Between the devil and the deep blue sea - University of Canterbury

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In all, the Dutch interned around 4,500 Gennan and 6,000 British POW S.IOO This
was well below the 16,000 set at the British-Gennan conference. 101 One reason why the
target was not reached had to do with the perils of sea travel - the war at sea precluded
regular hospital ship crossings. 102 More importantly, treacherous seas had a profound
impact on food supplies within the Netherlands. Although both Germany and Britain
promised to help feed internees, food shipments had trouble getting across the Channel. It
was difficult enough for the Dutch to feed themselves, especially during the winter of 1917
and 1918 when rationing for civilians was especially harsh in the cities. 103 The Dutch
authorities did not feel they could guarantee the standard of nourishment for internees
required by law, and therefore felt it unwarranted to take in more mouths to feed.
Eventually, the Dutch government decided to ration all internees at the same rate
as Dutch civilians, including a bread allocation that was cut in April 1918 from 250 to 200
grammes per day. 104 British authorities voiced their concerns and argued that their soldiers
(unlike Dutch civilians) had great trouble supplementing their diet because they had little
discretionary money. They hoped to settle the situation by sending more grain. 105 The Dutch
public already felt unenthusiastic towards the foreigners (because of the burden placed on
resources) and for this reason alone, the govennnent felt obligated to keep the internees'
ration on a par with its citizens. 106 Internees in Hardewijk rioted later that year because of
the lack of food. 107 As we will see in Chapter 12, the precursors for this riot did not differ
much from those of Dutch soldiers at the Harskamp barracks who rioted in October 1918,
and who, incidentally, had a much larger ration appOliioned to them than civilians and
internees.
100 Klinkert, "Internering van vreemde militairen" pp. 2448 - 2449.
101 Oranjeboek: lYfededeelillgen vall dell Minister vall Bllitenlandsche Zaken aall de Staten-Generaal December 1916
- April 1918 pp. 77 - 78; Roodt, "De uitwisseling en intel11ering" pp. 8 - 10.
102 Roodt, Oorlogsgasten p. 336.
103 For further information on rationing, see: Chapter 9, pp. 310 - 324.
104 Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Trade, F. E. Posthuma, to Minister of Foreign Affairs, 21 January 1918;
Central Bread Office (Centraal Brood Kantoor) to Head of the Service for Interned Prisoners of War, General-Major
Onnen, 13 April 1918, both in ARA, "Archieven van de Dienst del' Gelnterneerde Krijgsgevangenen 1917 - 1919"
[Archive ofthe Service ofInterned Prisoners of War 1917 - 1919] entry no. 2.05.42, inventory no. 2 and 4.
105 Director of British Prisoners of War Department to Head of the Service for Interned Prisoners of War, 16 January
1918, in ARA, "Archieven van de Dienst del' Gelnterneerde Krijgsgevangenen 1917 - 1919" entry no. 2.05.42,
inventory no. 2.
106 Roodt, Oorlogsgasten pp. 282 - 283.
107 Laporte, "Belgische gelnterneerden in Nederland" pp. 62 - 63.