GERMAN PRISONERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 148, 17 November 1914, Page 7

GERMAN PRISONERS.

DOIXG NOTHING WELL. LIFE IS 7 CAPTIVITY. Three miles from the village of l''rimley, in the Aldershot district, 40 acres of laud have been reserved for German prisoners. Two camps have been pitched, and in one are civilian prisoners of war, and in the other German soldiers captured in battle, livery day the prisoners are given bread and meat. 'They draw water for themselves from a number of cisterns, and they chop the wood for their fires. Beyond these tasks, they are called upon to do nothing, and from observation made from a point, as near as official reticence and barbed-wire will allow, they seem to do it well. At one point the entanglements allow the public to approach within 50 yards of the camps; and throughout the afternoon scores of people are to be seen climbiug along the hill to the enclosure. The number of motor cars one day was suggestive of a race meeting. Many people went on foot, and there were several cyclists.

. The Germans stand in groups behind the wire surveying the visitors, and they show 110 annoyance at being stared at They all wear the grey uniform, but in the head-dress every kind of pattern may be seen. Some remintl one of the old pictures of Waterloo, others are like the conical caps worn by the Canadian hunters. The helmet of one officer lacked the cloth covering to be seen 011 most. It was a miracle of a design. A thing of black and gold that flamed and Hashed in the sunlight. Most of the soldiers are men of good physique, and many of them are of exceptional height. The time is chiefly occupied in boxing and playing leapfrog. The camp itself behind the external barb wire is composed of a great number of tents and iron buildings.There are kitchens and washing places, and at night illumination is obtained from arc lights set in very high standards. Between the wire walls—there are. two of them ten feet high, in addition to the web-like entanglements—sentries march up and down with bayonets fixed. Close ; to the second wall or fence elevated j sentry-boxes are being put up, from I which a panoramic view of the two ! camps can be obtained. There are about 900 soldiers in the camp, and considerably more civilians.