Irene Concentration Camp Memorial Cemetery

About Irene Concentration Camp Memorial Cemetery

The Irene Concentration Camp Memorial Cemetery is a national heritage site in Centurion that commemorates Boer women and children who died during the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). Originally established as a camp graveyard, it was transformed into a "Garden of Remembrance" in 1958 to honour the victims of the harsh camp conditions. The Camp: Established in 1900, the Irene camp housed thousands of Boer civilians displaced by the British "scorched earth" policy. Over 5,400 people were eventually held here and in a second camp nearby. Human Cost: Records officially list 1,149 names, though excavations and nameplates (numbered up to 2156) suggest the actual death toll may be much higher. Approximately 1,000 of the deceased were children under the age of 15.