大象传媒

Chapter 20

On the 20th September 1943 we left Moosburg, 6 days after we had arrived there, it seemed like months to me. Both parties went on the same train but of course the juniors had to leave first, under the command of Nod Ormerod, we had to parade at 3 am in the morning, it was naturally raining and we had to carry what kit we could there was no conveyance of any description. After being marched round in small circles we eventually went through the inevitable search and got through very easily. As we got through the search so we were formed up into batches of 37, marched out of the gate and down to the station. I had the shock of my life, as we went through the gates a German stood there issuing rations. It was raining, very cold and dark when into my hand was pushed something very cold clammy and round, I wondered what on earth it was almost dropping it in my shock, but it felt like food, one doesn't let go of that, it was a lump of sausage which later on I enjoyed very much. During our march to the station the rain eased up and as it wasn't very far we arrived there comparatively dry, we were also almost the first to arrive, so we were quickly entrained, this time we were 37 in a goods truck, which was not at all comfortable, we got some idea of the length of the journey from the fact that there was a latrine bucket with a lid on it installed in each truck. Once we got into the trucks it began to rain cats and dogs, we were not immediately shut up and with much glee we watched in daylight the arrival of the old mans' party who were leaving on the same train, they did look a bedraggled old lot.

Although we were 37 to a truck we were more comfortable because there were benches on which we could sit, I was fairly comfortable for a while until rain started coming through but I didn鈥檛 get too wet. Phil and I were in a truck together being parted from Mick and Clem Smith. I cannot remember much about the trip; one cannot see too much from a truck, I know we went through Munich. We were in the train all day and all night; by sitting on the baggage I had a very good nights rest. In the early hours of the 21st September 1943 we arrived at Strasbourg and detrained leaving our heavy baggage at the station to be carried by lorry, I only chanced my small suitcase on that, carrying my blanket and food. It was not far to go, we marched out of the station yard and got into a procession of trams. We had a fine view of Strasbourg although it 8 o'clock in the morning, the town looked rather deserted. We had a tram ride for about 20 minutes and then a short march to our new camp. But what a place, being called Fort Bismarck, it was below ground, surely we were not going to spend the rest of our days here. Morale went down considerably, spirits rose again when we were told that it was another transit camp.
Phil and I still kept together, we got a room about the first floor down, Mick and the others were on the floor below. Mattresses and blankets were issued as were washing basins, the water supply was very bad, it being turned on only about twice a day and when it was, there was just a mad rush to the 2 very small wash places, which had 24 taps in each, whilst every one of the 1000 officers tried to get sufficient water with which to wash, we had to use the same water over and over again. Cooking arrangements were bad, we received as food the usual potato skilly twice a day, it used to come up in a jug, potatoes with skins on and dried cabbage all mixed up together, fortunately we had our Red Cross parcels to fall back on and were able to make porridge and tea for ourselves. Whilst we were there we also got issued with 4/5 of a parcels each, which we most gratefully received. In each room was a stove, briquettes were issued but not a sufficient amount for general use, consequently we found it necessary to strip the place of wood, the barrack damages charged us on leaving were simply colossal, but that we didn't mind. 25 to 28 Officers lived in each room, normally they would not hold more than 10 beds, but to hold that number, no beds were provided but simply 3 sloping shelves one over the other and we laid in rows of 12 on the bottom, 12 in the middle and the remainder on the top, those unfortunate enough to get a top shelf were within 3 feet of the ceiling, had a devil of a climb to get into bed and when in dare not sit up for fear of bumping their head. The latrines were again appalling and insufficient, on lifting the seat maggots could be seen crawling about - it was most disgusting. Daily a lorry turned up and pumped the cess pits clear which created a vile smell.

For exercise there was a moat 100 yards long, it was continually full of prisoners walking up and down. One thing helped us here was we were given an advance of pay, which came in very handy because we were able to buy a bottle of beer each day, German lager beer is not to be recommended, but there was nothing else. It was also from here that I was able to send a letter to kit by Air Mail. The weather during our stay at Fort Bismarck was terribly wet, the moat got terribly muddy and everything in the building became cold and clammy and being so dark was very dismal. There were the usual incidents which lead to stricter roll calls and where more ferocious Alsatian dogs came into play, these used to frighten me beyond words. One unteroffizier who used to be very fond of the use of dogs, eventually arrived from another camp we were in, he first appeared on a roll call and was greeted by all the POWs barking at him in imitation of dogs. He must have felt the biggest fool on earth, he looked it anyway. Some officers were moved a few days after our arrival, going to Offenburg, so the accommodation situation was eased very slightly, but not the food situation. On the afternoon of the 8th October 1943, the fort was suddenly invaded by a lot civilians, later we realised that they were the infamous Gestapo, they promptly started searching us very thoroughly, it didn't worry me in the least as I had nothing to offend, they certainly were very efficient at their duties. German sentries were outside of rooms in the corridors, so it was practically impossible to do anything. This was our first taste of these gentlemen, next day 9th October 1943, how pleased we were to get out into the real fresh air from our damp old dungeons.

Chapter 21

While it was still dark in the early hours of the 9th October 1943 we were paraded ready to move off. What was termed our heavy baggage had been taken away and searched by the Gestapo on the previous afternoon. It was a lovely march to the station that morning, across the fields and through the country, we passed through a village at 7 am, it looked grand, how I wished that I was free to roam around this little old Alsace village. We never marched through Strasbourg but around the outskirts and consequently passed through several picturesque villages, we had to march for 2 hours or so, but I enjoyed every minute of it, it was a grand morning, it would have been more so had we been free. The sad thing about it was that it made me feel very hungry, I went along the road eating my days ration and enjoying it at the same time drinking in the fine air and admiring the view. It seemed very strange to see civilians so near at hand, the thing that had amazed us up to the present was that we had got out of Fort Bismarck without a personal search, but not for long on arrival at the railway siding we saw the same group of Gestapo awaiting us and before entraining we were again well and truly searched, nothing being missed, after which we were once again herded into came trucks, this time 41 to a truck, each time we moved so the number had risen, there were bets flying about as to the number when we next travelled, so far we hadn't moved again.

Phil, Mick, Clem Smith, Ernie Cox, Dick Bettington and I managed to keep together, we either had to stand or sit on the floor of the truck, there was no room for seats. During the day we passed though several places of interest and saw some fine old buildings, at about 4 pm we arrived at our destination, Weinsberg. There was only one incident on the trip, to Skipper Palmer, which necessitated the amputation of his arm and was later repatriated. The camp is only about 5 or at the most 10 minutes from the station so it was not long before we were all again safely behind wire. The camp at first appearance looked like an ordinary British hutted camp surrounded by the usual double fence of wire with sentry lookout boxes all the way round, to the north of the camp was the village of Weinsberg, a very pretty village from what we could see of it with its castle on top of a hill, to the east a wide expanse of cultivated countryside mostly grape vines, and in the distance the hills topped by the Black Forest to the south, a hill which obscured the view, but was very pretty being covered with grape vine and fruit trees. To the west nothing could be seen. Before being allotted to our rooms various orders and instructions were read over to us. The bungalows were more or less uniform in size and shape and consisted of 12 rooms, some had more. The room I was allotted had 12, 4 of which were smaller than the other 8, a small room had 8 occupants and the larger ones 14. This was grossly overcrowding, beds were of iron frame with wooden boards and in order to accommodate the numbers had to be placed in tiers of three, once again the top man was unlucky. We were also issued with a mattress, 2 sheets, 2 very small blankets, a towel, knife, fork, spoon, mug and a bowl. This was the first occasion since I had been a prisoner that I was the proud possessor of an earthenware-drinking vessel. In addition in each room there were cupboards, one per man, stools and a table in (he small rooms and two tables in the large rooms, plus the brooms etc. The conveniences consisted of a washroom and 6 lavatories of a type that I had never seen before and very cold to the arse and most uncomfortable.

At the outset I was put into a small room with Mick, in this we remained until 4th January 1944 when we moved into a big room and where I still am today, 24th August 1944. We were not as comfortable as in Italy, there being no privacy, the first few days consisted of falling over each other, the rooms were also very stuffy, the blackout had to be down, so there was no ventilation, we cured that after a time by taking the windows off their hinges. When fires were lit the whole place filled with smoke and was most uncomfortable, the fumes being most disconcerting. In our room we put a ban on cooking so that the atmosphere was kept tolerably clear. The previous occupants of the camp had been French and therefore the cleanliness of the camp and buildings surprised me, my previous experience with them had proved them to be dirty, but the Germans must have smartened them up the rooms all being spotless. Eventually the numbers in the rooms were down to 12 and 6, which is not too bad but not good. The room in which I am today I have been in over one year with the same occupants, Mick, Phil, Clem, Ali McMath, Dennis Pike, Derek Slingsby, Fred Crowdy, Jack Shaw, Jim Burnley and John Stuart.

The camp held over 1,100 prisoners, just about a 1,000 of whom were officers including South Africans, New Zealanders, Australians and British and later on some Canadians joined us. The occupants of our bungalow, which numbered about 115, were in the majority, British. Nine bungalows were used as living quarters; one had the usual offices such as the bank, post office, library, RC and C of E Churches, lecture and study rooms. Two other buildings, one used as a mess and the other as a theatre and gymnasium constituted the main part of our camp. There was also a hut allotted as a hospital, but any urgent cases went into the local hospital. At the outset the only place for exercise was to walk up and down between the huts, a distance of about 200 yards, later walks were started which made the facilities for exercise far better. Cooking facilities in the cookhouse were I believe very good but the best results couldn鈥檛 be obtained owing to the severe rationing of fuel. Meals had to be served in 2 sittings owing to one building which was really a dining room being allotted as a theatre. We could obtain a hot shower once a week, but this did not start for some time, my day was Wednesday but again overcrowding came into play, sometimes it was 3 or 4 persons under one shower which was not at all satisfactory. Laundry was sent out of the camp, some items were done free, or at least at the expense of the German government. It was sent once a fortnight it came back neither clean or dry, during the summer it was the practice to do our own.

Outgoing mail, monthly we were allowed 3 letter cards and 4 postcards, the letter cards I sent off to Kit every Sunday or Monday, on the Sunday on which I had no letter card I used to send 2 postcards leaving myself with a postcard a month to send to Aldershot or Eastbourne but later on I altered this, wherever Kit was I never sent a postcard but used it for Derek and the other home. The Germans in camp did censoring so that there was no delay like that in Italy. Incoming mail was delivered on roll call being distributed by duty adjutants, censoring was again done by the camp authorities so there was not much time lost I had a long wait for mail in Germany, so did we all come to that, but it was worse because I was so downhearted. The first batch I received on the 91h December 1943 redirected from Italy were from Kit written in July and August, although very interesting they were out of date. How I used to look forward to a letter and then on the 8th January 1944 I got my first one from Dad, how pleased I was, but (he news (hat Kit was on her way home was most disconcerting because I realised that she would expect to find me at home or at least free and I had disappointed her. It caused me several sleepless nights, however 10 days later I received a letter from her on the 19th January 1944, goodness how bucked I was to be free of nothing to worry over, from then on I had no worries. I bought a drink of beer round the room on the strength of it there was no stopping me. Just a few days previous to receiving Kit鈥檚 letter I got two from Mum and one from Alf, so altogether I was doing quite well.

I was not far behind the others with my clothing parcels, on the whole I was not badly off for clothes, my biggest shortage was pyjamas, I had to leave one pair behind in Italy in the rush, but this was remedied by the ever sure Sticky, who still had a pair that I had given him early on. But nevertheless the receipt of a parcel is most exciting the feeling is absolutely grand, something from home, the impatience with which one stands and itches whilst the parcel is being undone, the excitement of checking it over, in addition the slab of chocolate that goes with each parcel absolutely makes it, especially if any additional has been added, although I know that I shall never get it now, I am forever looking for the parcel that was sent off from South Africa. I received 2 parcels very close to each other and on each occasion I ate the chocolate whilst I was checking the contents and putting my stuff away tidily and felt much better after it. My first cigarette parcel I received on the 5th April 1944 from the Regiment, they were gratefully received as I was smoking the horrid French ones, then very quickly I received 600 within three days so that just about put me on my feet and I have not suffered any shortage until now when I am down to my last 50, but something will turn up sometime or other.

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