PARADISE FOR "TOMMY"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2830, 22 July 1916, Page 10

PARADISE FOR "TOMMY"

BRITISH WOUNDED SOLDIERS IN SWITZERLAND. Chateau d'Oex, where' the British wounded and invalid prisoners released from Germany will find a home until the end of the war, is a typical Swiss mountain village in the Bernese highlands, says a correspondent of the AVire-, less jPress. It is situated some thirty miles east of Lausanne, and fifty miles south- of Berne, and lies on a plateau some five miles iii length and one or two mile 3in width at ah altitude of 3000 ft. Tho village is entirely surrounded by high mountains, some of which rise in almost sheer ascent from tho village. The inhabitants arc almost exclusively French-Swiss—they speak French, And their sympathies are strongly for the Allies. Tho prisoners will be among friends. Chateau d'Oex was chosen because it was the first to nsk for the privilege of receiving them. When the French and German exchanges began the people of Chateau d'Oex foresaw that British prisoners would soon follow, p.nd they immediately put in an application. Recently there have* been hundreds of invitations from Swiss places for the British prisoners, but Chateau d'Oex comes first.

The British prisoners 'on entering Switzerland' wero handed over to Swra custody. The Swiss authorities are responsible fov them, and they are now nnder Swiss military discipline. Thv officers will be housed in a separate hotel. Later those who are married will be. permitted to rejoin, within the limits of Chateau d'Oex, their wives. Then quarters are very comfortable, and their material environment as good 115 that of • a first-class London hotel. There will be ample opportunities fnr sports and nnt'leor amusements. The men will be lodged -ill hotels and boardinghouses in Chateau d'Oex and the neighbouring villages of Rongemtmt and Rossinieres. Two men will sleep in each room'. The Chateau d'Oex hotel and lioiu-dinghoiise.-keepcr.s ill their' anxioty to make their new guests comfortable, are using their Snest aivd best rooms for our "Tommies." who will lie in'most palatini surroundings. Men who are fit to work- be "uitaljly employed in tile. mm-nings. . They will be free to go out- v.-ithin the limits of flic villnge, in the afternoon. British non-comniis : ioned officers will Iw in charge of the men, and will receive in■•iti'y.etio'ns from Swiss officers. There will be three meals daily—breakfast, midday meal, and supper at 6 p.m. llcafr onr? daily. All food will be especially adapted to the English taste.

The Swiss authorities insist that. with the exception of nurses, 110 women visitors'shall enter any of the hotels an* houses set apart for the Briliih prisonem. -\ British committee lias been formed, rith the permission of t)>« local mi thorities, to promote the welfare of Ihe nrisoners in every oissiblc way. The T!riti=h committee will open a branch e' the Goneva Inquiry Bureau for Miss-in;; Soldiers, as it is thought 'Tint the prisoner? may be able to give information out of their own personal knowledge regarding missing comrades. The names of British prisoners interned in Switzerland IYIIJ nut be published. Information of their removal to Stntarland will be sent to relatives privately.