Free State, WINBURG, Concentration Camp Memorial and cemetery (3)

The little town of Winburg, located on the march north from Bloemfontein to Kroonstad, bore the full brunt of the British troops after the Free State was captured. Winburg is a puzzling camp. It was not particularly unhealthy despite complaints to the contrary. The constant movement of Boer families between Bloemfontein and Winburg made it impossible to prevent the spread of epidemic disease and scurvy had made its appearance by August 1901. The hospital was small and unable to cope with the growing number of typhoid cases and there was no provision at all for children who should be separated from the adults, the medical officers explained. The camps were overcrowded and there was not enough water for the people to wash properly. The children who were coming to the dispensary were filthy, the doctors complained. Then, on 13 July 1901, a large group from Bloemfontein brought measles with them. But the epidemic was dealt with promptly. A separate measles camp was set up, under the care of the admirable Dutch volunteer nurse, Sister Bakkes, with the two doctors alternating weekly in their supervision of the measles camp. This quick response could not prevent the spread of the epidemic through the camp but it may have reduced mortality, for the death rate in Winburg was relatively low. Prisoners-of-war who were still returning prevented the closure of the camp and in January there were still 150 people lingering, primarily because of lack of transport. Winburg was finally closed on 6 January 1903. (Source: https://www2.lib.uct.ac.za/mss/bccd/Histories/Winburg/) Cemetery information:- Album incomplete. GGSA photos donated by the GGSA Cemetery CD. eGGSA captions by: Celeste Rachmann, Heleen Nel, Sandie Williams, Dal Good, James Anderson & Riana le Roux. Information also available on the GGSA Cemetery DVD Cemetery ID: 1245 - 539 Names Cemetery ID: 1938 - 367 names from cemetery register Army register of refugee camp graves:- Cemetery ID:6873 GPSID: 8261 Names: 353 Google Earth Project Information:- GPSID: 1242 GPS: –28 31.133, 27 00.035