Darrell's Island

Bermuda / Hamilton /
 Second World War 1939-1945, island
It was once a quarantine station for epidemics in 1699, 1796 and 1799 of small pox, yellow fever and cholera. It was a designated prisoner of war Island Camp during the Boer War. 1,100 involuntary inhabitants shipped to Bermuda from South Africa included Generals of the Boer Army.

Many prisoners of war died in Bermuda. A memorial to them is on Long Island not far away. In 1936, the island became a purpose built maintenance, refueling station and terminal for flying boats of Pan American and Imperial Airways (now British Airways). They pioneered commercial USA to Bermuda flying routes. It was Bermuda's first permanent facility for aircraft.

Darrell's Island served in a similar capacity for Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and US Army Air Force flying boats during World War 2. During the war, American use of Bermuda as a military base caused their desertion of this island for the land based airport they built. From June 1954 for several years, the island was used as a film studio location, but it was never viable. The old flying boat hanger was demolished in 1974. Then it became a residential island. Most of it later got taken over by the Bermuda Government. Nowadays, part of the island - Darrell's Island West - is the Allen Camp, operated by the African Methodist Episcopal Churches, at telephone 234-0433.

bermuda-online.org/abcbda2.htm
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darrell's_Island,_Bermuda
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   32°16'29"N   64°49'13"W

Comments

  • All across the Island of Bermuda I see the hard work of Regiments and Troops stationed there. I see stairs hewed from solid rock and tunnels, roads, and facilities for the Armed Forces and the civilians of Bermuda.I know of the Bridges built by POW on the Rivers of Burma . What did the Boer`s build on Darrells Island?
This article was last modified 16 years ago