STORY OF A PRISONER OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2769, 12 May 1916, Page 6

STORY OF A PRISONER OF WAR

TOLD BY A PRIVATE SOLDIER 11. ' FIRST TASTE..OF.PRISON' CAMP-S. (Darmstadt, .October 19 to November li.) TTlie following is the continuation of the narrative or' a Liritt&b. private soldier'who was a prisoner of war in Germany.; The tirst -part appeared in The IIO.MINION yesteraay.'l Well, we tumbled on to mattresses with a blanket and' were. soon asleep, as we had a long journey. Next morning we were dished out with a bowl like you use on washing day, oply two hanules instead of one. Wo had some coftee and dry black bread, a loaf about lib., which Here to last for threo days. Well, I made the first one last five,'so I got in'credit. It did not take long to find ihe ropes. No sooner would an Englishman go out than bluff! with a rifle m tho kick of the Ueck or get hit with a stick; but the Ji'rench would not be touched. They were "comrades" to the' Germans, It was a Fiencli camp, mostiy civilians—about 1(1,000 when it was filled. They never ilono much fighting, the soldiers tuat were there. 'I was in a awkward position, as I had 'no crutches, so had to hopp or get carried out with a churn. There were nuoiit 200 packed in a room. We were told ive were not allowed to smoke or else we. should get seven or eight days cells. Well, the only chance was in the latrines. Then it was taking your chance. If the men were fit they, had to work, building huts, but most of the British would get a ticket, "excused," because of their wounds. The soup use to come up in big tins. A Cripple's Plight. The messing, on the Whole here was. pretty good, compared with other camps. A Frenchman stole a loaf; he got 41) days cells and half bread and water. They Kiid we should'be allowed to write, but 1 never thought it would come off. Well, I-got a letter off to my cousin, and me and my chum put two pieces of paper in one envelope sent to bis girl, then her to forward it on to my psaple. This was about 25th October. It was very bad in tho rooms.. We had only been there a couple, of da-ys when some black niggers came from Africa, French troops, and the order were for two nigs and a English on two beds. Our chaps would not have it, but at night they made them do it, so they got as lousy as cukoos. I had to go in the Lazeret for a time as 1 could not stand up very 7 well.. I use to long for Bedtime. . The Belgiums u;*i to sing and liven things up. . There were a. few English Civies there who I use to speak to. 1 was longing for a bath while there, but never had .one. We were just settled down when -the order-caine ! we were shifting at .12 o'clock Saturday, 14th—only an hour's notice. - Did not give you: much - - time. Well, the same day as we shifted smoking was allowed for an hour, so we missed that. We were told we were going to an English Camp, so. we were all tvger to be oft. Wo left in peace, about,4o of us, bound for Ghesun. Arriving there about .8 a.m.. thought we could square the Guard for a.smoke; but no good; it did not work. They let us ride in trams to toy camp, and told us wis would get a ; teed. Yes, we got a feed—some did with a thong or a boot. Well, we reached the camp about 9 p.m., after having a jolly time with tho people, with sticks.- stones, !l WBre 1° got inside ,thS Gates, though not knowing when we should come out again. , Well, we marched in - the gates, and the mud it was up to the top of the boots. I don't know if tho men were drunk who were in charge or what, but they did not seem to know where wo were to go, so we were messing about for a 'hour, before we found out. So they took' us in the guard-room at last. One bully drew his bayonet and pointed it at his chest andi drbw it across his throat, saying, "Soon, England, King, Kitch-' ener," making out to us they would be m England, and would have killed tho King and. Kitchener: ; Well, one chap laughed, one of ours, I mean, in defiance; so two of them got hold of him and Kicked spots off him, and hit him in the face. Oh, very clever. Well, l. was sorry for him, but there! that didn't hurt much. 'Twas soon over. . Then we had to goi ov.er; a six-inch ; plank over some • slosh. My crutches went down into it nearly v.p to the arm rests. At last we found a room. Oh, my! no fire; bed as damp as though it had been soaked in water. We were glad when the inoruing came, and had the same iinpliments of war issued— knife, spoon, and bason. An Official Address. Then the order were read out, by k officer who could speak Englisii after a fashion, something like this: "You are a prisoner of ze great German Empire. If you are found with any- impliment? of war, such as knifes, forkes, nalis, you will be shot; or-if you do not obey zo order of ze offecers, you 'will be shot. Also, prisoners are allowed to correspond with their firends twice ze month, except ze English, who will bo allowed to write whene officer .give .permission. If you ar/> good behavoir you will be fed, and cWched; if you do not obey, you will go to prisoa until you get shot or 'ze end of se war.".

Well, the first day they had ns on parade about 20 times,.counting us. Oh! they were afraid of the boys. We had six stoves burning in tho Toom for about six hours, but the English did not dare go near..them. No sooner did you settle tor a minute than in. did rush a German nnd shout "Louse! Scurry!" which meant "Move, quick," and you had to move. Well, there was one thing, you was allowed to smoke from twelve to two outside. The French' all day Sunday, but not us. But we use to have a .draw and a spit on the quiet. Then we had to have our hair cut short with a machine, to that after you was done you looked , as if you had been shaved. Then we hid to go for a bath about a 900 yards'to a German.Bks. There was two moro men and myself on crutches, and they sent 4 guurd to escort us. I was so weak I could only go about 40 yards at a. time, then rest. • Well, I was not moving fast enough for tho guard; so he did shout, "Swine, scurry!" which meant "Pig, hurry." I • could give him pig if I was only allowed. I' felt I'd', like to put his face; where his ■ boots was. I got to the bath at last, only two glad to have one. They were shouting "Scurry!" all the time. The rest had finished and dressed by this time. Well, tvhen Lyras-naked one of. them spotted my tatooing;,so they all came round and looked. When they spotted my chest, "Oh my! American." "Nix, Englander," I said. But they would not have it, as I'd tho Stars and Stripes and the ' Union Jack. Then they seen the same on.unarms, so I had a job to stick it. Well, the one that could speak English was shouting at me as if I was a mile away. I only had. one leg to stand on, so, as I would not say I was American, they called me all the "English swine," and English other things chey could think of, and gave me a punch in tho mouth. My monkey was' up in a minute; but I'm glad to say 1 took it as a joke, but thought a lot. Of course it all comes in German culture. Well, I got dressed, and of course I neve,' spoke a word. When it came to march back, there were about SO to 100 kids outside, and I had a lively time, all of them shouting and flinging, and the Guard laughing. Oh! 'twas a brave guard; he deserved the Iron Cross. That's tho sort of bravery they get decorated for. Well, I readied the room at last, and the chaps said: "Well, Jim, yon don't look over pleased with your bath." So I told them about it. Thefo was a sergeant of the Jocks, he got mad; he wanted the lot to rave up, but I bursted out laughing, and imitating a Yankie, I said: "The god damn flag was in tho wrong placo that time." "Seeing it Off." Our men that was not on crutches had to go on saluting parade for half hour, then 3 hours digging, and two hours anil a half off then, and oil again for 21 : hours. Wo had to rise at C.o'clock and was not allowed to lay down before 8 at night. The men all got shifted .off, ono night, except me. My tempiture was up •1 degrcs with liague, so they put me in a roam used for a, hospital. AVell, it was not long before some, more came to tho camp, and I was pleased to seo them. Then ono day agout 200 women refugees came in—Russians, Jewesses mostly. They, were ail packed in two bungalows. They nil'.-' have v ad a ti?ht fit there. Tho

men were, pretty well to do, go tliey would not eat tin; soup ior a bit, and we was glad. 'WVJ seo it off. Sometimes I'd see i .men's suup ult' lor dinner; keep two lots for 1. o'clock; then (j o'clock gut two or tlueolots agiuu. "1 could go it, Because it was nearly all water. Our loat here was tempting; it was a'roimd one, aiid not near so black as some. You'd cut a slice. Tiien think "Shall I have another? No, can't do it," for it had to run out nine meals or else ten. Well, tho next week another lot wont off. JSo cripples went with them, and I'm glad of it, when I found out wnen 1 seen tnem later what tlicy went through. Well, the foci haro was mostly coffee ior breakfast, nearly always'mango soup for dinner, ana Hour, or meal water for supper, i>ut it did go down. Is'o option, ioti coma buy siiialt loaves'and tobacco, ior an hour a nay. Un November 24, i turn*, »•«.<, they had their'nags Hying. Un! they w.is merry that day. 1 suppose they nasi u victory; out luey lasheu out ana gavo us a savaloy, that was the only piece oi meat 1 iiud wnile I was there, and they was only just partly cooked. "hut down tne nici it goes.' They founa out a. better way to issue our oread. Instead of giving us a loal each, they starteu cutting it tip, iupposeU to 'be in tnree. bo it was— with a lug piece cut out lor tneuselves. German culture: l'ou oouia not go into anotner rooiii, my woru, n you nid!

They tell us if we had more nioney thali d marks w'u were, ou -haim it over, ami it woulu to.put in a. bank; but tne cjmps weiv hoc usiViMg any, aiiu gave wwe fot tueir moneyj co men tnat ilia none; so tne Germans naa none, fvtiu tnvy'd have got tat on wliav. 1 had. i think I had aoout SO phimugs—chat's Bd. —so i thought I'd buy tobacco wun tnat to make sure. _csut I'd just as well hung the money over vue wuu, as 1 tell you later about the tobacco.

It was about, vms rime that they started sorting out the Irish Homan Uathoiics, and sent tnem '.to Liemburg, to try ana tmilio tnem form a army to fight ugaitiit England alter tins war, .promising tnem esuu iood. So they starved tnem, but up to now they nave omy got aooui ou names; so it was going to start again. \Ve had Germans running lii ana out every, nvs minutes, w we never had a chance ot doing anything escept sit aown. i used to get sick of sitting aii da.y and long lor bed. ■ Another Change. Weil, the morn of the 2nd we were loused, out of it betors six o'clock, given a drink of hot bi>acK water, then turned out into tne cold and rain lor an hour belore we movtu off. Tnem that was ht had to walk to tne station, two miles or more, but some of us rode on trams. Arrived at station, we were put into a bit of a pound like they use ior . cattle, with ours up. There were hundreds of people there shouting and mocking us, telling us we were going to Berlin to be shot; so we did iaugii at them. ! That did mate them wild. Weil, up camo a Uerman otficer, and didn't he cnase them people. lie hurried • them out of the 'way in,quick time. Then '.they locked us up in a shed until two o'clock. . Our bellies were rolling then, but no soup came. Well, at last we were marched to the train, and sailed out of the station,'with men and women snouting and waving sticks at us. Well, we felt better then, and we out with our tobacco ana fags and chanced it. The sentry that was in with me was not too bad; he let us smoke. We trarelied up to eight o'clock", stopping at every station and going through tne whole performance every time. 'Then all the men that could get out had to for soup, but us cripples had to remain in. bo some. rrauiins— that's girls—brought ours round. Well, I'gobbled mine down, so they offered Ujo more, so I got back five laaies tuU. i gave it socks.

We stopped at last and the guard sot out, telling us this was our :a'np. Well, ..we had to jgmain there until 6.30 rest inoruing. Wo were trying to vet a glppse of the camp. It did look a dismal, place. We could see we had come to. our last!home. .■ We were not allowed to open the window for fresh air. On! it was awful, and cold as could be. Ws \vere glad when the daylight came. The first thing we seen was some jb'rench going out to. work, and dogs drawing small carts about. About 7.30 a guard came to escort us about 300 yards, shouting at us, and driving us about like bulls— you was either too fast or else too slow, you could not please them—and counting us. Every two minutes they were on it, with Ine,. Swine,, Tri. _ .Well, we got to the gates of the notorious camp'at iasi:, thiulcmg we should Tie settled at last. This is the last rest camp on the way to Hell, but I had a return ticket in time. There were, about 40 of ue, all cripples with arms or legs. A'll had been wounded except two Civies. Well, in the sates of we go. P.S.—On the journey we stayed al Frankfurt for two hours. Wo seen some people in mourning there, and officers and men crippled.; On our truck was chalked out; "English swine!" (To be continued.)