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

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for them in Bergen. 121 The camp filled so quickly that many had no choice but to reside
outside it - causing further consternation among locals. 122
Because they received next to no help from the Dutch state or chmitable
organisations, some deserters lived in atrocious conditions. Van Terwisga uncovered a case
of 14 impoverished deserters in Eindhoven in February 1917, who did not even own a
change of clothes. 123 Aside from the establishment of a camp at Bergen, the Dutch did very
little for the foreigners. Citizens in Limburg even requested that deserters not be sent to
them unless work was guaranteed before they arrived. There was a concern that public
safety was at threat if large groups of unemployed strangers roamed the streets. 124
During the major advances on the Western Front in 1918, the Dutch expected
another large influx of soldiers (internees, deserters and escaped POW s). This time, they
were prepared and established two quarantine and processing stations at Venlo and
Sittard. 125 They processed all foreign military personnel, including deserters and escaped
POW s at the stations, a procedure that included registration, health checks, qum-antine (if
necessary) and eventual internment or travel elsewhere in the Netherlands. 126 After a while,
Venlo's quarantine station became responsible solely for Gennan and Austria-Hungarian
deserters. 127 Unlike October 1914, however, another internee epidemic did not eventuate. 128
121 Commander in Limburg to Commander of the Field Army, 10 July 1917; Commander of Koninldijke
Marechallssee Division 1 to Commander of the Field Army, 14 February 1917, both in ARA, "Archiefvan het
Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry no. 2.13.16, inventory no. 229; Nagelhout, "De toelating en internering van
belligerente troepen" p. 23.
122 Commander in Limburg to Commander of the Field Army, 25 August 1917, in ARA, "Archiefvan het
Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry no. 2.13 .16, inventory no. 229.
123 Commander in Limburg to Commander of the Field Army, 10 February 1917, in ARA, "Archiefvan het
Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry no. 2.13.16, inventory no. 229.
124 Commander Koninklijke Marechaussee Division 2 to Commander of the Field Army, 22 May 1917, in ARA,
"Archiefvan het Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry no. 2.13.16, inventory no. 229.
125 Commander in Limburg to Commander of the Field Army, 10 July 1917, in ARA, "Archiefvan het Hoofdkwartier
Veldleger" entry no. 2.13.16, inventory no. 229; Commander of the Field Army, Report, July 1918, in ARA,
"Archieven van de Generale Star' entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no. 696.
126 Author unknown, "Voorbereidingsmaatregelen voor de M.G.D. met het oog op een intocht van burgervluchtelingen,
deserteurs en te intemeeren troepen, over de Zuidgrens" [Preparatory measures for the M.G .D.
(Military Medical Service) with eye on the arrival across the southem border of civilian refugees, deserters and
internable troops] 1918, in ARA, "Archief van het Hoofdkwartier Veldleger" entry no. 2.13.16, inventory no. 372.
127 Commander Division IV, "Verslag ingevolge art. 6 van de Wet van 23 Mei 1899 (staatsblad No 128 betreffende
de uitoefening van het Militair Gezag in de provincien Noord- Brabant, Limburg en Gelderland bezuiden van den
Boven- Rijn (voor een deel ook wei "Bijlandsche Kanaal" geheeten) en de Waal, buiten het gebied der Stellingen en
afzonderlijke Forten, alsmede in de Gemeenten Standdaardbuiten en Zevenbergen en in het gedeelte van de
Gemeente Rilland- Bath, gelegen op den N oord- Brabantschen wal van de Ooster- en Wester- Schelde" [Report
corresponding to Article 6 of the law of 23 May 1899 (Staatsblad no. 128) regarding the exercise of Military
Authority in the provinces North Brabant, Limburg and Gelderland south of the Higher Rhine (in part also known as
the "Bijlandsche Kanaal") and the Waal, outside the areas of the fortifications and lone-standing forts, as well as the