HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2020
TNA FO 383/436/21942 dated 5th Feb 1918 is a belated acknowledgement that "certain German prisoners arrested at the outbreak of of war were interned at Reading until recently. They appear to have been overlooked in Major Kings letter, which was written without reference to H.O. [Home Office] - as to B.H. Rohls refers to H.O. letter of Dec 28"
One comment states "As letters have no doubt gone to Germany from Ps/W [PoWs] at Reading it is no use to mince matters by merely saying there are no Ps/W at Reading. ? Reply to Mr Carlin [Swiss legation handling German interests] in sense of H.O ..with copy corrected on this paper to W.O."
"There will probably be trouble about this, there was certainly a short time ago, one German prisoner at Reading who was arrested on the outbreak of war, and who had never been tried" sgnd N [Lord Newton]
The letter to the War Office
Sir, reply to your letter of the 31st ultimo (15642 / 1218/P) forwarding copies of papers relating to the place of Internment at Reading, I am directed by the Secretary of State to suggest that it should be explained to the Swis Legation that in the Place of Internment at Reading there were interned among other persons until recently certain German prisoners who were arrested at or shortly after the outbreak of war in circumstances which rendered it undesirable that they should be placed among the ordinary prisoners of war in camps. Eventutally towards the end of 1917 they were transferred to the prisoners of war camp at Knockaloe. These prisoners were under the control of the Home office and appear to have been overlooked in Major Larking's note of the 23rd July to Captain Schwyzer which was written without reference to this Department .
As regards B.H.Rohls I am to suggest that the Swiss Legation should be informed to the effect of the Home Office letter of the 28th December 1917.
In a note attached to the draft B.H.Rohls is noted as naturalized British
These prisoners were the 36 German prisoners noted in the Knockaloe Arrivals register noted as transferred from Reading to Camp III and entered in the register as admitted on the 25 November 1917. They were almost certainly placed in Camp III Compound 4 which at the time was being used to house those with a criminal inclination and which internees were not granted any passes to leave this compound. .
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