Prisoner-of-war experiences
Men were oblivious to the horrors and consequences of war. Governments had not devoted to thinking about how they would treat and accommodate such prisoners. (They created camps of tents or huts when they needed them).In WW1 8 Million people became POW’s through either capture or surrender. Between 1915 and 1918 over 4000 Australians became prisoners of the Turks or Germans (usually in groups). Once captured they were either shot or kept POW.
POWs of the Turks
The very first Australian group to be captured were the 32 members of the AE2, a submarine that the Turks sank in the Sea of Marmara on 30 April 1915. Overall the Turks captured 217 Australian, although more than 25% died in captivity as the condition in the Turkish camps were very poor. The Turkish guards forced the prisoners to undertake 1100km march to the Taurus Mountains and work on construction of the railway under any circumstance, health, etc. they still had to do it. It was a constant battle to survive for the POWs
POWs of the Germans
Overall Germany took 2.5 million prisoners. From 1916 onwards more than 3800 of these were Australian troops on the Western Front. 8% of these men died in captivity. German camps were very similar to the Turkish ones and had similar problems (unhygienic, inadequate food).
Repatriation
Definition – to return to one’s home country after the war has ended. This was generally chaotic and never went to plan. France continued to use POWs as forced labour until 1920 and Russia still had POWs in 1922.
Pre-war regulations
There were rules set out by the treaty resulting from the 1907 international peace conference at The Hague (in Netherlands).
1. They would be ‘humanely treated’
2. Food, clothing and lodging would match the standard of the nation’s own soldiers.
3. They will not be forced to do work and would be compensated for the work they did do.
4. Governments would provide information about them and allow them to send letters home
5. Governments would provide prisoners with goods and services donated for their benefit.
6. Governments would return them to their own countries as soon as possible after the war had ended
All these rules were broken through the duration of WW1.
Men were oblivious to the horrors and consequences of war. Governments had not devoted to thinking about how they would treat and accommodate such prisoners. (They created camps of tents or huts when they needed them).In WW1 8 Million people became POW’s through either capture or surrender. Between 1915 and 1918 over 4000 Australians became prisoners of the Turks or Germans (usually in groups). Once captured they were either shot or kept POW.
POWs of the Turks
The very first Australian group to be captured were the 32 members of the AE2, a submarine that the Turks sank in the Sea of Marmara on 30 April 1915. Overall the Turks captured 217 Australian, although more than 25% died in captivity as the condition in the Turkish camps were very poor. The Turkish guards forced the prisoners to undertake 1100km march to the Taurus Mountains and work on construction of the railway under any circumstance, health, etc. they still had to do it. It was a constant battle to survive for the POWs
POWs of the Germans
Overall Germany took 2.5 million prisoners. From 1916 onwards more than 3800 of these were Australian troops on the Western Front. 8% of these men died in captivity. German camps were very similar to the Turkish ones and had similar problems (unhygienic, inadequate food).
Repatriation
Definition – to return to one’s home country after the war has ended. This was generally chaotic and never went to plan. France continued to use POWs as forced labour until 1920 and Russia still had POWs in 1922.
Pre-war regulations
There were rules set out by the treaty resulting from the 1907 international peace conference at The Hague (in Netherlands).
1. They would be ‘humanely treated’
2. Food, clothing and lodging would match the standard of the nation’s own soldiers.
3. They will not be forced to do work and would be compensated for the work they did do.
4. Governments would provide information about them and allow them to send letters home
5. Governments would provide prisoners with goods and services donated for their benefit.
6. Governments would return them to their own countries as soon as possible after the war had ended
All these rules were broken through the duration of WW1.