Christianity Among the Boer POWs

The total number of Boer captives eventually interned in the Island was 5,089 (See Schedule of Boer arrival in Ceylon).

Their normal spiritual wants were attended to partly by a special chaplain sent from South Africa, and partly by volunteer ministers from among themselves and from different religious bodies in the Island. Very naturally, the larger number of the prisoners-of-war belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church.

Proportionately they were about 90% of the total interned. In lesser degree, every other denomination was represented, including the Congregationalists, the Greek Church and the French Reformed Church. A fairly large number called themselves “Protestants” and a few claimed to be “Lutherans”. Only 29 classified themselves as followers of other religions. The majority of these professed the Jewish faith, the remainder included Spiritualists, Atheists, Free-thinkers, and two who claimed to be followers of Mohammedanism.

There were five men who confessed they had “no religion”.

Source: Boere Krygsgevangenes in Ceylon