大象传媒

Soon after our arrival at Timbuctoo a new building similar to that which we now occupied was under construction and was now complete. We then heard that another batch of prisoners was expected at any time. By this time our position as regards clothing had become acute. One naturally does not need much clothing in Timbuctoo but owing to the extreme heat it is necessary to wash clothes daily and they rot very soon. Some of us had made crude skirts from oddments of torn garments. For footwear we were reduced to native sandals - these consist of a single thickness of goat-skin which forms the sole, and extends so that it bends up over the toes and is tied to the ankle by a hide cord. Our soap ration was at all times very limited and we were eventually reduced to doing without altogether. This condition lasted for some weeks. We had some weird native substance as a substitute which just became a slimy mess when immersed in water - this of course was worse than useless. Occasionally the Sergeant would hand us a small piece of decent soap; this we treasured like gold. It is to be noted that French history has never praised their country's treatment of prisoners.

On April 4th, 1942, I received a cable from the Company in reply to a letter I had written them; we were naturally all anxious concerning our home affairs and our minds as well as tempers were considerably rested when through this cable we learnt that all was well at home. There were eight other B.T.C. men with me; two others who had signed on the unlucky ship had to be left behind in Hospital at Conakry.Soon after this the survivors of s.s. ALLENDE arrived at Timbuctoo. They had a most uncomfortable journey from Mopti to Port Caron. The river at this time of the year is very low and there is not sufficient water for the stern- wheeler. Therefore, this short trip took ten days more - they were lying in the bottom of canoes, drenched with water, and just about eaten alive by mosquitoes. At night and for meals they had to tie up at some native village. Not long after their arrival two men died - one of Typhoid and the other of sunstroke. There was not sufficient room in our building for the new contingent so the men of CRITON and ALLENDE were put into the new building and the officers of both ships into the old building. We were all glad to see new faces as conversation becomes very limited and things are somewhat dull when a few men are shut up together for a long time. A rather strange coincidence was that at the three camps of Conakry, Timbuctoo and Kan Kan the native Military band was sent to rehearse in the near vicinity - we were inclined to wonder if this was part of our punishment. In Timbuctoo it rains only about twice a year but sandstorms are frequent. It is a hot, dry climate and for months the nights are as hot as the days. In January and February there is a quick reversal and from early morning to noon it is bitterly cold. Mosquitoes then are few but lice and flies take their place. In spite of this the climate is far more healthy than at Conakry. Quite a few men suffered from malaria but this had developed at Conakry in the first place. Dysentery and yellow jaundice were a common complaint here.About the end of June the crew of the ALLENDE were repatriated but the CRITON men remained. On the night of August 4th, 1942, we were told to prepare for a move the next morning. Since our internment we had seen three crews released and we all thought that perhaps our turn had come at last. The Commandant would give us no details except that we were to leave the next day when the MARECHAL GALLIANI duly arrived at Port Caron. This is 15 Kms from Timbuctoo - there was not sufficient water for her to get up to Kabara. Here we originally landed on arrival at this outlandish French outpost on the verge of the Sahara desert. Timbuctoo is the terminus of the Camel Caravan and yearly hundreds of camels carry salt down from Taudini to Timbuctoo where it is stored. For the remaining 8 Kms to Kabara it is carried by donkeys - here it can be shipped up or down the Niger to different parts of the French African Empire. This can only be done when there is enough water in the river. It is rock-salt in large slabs about 3' x 1' 6" and 1-2" thick.

On the morning of August 5th we were marched the 15 kms to Port Caron. The few men who could not possibly walk this distance were taken in small vans. The journey from Timbuctoo to Bamako was only a repeat of our passage up; we did not know our ultimate destination, however, and we did hope that it meant release and repatriation. We had all had our hopes raised and dashed to the ground so many times that we became wary of all rumours. We were all the time kept in a state of suspense and mental stagnation.

On arrival at Bamako a decent meal had been prepared for us at the station. After this we were escorted to Military barracks. The place appeared clean but after a few minutes on the beds we were alive with bugs - this was most annoying to say the least. Quite a few of us slept on the stone floor. The French treated our complaints with indifference. Here we intercepted a small crate of British Red Cross clothing which had been addressed to Timbuctoo. This consisted of a dozen shirts, shorts, rubber shoes, towels, razors and blades. Other items were toilet and shaving soaps, cigarettes, chocolate and Ovaltine. This was our first large parcel. We were all equally in need of clothing and we cut cards to make a fair allotment. We also divided the chocolate and cigarettes equally between the 25 of us. The food we received while in the barracks was quite good; after five days' rest here we were introduced once again to the barges. The mattresses we had refused to use while in the barracks were thrown into the barge and we had to make the best of it.

We were now told that we would travel as far as Kan Kan by barge as the roads were flooded and impassable. We were also informed that we were bound for a new camp outside Kan Kan, so our hopes were dashed once again. Our barge was lashed alongside the stern-wheeler Sikaso - one has to see this crude craft to believe it. It was impossible to stay on deck because of the sparks and frequently the canvas covering would catch fire. We stopped at frequent intervals for wood-bunkers. Vegetation in this part is very prolific and grass on the river bank grows to a height of ten feet - a notable change of scenery from that of the Niger in the vicinity of Timbuctoo. Soon after Siguri we left the Niger as Kan Kan is on one of its tributaries, and finally arrived there on the night of August 24th, 1942. We were not moved from the barge that night so had to spend another most uncomfortable spell on our bug-infested mattresses, and the holes in the roof which had been made by the sparks were good openings for the rain to pour in. The next morning we were taken in small vans to our new camp at Bordo - 4 Kms out of Kan Kan. On arrival here we were welcomed by comrades whom we had left behind at Conakry. These were the ones who at that time were unfit to travel. They had left the previous December and at the time of our arrival had been in the camp for eight months.

Our new camp consisted of farm out-buildings - we had decent beds and mosquito nets were supplied. There was a wash-place constructed in the building and there was also a spacious compound where one could have a good walk. Another comfort was a large well in the grounds where an unlimited supply of water was obtainable. As far as accommodation was concerned this was the best we had encountered so far. The food here was good but supplies were very limited. The American Missionaries at Kan Kan often visited the camp and spoke to the French Police on our behalf, and asked them to treat us like human beings. On Sunday mornings a short Service was held but the Missionaries were closely watched and were always accompanied by a French officer who could speak fluent English. Therefore, we received no information from outside. Soon after our arrival here a few received next-of-kin parcels and by this time we were fortunate enough to have quite a large variety of books and games - thanks to our people at home, also the R.A.F. officers at Koulikoro. For some time the British Government had been trying to get Military battle-dress through to us from Bathurst, Gambia. Eventually the French allowed it - we were now quite well off for clothing. Some of us received parcels of cigarettes and tobacco from the Company and these were shared throughout the camp. These made a delightful change after smoking the cheapest brand of French cigarette.

Late one evening about the beginning of October 1942 the two men who attempted to escape from the Timbuctoo camp made another get-away. Their absence was not noticed by the guard until the next morning. This naturally caused a stir. Walks in the large compound were forbidden and we were locked up in the building after the 6 o'clock roll-call until the following morning. An officer and 5 or 6 European Sergeants arrived and a thorough search was made. Each man had to strip, and beds and any likely hiding-places in the building were searched, including every article of clothing we possessed. Personal letters and all written matter were taken away for examination and I might say that little was found in the way of information. Our friends were caught four days after their escape and six days after they left us were brought back to the camp. They had put up a wonderful show and had all but won through to British territory. However, a white man in the bush with a thousand francs on his head stands little chance. A small brick building about 12 feet square had been constructed in the compound - there was a door but no roof. This was intended for solitary confinement of prisoners. For punishment our friends were locked in here for two weeks, and the tropical sun poured down upon them during the day. All boots received with military equipment, together with any shoes received in next-of-kin parcels, were taken from us. Their excuse was that without good footwear we could not attempt escape. When all the boots and shoes had been collected they were thrown into a heap outside the compound and left to rot in the sun and rain.

Just after this incident the survivors of the Dutch ship s.s. Delftshaven arrived at our camp from Conakry. There were four Britishers among their crew. Another farm building had been cleared for their arrival. As the number of men increased so the amount of food diminished - we had previously been able to supplement our food by buying oranges, bananas and tomatoes from the natives who passed our compound on the way to the market at Kan Kan. Shortly after the arrival of the Delftshaven crew the French appeared to be getting somewhat nervous and relations between them and the Americans became strained. Also any Frenchman who could speak English was looked upon with suspicion. About ten Frenchmen and a few Syrian and Greek traders were sent to share the camp with us; and a few days later American Missionaries from different parts of French West Africa were locked up with us. At this time there were over 100 in the camp and it was very overcrowded. All the doors and windows were locked, and the nights were simply stifling. We all hoped that the British would soon arrive to release us and at the same time arrest the pro-German element which dominated this Colony. The Americans were the first to be released, followed by the French, then Greek and Syrian traders - this we took to be a good sign. Some of the local European traders who had been interned with us now sent us decent food daily.

About the middle of November lorry-loads of British Red Cross food parcels and medical supplies were thrown into the camp. I cannot quote the number but there must have been hundreds. These had been withheld by our one-time wonderful Allies. They do not ever recognise the Red Cross as an international organisation. These parcels had all been purposely kept back and had been stored in the Police Station at Kan Kan. It was now evident that our release was not far distant as even a Frenchman could see by now that the Germans could not possibly win the War. We had heard from various friends outside the camp that Allied news was good.

On the night of December 13th 1942 we were told to prepare to leave at 4.30 a.m. the next day. Few of us slept that night. All the Red Cross parcels, together with books and games, we handed over to our friends of the American Alliance at Kan Kan. We would have burnt them rather than let the French authorities have the benefit of them. It was impossible for us to bring out more than we could carry and we knew that the members of the Mission Station were doing wonderful work among the natives and that the medical supplies particularly would be of great use to them. At 4.30 a.m. on December 14th a roll-call was taken and there was no-one missing. Those who were unable to walk were taken in a small car and we others marched to the station. A special train had been put on to take us to Conakry and we left at 6 a.m. Our American friends and a few sympathetic French, Syrians and Greeks gave us a good send- off and there was a goodly supply of food and wine put on the train for our consumption. We now travelled in 1st and 2nd class coaches - a definite promotion from the previous native ones. At night the train halted at Mamu. On arrival a good meal was ready for us and we had clean beds in which to sleep. Quite a contrast from cattle-trucks as on our previous visit to this town. At 6 a.m. the next day the train left and we arrived at Conakry at 6 p.m. Here we were escorted to large school buildings - a meal and beds had been prepared for us. We were told that next morning lorries would take us to the Sierra Leone border.

As soon as we arrived at Conakry we received quite a large mail, including a number of next-of-kin parcels. Some of the letters were over a year old and they had no excuse to offer for their long delay. On December 16th 1942 we left at 6 a.m. by lorry for the Sierra Leone border. It was the day to which we had been looking forward for a long eighteen months; it had been an anxious wait but everyone was now in the best of spirits. We had to cross a river - so wide in one place that it caused us considerable delay. Each lorry had to be ferried across separately; owing to the tide being out one ferry stuck and we had to wait a couple of hours for more water. They were the same type of lorry that we had previously experienced. The roads were terrible but that did not worry us - we were off towards Freedom at last.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.