Cairnbaan Camp Argyllshire – Labour camp phase circa 1937
The images are sourced with help from Janet Quarton (a one time resident in the camp) and also other contributors. The year when the photograph was taken is currently not certain. This will form part of a sequence on Cairnbaan Camp over a period of time as data is gathered.
The history of this camp possibly begins about 1936 but many labour camps were constructed before this date and certainly from the 1930s onwards. They appear to have been designed to house around 200 occupants probably in addition to cooks, drivers and other supervisory staff. There is an indication from Glentress anyway that the men were very well fed and even had hot meals taken to them out on the work site in special hay insulated containers.
Ministry of Labour Instructional Centres and Camps. FC Annual Report1934
“In 1930 the training for overseas was discontinued and there emerged the Ministry's present training scheme whereby unem¬ployed men from areas of heavy and prolonged unemployment are given a three months' training course to develop physical fitness.
In England and Wales 25, and in Scotland three, centres and camps have been established on or near land belonging to the Commissioners, who have been concerned mainly with the provision of different types of manual work for the trainees. The work provided is such as would not for economic reasons be under¬taken at present. It includes clearing sites for forest roads, quarry¬ing stone and laying road foundations, the building of bridges and culverts, land drainage, scrub clearing and grubbing roots. There are standing arrangements for calling for volunteers among the trainees to assist the Commission's staff to control and extinguish forest fires. Consideration is being given to the establishment of additional centres.”
Unemployment Training Camps. FC Annual Report 1937
“The Commissioners have continued to co-operate with the Ministry of Labour in providing sites for training camps and work for the men. The work includes fire protection, clearing and road-making. During the year under review eight new-centres were opened, two were closed permanently (Mortimer and Rockingham) and one was closed temporarily (Glenbranter). At the end of the year there were 20 permanent camps (including one non-residential) and nine summer camps with a total accommodation for 5,320 men; these are, situated in or near the following forests: (England and Wales) Allerston, Ampleforth, Bourne, Brechfa, Coed-y-brenin, Dovey, Gwydyr, Hamsterley, Haldon, Kershope, Kielder, The King's Forest, Langdale, Redesdale, Rendlesham, Rheola, Thetford; (Scotland) Glenbranter, Glenfinart, Glentress, Knapdale.”
Foresters looking over the list of names will be aware that many of the centres in time evolved into forest offices and workshops as well as even Forester Training Schools (Glentress and Gwydyr).
It is difficult to judge from the image and surrounding detail whether this is an image of the camp shortly after building completion or at the early stages of the first groups of trainee placements. A few figures can just be seen among the buildings and roads. Again there is no indication here if the Cairnbaan (Knapdale) camp was a permanent or a summer camp.
It is interesting to note that there appears to be electricity transmission poles to the huts and certainly a host of chimneys from what could be assumed wood, coal or coke stoves located in open spaces in each building. Can anyone say when electricity first came to this area?
Most of the buildings have been numbered in a sequence, the same sequence as used in other follow up images of the camp on this website. Building 10 appears to have a number of chimneys or perhaps the pipes are toilet vents leading to a supposition this could be an ablutions and shower hut. Again where were the kitchen cookers and the dining halls?
Building 14 is a bit of mystery as it could be accommodation for the camp supervisor with a chimney at one end but has a large end opening/door unless the porch has yet to be added with the figures shown as being workmen?
Perhaps someone may have an idea of the camp layout as and instructional centre. One assumes it would not have changed that much in its second role as a wartime prisoner of war camp. The story of the Glentress camp, located also on this website, appears to have followed the exact same path as it too was taken over by the Forestry Commission after service as a POW institution.
Note the Crinan canal lock and surrounding houses.
Any comments and further information very welcome indeed.
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3 Comments
It seems to have become officially pow camp 24 in 1942, (probably in the first few days of May, just after Camp 24 in Knutsford closed - camp numbers were often re-used).
It is the only camp I am aware of that held Japanese pows in the UK. 1 man died - Nisaburo Murai - from a heart attack in 1942. He was buried at the nearby Achnabreck Cemetery.
There is a story that some Italian pows escaped from the camp and then returned as there was nowhere to go and the local conditions were so bleak.
At some point Vichy French pows were held here for a short time, (detail from ‘Temporary Settlements and Transient Populations’ by J Anthony Hellen).
Comment left on 14 May 2023 at 12:46 by Malcolm Sanders
"The visit to the Japanese detention camp in Scotland
In 1906 Japan imported its first trawlboat and began building their own,
and gradually increasing their fleets. When the First World War began, Japanese trawlboats were purchased by Britain, Italy and France as mine sweepers. At that time the cost per boat was 50,000 - 80,000 yen but the boats were purchased for 150,000 - 260,000 yen.
According to the Fisheries Agency, 192 boats were sold as mine sweepers from 1915 and at least 1 whaling ship which was built and exported from Osaka in 1907. It is presumed that these ships were delivered by Japanese seamen and there is no doubt that some of the seamen who delivered the ships decided to stay in Britain. Many seamen married with British girls and the Japanese population in Britain increased from 500 before the War to 1500 after the War, The seamen who remained worked for British ships after the War but whenever the Second World War began in 1941 they were taken to Isle of Man. It was mainly seamen who lived and worked here since before the First World War who were transferred to Scotland.
The Second World War began and in December 1941 Japanese people in Britain were taken to the detention camp and in March 1942 the seamen were transferred to Scotland. The detention camp in the Isle of Man was run by the Department of State and guarded by Scotland-Yard whereas the camp in Scotland was a Prisoner of War camp (POW), controlled by the Army. 58 seamen were transferred to Scotland their average age was 50 (the oldest being 67). Was it really necessary to take such old people to the POW camp since they had worked for Britain during the First World War, married British girls and already made their homes here?
The Scottish POW camp was called Cnappdale (?) Camp, situated in Cairnbaan in Argyle and Bute District. We asked the villagers about the camp and met Mrs Fairlie who delivered meals to the camp. She still remembered the Italians and Germans who often ran away but recalled that the Japanese were very quiet.
We also visited Mr and Mrs Batchelor in Lochgilphead. Mr Batchelor worked for the camp for 3 or 4 years from 1939, he also remembered the Japanese as very quiet and causing no problems at all. Also he recalled cutting woods in the hills with the Japanese to burn for warmth. The Japanese were quite ingenious, with some of them making wooden toys and selling them in local shops where they sold well at the Christmas.
According to Mr Batchelor, the seamen were treated similarly to those in detention camp at the Isle of Man camp. He added the conditions at the camp were not like a POW camp, detainees and guards ate the same foods which were brought from outside and the detainees stayed in a former youth center while the guards stayed in tents even in winter. The Japanese were very quiet and although they did not speak English well, there were no problems. We spoke to them through their spokesmen.
On 14th May 1942, Mr Nisaburo Murai died in the camp. His grave is between Lochailphead and Cairnbaan and on his simple grave stone we read "Donkey Man, Nisaburo Murai 14th May 1942," A donkey man is an assistant engineer on a ship. The War Office controlled domestic and foreign affairs during the war, in 1930 there were 790 Japanese males and 176 females in Britain excluding children under 16 and diplomatic officials.
When the Second World War began about 300 left Britain and returned back to Japan while about 500 remained including Japanese women who were married to Britains. 114 were detained at Isle of Man camp and then from there 58 were moved to Scotland. Of the 114, 1 died, 47 left Britain by themselves, 66 were released or exchanged and left Britain. By September 1943 only 24 were left."
Comment left on 24 May 2023 at 20:37 by Norman Davidson