大象传媒

I was billeted at Stainborough Castle for a while. It was whilst I was there that I was late back from my leave due to thick fog. As a result I was put on a charge. My punishment being to stand guard every night for a period of time.
On my last guard duty the Corporal did not realease me at the due time so I decided to leave my post and went to a party! It was Christmas time. When I eventually returned to camp at 2am the Corporal was waiting for me beside the guard room and put me on a charge.
The following morning I was marched into the C.O's office. The Sarg took off my cap and threw it into a fire bucket filled with water. I then had to put the wet cap back on my head and was sentenced to 3 weeks detention.
That same morning I was sent by train, escourted by two armed guards, passing through Liversedge slaughter house (where my father had part ownership of the business). I stood up, looking through the window to try to catch a glimpse of him. The guard grabbed me, thinking I was about to jump off the train. I feel sure that if I had they would have shot me!
When we arrived at Stake Hill Camp in Rochdale we were met by 3 large military policemen, who made me run all the way up 2 flights of stairs. It was a large mill and as I went up these stairs the police hit me in the stomach which brought me to my knees. A further two policemen pulled up and said 'Don't let us see you do that again'.
The mill was where Gracey Fields used to work. We were put into a pen with wire all the way around it. 40 of us in a very small space. All the beds had wire bottoms, which we had to sleep on. When we got up in the mornings our bodies were covered with the marks of these wires.
We had to be up for 6am and then scrub around our beds. We had to shave quickly as the guards collected our razors. Mine was very blunt and so I never did manage to shave properly before the guard came along to collect the razor.
We then had to change into PE kit. There was snow on the ground and it was freezing cold. Despite this we were ourside for about half an hour. Then we would have breakfast, still running all this time to the top of the building. Dinner would consist of half-cooked potatoes, meat and rice pudding, all mixed together. We would sit by our beds to eat it. If anything was left over it would be grabbed quickly and devoured by others. Everyone was SO hungry we just did not get enough food to eat. The Dixie tins also had to be polished every day.
Day and night we were locked up in the cage like animals. The 'toilet' was a large bucket in the corner. Everyone could see you at the toilet, there was no privicy at all. No smoking allowed. As I was a smoker it was very difficult to do without. SOme of the lads ended up fighting because of no food, no cigs, no privicy.
It was my 21st birthday on the 13th January 1943 and I received only one card from my Mum and Dad. It was the worst birthday of my life.
When I completed my time I was sent by train to Huddersfield. Really, I should have gone to Barnsley but instead went home to the farm to see mother. I had a lovely meal and my brother gave me a cigarette to smoke, which was bliss. I then caught a bus to Barnsley. I should have been back at camp by 4 pm and knew I was going to be late. Thinking I would be on another charge I reached camp at midnight. By this time I was past caring. My big toe had gone septic but I had not been allowed to go sick at Stake Hill. However, the next morning I reported sick and was sent off to the hospital in Barnsley, where my toe was lanced. My shoe had to be cut in half to allow room for my sock and bandages. I could hardly walk. The lads had to help me get back to camp. I had thought transport would be provided but this was not to be!
The next morning after the CO was me and said that he wished he had never sent me to Stake Hill glasshouse. He later sent a letter to them stating that because of their negligence my foot had been permanently damaged.
One day my name was up on the notice board for 3 stripes! However, I pulled the notice off the board and trod on it. An officer saw my action and asked why I had done this. I replied that you lost your mates when you got stripes! Looking back it was perhaps a very silly thing to do and I would have been paid more money. I think that the CO had felt rather sorry for me after what had happened and had wanted to make amends by giving me extra stripes. He was perhaps trying to help me back to being a fit and healthy Soldier once again.

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