Home   Index   Subjects   Locations   Map   Missing   Search   Links   Email   >

Kapuskasing Internment Camp 1914-1920

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted July, 2006

Photo by contributor Anonymous - Posted February, 2014

Plaque Location

The District of Cochrane
The Town of Kapuskasing
At the Ron Morel Memorial Museum, on McPherson Avenue
just south of the Trans-Canada Highway
Note: The plaque was at another location when the first photo was taken in 2006.

Coordinates: N 49 24.752 W 82 25.461

Plaque Text

When the First World War began, Canada established internment camps to detain persons viewed as security risks. Prejudice and wartime paranoia led to the needless internment of several thousand recent immigrants. The majority were Ukrainians whose homeland was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. One of the largest camps was built across the river from here at a remote railway siding. Despite harsh conditions, some 1,300 internees constructed buildings and cleared hundreds of hectares of spruce forest for a government experimental farm. In 1917 most were paroled to help relieve wartime labour shortages. Thereafter the camp held prisoners of war and political radicals, including leaders of the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike.

Another plaque at this location
Founding of Kapuskasing

Related Ontario plaque
Detention of Second World War Prisoners of War

More
Information

More
Assorted Places

More
Kapuskasing Plaques

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted February 12, 2015
I believe my grand uncle was interred here at one point. His name was Friedrich Gerull. I have a post card addressed to the prison camp in Kingston by a brother Heinz. I also found online a record of a Fred Gerull on a list being repatriated on the ship Pretorian in 1919. I was wondering if anyone has more information on him.
I am also descended from the original settlers of Quebec but that is another story.
Thank you for any information. I know these camps were something most wanted to forget but being my grand uncle was German and most likely captured by the English and interred in Canada at their request, I was hoping maybe more information was available.
Janice Reynolds

> Posted November 24, 2009
The Internment Camp Cemetery, just opposite the Kap cemetery on Highway 11 West of Kap, is a related site that we've visited also. A statue and plaque remind us of the history related to the town's internment camp. Such a small site for a memorial, you'd miss it if you blink on the way past! We only know about it from geocaching in the area (there's one on this site). We're glad to have come to the site and read of the war's impact on such an inland area.
Denis Gionet

Here's where you can sent me a comment for this page.

Note: Your email address will be posted at the end of your comment so others can respond to you unless you request otherwise.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours (usually much sooner).

Note: As soon as I have posted your comment, a reply to your email will be sent informing you.

To send me your comment, click .

Thanks
Alan L Brown
Webmaster

Note: If you wish to send me a personal email, click .

Home   Index   Subjects   Locations   Map   Missing   Search   Links   Email   >