A fascinating book about a remarkable period in the island’s history - the internment of thousands of women and children in Port Erin and Port St Mary during World War Two - has been published by Rushen Heritage Trust.

’Friend or Foe’ is the culmination of four years’ research by the seven members of the trust’s team investigating internment.

Each member has written different chapters and the result is an illuminating and thorough investigation of this extraordinary time.

The book explores all areas: the political scene that led to internment, charting the logistics of organising the camp within days of 3,300 bewildered internees arriving at Port Erin, exploring the lives of internees and the impact on locals and tracing what happened after they left the confined safety of the island.

’To our knowledge Friend or Foe is the only book devoted exclusively to covering World War Two women’s internment in Europe, and Rushen Camp W was the only significant women’s internment camp in Europe in the Second World War’ said Professor Hugh Davidson, director of the trust.

’There were extraordinary personal pressures for many.

’On May 29 and 30 over 3,000 women internees and 300 children arrived by train at Port Erin, a  village of around 2,000 people, with little advance notice, and had to be accommodated that night.

’Somehow they were, by local landladies, guided by half a dozen civil servants. The same day, May 29, three of the seven Manx ships helping with the Dunkirk evacuation were sunk, with the loss of 42 Manx lives, a few from Rushen.

’Think of the conflict of loyalties for some of the local people.’

He added: ’The majority of internees were unjustly interned and loyal to Britain - Germans who had been working in the UK for many years or those fleeing Nazi oppression.

’They were desperate for Britain to win the war, especially the large number of Jewish people among them. Yet they were interned by the British government.

’They were safe in the Isle of Man, but when they were released and returned to Leeds or Manchester, they were liable to be bombed.’

Internees included some remarkable people who were artists, writers, dancers, opera singers and pioneers in engineering and education.

They included the composer Richard Wagner’s granddaughter Fiedelind, a close friend of Adolf Hitler. She became an outspoken critic of the Third Reich before war started. Others knew Ribbentrop, the German ambassador in London.

The themes of the book are universal and resonate today said Professor Davidson.

’’Friend or Foe is about active not passive heritage.

’In other words, the universal issues faced by those involved still resonate today - immigration, injustice, gender, tolerance, diversity, the nature of friendship, and the ability to adapt to inequity and loss.

’And the responses of those involved, enabling locals and internees living in the same houses together within a perimeter of barbed wire to "rub along together" offer important lessons today as well as reflecting well on the people experiencing difficult situations.’ 

’Friend or Foe’ is available from the Lexicon Bookshop, Bridge Bookshop in Port Erin and Ramsey, Manx National Heritage shops, and a number of post offices, price £18.95.