Sunday History Photo / SA

On the outbreak of war in September 1939 Germans who were considered dangerous to the security of Australia were rounded up and held by the Provost Corps at Keswick Barracks, SA. Prior to being transferred to Internment camps in the Eastern States, mainly Victoria.
Australia having agreed to accept Internees from the UK a plan was formulated and on the approval of Southern Command on July 12th 1940 sites were selected at Loveday Near Barmera SA.

Inside one of the Camp Compounds

The location of the camps was most suitable as it was well away from the seaboard.
The first 2 camps known as Camp No 9 and No 10 and each consisting of 40 buildings, the camps were one and half miles apart and built by civilian contractors, each compound held up to 1000 persons.
With Japan entering the war it became evident that many Japanese would have to be placed in compounds. The Australian Government reached an agreement with the Netherland East Indies and the French to hold Japanese on their behalf.
It was recommended that the aerodrome at Loveday near Camp 10 be taken over for the purpose of holding Japanese, the idea was approved and Army HQ issued a new type of plan which was to be 4 compounds within one perimeter. Each compound was to hold 1000 Internees and was named Camp 14.
The 3 camps were constructed solely for the purpose of housing Internees or PoW's and were employed on wood cutting projects.
The compounds were surrounded by a 6 foot barbed wire fence with a 3 foot Dannert Concertina wire alongside the fence on either side.
On 11th June 1941 the first arrival of 458 Italian Internee were transferred from Hay NSW and were placed in No 1 POW Camp which was previously called No 10 Internment Camp.
On 12th June 1941 another 402 Italians arrived from Hay, the group included the Captain and Crew of the Italian Motor Ship, "Romolo"
21st of July 1941 a payment of 1 shilling per day per person who wished to work was sanctioned, Under the Geneva Convention a Civilian Internee need not work where as a POW had to if ordered. Jan' 1st 1942 marked the first death in the Loveday Camps, it was an Italian Internee S/n 9094 Pannozzo , he was buried at the Barmera Cemetery.
On 5th Jan' 1942 seen the arrival of 50 Japanese from Adelaide River NT.
30th April 42 a tunnel was discovered by the guards starting within the compound of No 10 and had reached the perimeter wire, a mass escape was prevented.
Up to 15th August 1945 , 115 Internees died and 1 PoW.

GERMAN INTERNEES LOADING BALES OF POPPY HEADS ONTO A TRUCK

JAPANESE INTERNEES CUTTING UP AND PREPARING TOMATOES FOR SEED EXTRACTION

Japanese Internees Planting seeds

POULTRY PROJECT, A LANYON ELECTRIC INCUBATOR WHICH HAD A CAPACITY OF 4000 EGGS

The Piggery at Loveday Internment camp

Even today I feel a little sorry for the Italian and German Internees held in Australia during WW2 The Italians and the Germans that lived in Australia pre WW2 did a lot of good for the country, with the Italians growing our Sugar in Nth Queensland in particular the Ingham district and the Germans with the Vineyards of the Barossa Valley and other locations, and I might add they are still serving their adopted country with pride in the same industries.


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