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Knockaloe Internment Camp boxing club lapel badge

Date made: 1914-1918

Description: A lead lapel badge with stud fastening produced by the First Knockaloe Boxing Club. CI. CII. (Camp 1 Compound 2). Inscription 'Erster-Knockaloe Box Club CI CII'. This item belonged to Archibald Knox, the artist, who was parcel censor at Knockaloe.

Boxing was a little-known sport in Germany prior to the First World War but it was popular in Knockaloe as a means of passing the time, through inter-compound competitions. The sport was encouraged by the guards, as it was popular in the British Army in this era (indeed, guards often refereed the matches). This is credited with the growth in popularity of boxing in Germany generally in the 1920s and 30s.

Internees were held on the Isle of Man in two camps, a requisitioned holiday camp in Douglas and a purpose built camp located at Knockaloe near Peel on the west coast of the Island. These held at their peaks over 4,000 and 23,000 men in some cases for nearly five years between opening in 1914 and final closure in 1919. Over 30,000 men passed through Knockaloe between 1914 and 1917 more than the population of Douglas the largest town.

Measurements: overall: 2.2 cm

Materials: alloy, lead

Object name: Badge

Collection: Social History Collection

ID Number: 1954-2376

Subject tags : #WW1INTERNMENTMUSEUMCOLLECTIONS

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