Internment Camps in New Zealand 1914 – 1919

Two internment camps were established in 1914, one in Auckland on Motuihe Island and the other in Wellington on Somes Island, both of which were immediately prior to this use and subsequently, quarantine stations. To these camps, aliens from New Zealand and its territories, including the Cook Islands, were sent shortly after the outbreak of war in 1914. Later in the year, following the occupation of German Samoa, aliens from there were also interned in these camps. Included amongst the internees were a few unlucky merchant navy personnel who were in ships in New Zealand waters on the outbreak of war.

Count Felix von Luckner and some of his crew joined the internees in August 1917, following the stranding of his ship, SMSSeeadler. They were split between Somes Island and Motuihewith von Luckner and his navigator being sent to Motuihe. In December von Luckner, his navigator and some merchant navy cadets escaped from the island. To give the cadets military status, von Luckner commissioned them as cadets in the German Naval Reserve. They were recaptured later in the month and split between different camps, although von Luckner was eventually returned to Motuihe.

With the end of the war, there was a requirement to repatriate the German nationals who had been interned, however, the priority for shipping was the return of troops from overseas. The outbreak of the influenza epidemic necessitated the reactivation of the quarantine stations and the by now, harmless German nationals, were housed in military establishments. Some fromMotuihe were held at the Torpedo Depot in Devonport for a short time, before being moved to Narrow Neck Military Camp. Similarly, I assume, those from Somes Island were sent to Featherston Military Camp. They were progressively repatriated, most between May and June 1919.

Thanks to Michael Wynd, RNZN Museum for the article.