Katarapko Wood Camp was a
World War II prisoner of war camp, located on
Katarapko Island Katarapko may refer to any of the following places in South Australia:
* Hundred of Katarapko , a cadastral unit
*Katarapko, South Australia, a locality
*Katarapko Game Reserve, a former protected area
* Katarapko Island, an island within the ...
, on the
River Murray
The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest ...
near
Loxton, in
South Australia's Riverland. It was officially part of the Loveday POW Camp complex, and housed
Italian prisoners of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold priso ...
, who were employed as wood cutters for the
Allied
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
war effort. It was similar to wood camps throughout South Australia at the time, including two others attached to the Loveday POW camps -
Moorook West (Wood Camp) and
Woolenook (Wood Camp)
Woolenook Wood Camp was a World War II internment and prisoner of war camp in the Australian state of South Australia located Murtho along the River Murray, in the state's Riverland. It was officially part of the Loveday POW Camp complex, and ...
.
The camp consisted of a tented compound, surrounded by barbed wire. The first Italian prisoners arrived at the camp on 3 May 1942.
The camp guard was provided by members of the 25/33 Garrison Battalion, a
militia unit of the
Australian Army.
Cut timber was used as fuel for the power station and the pumping station at
Berri.
See also
*
List of POW camps in Australia
This is a list of prisoner of war camps in Australia during World War II.
During World War II many enemy aliens were interned in Australia under the ''National Security Act 1939''. Prisoners of war were also sent to Australia from other Allied co ...
*
Loveday Camp 9
*
Loveday Camp 10
*
Loveday Camp 14
References
{{reflist
External links
Australian National Archives factsheet about Loveday POW & Internee Camp, South Australia
World War II prisoner-of-war camps in Australia
Military camps in Australia
History of South Australia
Riverland