Fact sheet 58 – World War I internee, alien and POW records held in Canberra

Introduction

Internees are prisoners of war (POWs) or enemy aliens who are obliged to reside within prescribed 'camps', generally unable to leave until the termination of the related conflict or war.

During World War I internment in Australia was regulated by the War Precautions Act 1914 and its regulations. The main internment camp was at Liverpool, New South Wales. Most of the internees were Germans living in Australia who were subsequently deported.

The Archives holds many records specifically relating to internment and internees. However, references to individuals often occur in files with general titles. Also, it was not uncommon for internees to be moved from one camp to another, even to another state. Thus records that relate to individual internees may be difficult to identify, though they may exist in the collection of more than one office of the Archives.

This fact sheet identifies records of World War I internees, aliens and prisoners of war held in Canberra. Records in other offices can be identified by using the Archives' publication Finding Families: The Guide to the National Archives of Australia for Genealogists, or the Archives RecordSearch database.

Records relating to WW I internees, aliens and prisoners of war held in Canberra
Governor-General's Office (CA 1)
SeriesCorrespondence relating to the war of 1914–18 ('war files')1914–19A11803 
SeriesGeneral correspondence (excluding 'war files')1914–20A11804 
Attorney-General's Department, Central Office (CA 5)
SeriesCorrespondence files1904–27A456 
Prime Minister's Department (CA 12)
SeriesCorrespondence files1904–20A2 
SeriesCorrespondence files1921–23A457 
SeriesCorrespondence files1923–34A458 
Investigation Branch, Central Office (CA 747)
SeriesEnquiries by German Red Cross about Germans in Australia1920A390 
SeriesPersonal and subject files1919–46A402 
2 Military District, New South Wales (CA 6335)
SeriesAlbum of identification photographs of enemy aliens (civilian and POW) interned at Liverpool Camp NSW, during World War I (A microfiche copy of this album is held by all offices of the Archives. The album held as D3597 is almost identical to – and more complete than – the similar albums controlled as K565, P1 and SP421/4.)1914–21D3597 
Clearing Office (Enemy Debts) and Public Trustee (CA 557)
SeriesReturns of property under the Trading with the Enemy Act and record of property held (all States)1916–20CP176/13 
SeriesVesting Orders1919–29CP176/16 
SeriesRegister of applications made by ex-enemy nationals for release of their property from the Public Trustee's control1923–25CP176/18 
Special Intelligence Bureau (CA 746) (to 1919), Investigation Branch (CA 747) (1919 to 1946), Commonwealth Investigation Service (CA 650) (from 1946)
SeriesCorrespondence files of the Commonwealth Investigation Service1916–60A8911 

For more information

You can obtain more information about the record series listed above (and the items within the series) fromRecordSearch, the Archives database. Follow the links in the series lists to go directly to information on that series. You can also use RecordSearch to find out about the agencies that created the records and to locate more records on your subject. You might also explore PhotoSearch to find out if there are photos pertaining to your subject.

RecordSearch and PhotoSearch are available online or in all Archives reading rooms. Reference staff are available in the reading rooms to help you, or email ref@naa.gov.au.

For further information about the Archives' holdings relating to internee, alien and prisoner of war records consult the following:

Fact Sheet 106 – WW I internee, alien and POW records held in Adelaide
Fact Sheet 171 – WW I internee, alien and POW records held in Sydney

Fact Sheet 59 – WW II internee, alien and POW records held in Canberra
Fact Sheet 101 – WW II internee, alien and POW records held in Sydney
Fact Sheet 107 – WW II internee, alien and POW records held in Adelaide

Fact Sheet 180 – Wartime internee, alien and POW records held in Perth

Comments or other feedback can be sent to archives@naa.gov.au

updated October 2004