f.3. Albertus Arnoldus VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, geb. 07/01/1835

f.3.  Albertus Arnoldus, geb. 07/01/1835, oorl. 01/12/1918 x Anna Maria VAN NIEKERK, geb. c. 1840, oorl. 13/07/1896, Rooderand, Kroonstad, OVS, d.v. Adriaan Erasmus van Niekerk en Claudina Johanna van den Heever

Albertus Arnoldus was die seun van Albertus Arnoldus van der Westhuizen en Catharina van den Heever.

Sy naam kom voor in hulle ma se sterfkennis van 1869.

The first sizable batch of Boer prisoners of war taken by the British consisted of those captured at the battle of Elandslaagte on 21 October 1899, which resulted in the capture of 188 Boer prisoners. No camps had been prepared and by arrangement with the Naval authorities these prisoners (approximately 200 men) were temporarily housed on the naval guard ship HMS Penelope in Simon's Bay. Several ships were used as floating prisoner of war camps until permanent camps were established at Greenpoint, Cape Town and Bellevue, Simonstown. The first prisoners were accommodated in Bellevue on 28 February 1900. Wounded prisoners were sent to the old Cape Garrison Artillery Barracks at Simonstown which had been converted into the Palace hospital. The first wounded arrived on 2 November 1899.

Towards the end of 1900 with the first invasion of the Cape Colony the prisoners at Cape Town and Simonstown were placed on board ships. At the end of December 1900 some 2550 men were placed on board the Kildonan Castle where they remained for six weeks before they were removed to two other transports at Simons' bay.

The camp at Ladysmith, Natal was in use from 20 December 1900 until January 1902. It was mainly used as a staging camp although it had some 120 prisoners of war. Another staging camp was also established at Umbilo in Natal.

As the number of prisoners grew, for example at Paardeberg, the decision was taken to hold the prisoners away from South Africa. Why overseas? There was nowhere that was suitable in South Africa. There was the problems of transport, the possibility that prisoners might be freed by their comrades and the burden of feeding the men. Of the 28,000 Boer men captured as prisoners of war, 25,630 were sent overseas. (https://www.geni.com/projects/Anglo-Boere-Oorlog-Boer-War-1899-1902-Prisoners-Of-War/12770)

Prisoners of War

Surname
VAN DER WESTHUIZEN
Name
ALBERTUS ARNOLDUS
Age
67
Address
VAALKRANS
District
HEILBRON
Where Captured
RHENOSTER RIVER
When Captured
1901/08/10
Camp
Dagshai
Country
Indië
Ship (To)
Onbekend
Ship (Back)
POW Number
22460