessment: Count Felix von Luckner in NZ & the South Pacific 1917-1919 & 1938 - 2004 historical reassessment by James N. Bade from the Germanica Pacifica series, exploring the facts and fictions surrounding the infamous German raider commander who was interned in WWI on Motuihi Island, while some of his men were on Somes.
Dark Sun: Te Rapunga & the Quest of George Dibbern - 2004 biography by Erika Grundmann, of one of only two men who managed to get interned on Somes Island in both World Wars, having been deported back to Germany with most of the internees in 1919. A very intriguing character.
The Swap - 2004 novel, by Wendy Catran,l on the families of Tonga-based Japanese who were brought to NZ for internment in 1941. The menfolk were interned on Somes.
Resource Websites on General New Zealand History etc.
NZ History.net.nz An invaluable online resource provided by the NZ Ministry of Heritage & Culture
Te Puna Web Directory: A directory to NZ & Pacific Island websites operated by the National Library of NZ
Papers Past: NZ Newspaper & Periodicals operated by the National Library of NZ
Department of Conservation (which manages Matiu/Somes Island)
Archives New Zealand (i.e. 'National Archives' reincarnated)
Wellington Harbour Webcam showing Matiu/Somes Island (island/s at left) See also the main NZ webcam page.
Resource Websites on related Military matters
CWGC - Commonwealth War Graves Commission (It does not cover the Somes POW deaths, although any former guards who were later killed on overseas service will probably be mentioned.)
Wright's Hill Fortress Restoration Society Inc. (Wellington)
New Zealand War Links (Lots of links)
Other POW & Internment Camps in New Zealand
Motuihe Island (WWI) - held the 'first class' internees, including those from Western Samoa
Motuihe Island - Also its European History
Ripapa Island (WWI) & more info - held 3 POWs including von Luckner
North Head (WWI) - held a handful of POWs
Pahiatua Polish Camp (formerly the internment camp in place of Somes 1943-4 - WWII) Also Tararua's webpage on this
Websites about German and non-Allied POW Camps (i.e. holding German and non-Allied POWs)
German Prisoners Of World War II (A very useful website covering the topic internationally)
POW & Internment Camps in Australia during WWII & Tatura Internment & POW Camp, Victoria, Australia
German-Australia - useful website, especially Internment of Germans in Australia in WWI & Tatura Internment Camp in WWII
World War I - Liverpool Internment Camp (Australia's largest) at Holdsworthy (later called Holsworthy), Sydney. See also: History of Holsworthy - Military Heritage
National Trust Classification document on Holsworthy Landscape Conservation Area - and see 'Industrial History Sites'
World War I - Knockaloe Civilian Internment Camp, Isle of Man - and also Internment & main page
Websites about Allied POW camps (i.e. holding Allied POWs)
The National Ex-Prisoner of War Association see also its links page.
World War II - Prisoners of War - Stalag Luft I (Barth, Germany) See also its Links page.
World War I - Ruhleben Civilian Internment Camp, Berlin , #2 (photos of pictures made by internees), #3 (biography of inmate)
World War I - Ruhleben records at Harvard Law School (A very important collection, albeit offline)
Websites about other POW camps
Andersonville, the notorius Confederate POW camp from the American Civil War including links and means to trace info on inmates. Other useful sites: #1 , #2 (incl. photos & links), #3, #4 (photos & maps), #5 (book by an ex-inmate), #6 (execution of its former commandant) #7 (list of Civil War prisons) There are also many other sites available in a net search.
American Prisoners of War that died at the British Interment Camp at Halifax, Nova Scotia in the War of 1812
Books on Overseas Enemy Alien POW camps
POW: Behind Canadian Barbed Wire by David J. Carter - This website gives the book quite a bit of useful coverage. There are also some useful Links on the website, although some failed to work
A Time for Atonement - Canada's First National Internment Operations and the Ukrainian Canadians 1914-1920, by Lubomyr Luciuk (The Limestone Press, 1988 - an online booklet nowadays)
Conventions of War relative to POWs on Somes
The Hague Convention: 1899-1954, especially 1899-1900 (Ch. II) & 1907-10 (Ch II)
Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (1929) - and another version
Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (1949-50 - post-Somes obviously- See the ICRC website for a brief overview of both Geneva Conventions) - and another version
Miscellaneous on Guard-Prisoner matters
The
Stanford Prison Experiment: A Simulation Study of the Psychology of
Imprisonment Conducted at Stanford University - 1971
Wildlife on Matiu/Somes Island
Rabbits (!)
Eastbourne, NZ (destination [at Day's Bay wharf - pictured] of the harbour ferry)
Hutt City's website (the council from the Lower Hutt area that covers Matiu/Somes Island, including a photo of the island, which you can even send as an e-postcard)
Some Resources used for this Website
Button Set www.freebuttons.com
Background: Oops! Can't find it now. It came from a free site located via a Google search
Some key (b&w) clipart - Amnesty-Volunteer.org (indirectly associated with Amnesty International)
