Repatriated War Prisoner Tells Of Italian Camp Life

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1942, Page 4

Repatriated War Prisoner Tells Of Italian Camp Life

Confirmation of conditions in Italian camps described in letters frnm prisoners of war to Taranaki next- j of-kin is given by Major Trevor de Clive Lowe, Auckland, who was recently repatriated from Itaiy. After an address that he gave recently to an Auckland society Major de CliveLowe agreed to reply to questions about prison camp conditions. "What was there to eat?" was the question eagerly put forward by one seeker of information. In reply, Major de Clive-Lowe said the bread in Italy was light and pleasant to the taste,' but there was not enough of it. For a meal they had about 150 grams of bread, and among other things soup, which seemed , to consist of cabbage-water that had never had cabbage in it, but chifl.y turnip tops and sorrel. It was very unpalatable. Occasionally there were eggs (about one per month). goats' milk cheese, or pickled eel. whitebait or tunny fish. The last three all tasted the same, as they were all done in so much vinegar. Officers were able to buy a few extras such as jam, which, said Major de CliveLowe, was the best in the world, sugar and figs. Just before he left, these last two foodstuffs were becoming scarce. One of the main items of interest was what prisoners did during the evenings. The speaker replied that he had been unlucky, as he had been in the worst camp as far as entertainment was concerned. Nothing was organised by the commandant. and for a while the prisoners were forbidden to learn Italian. However, concerts were arranged by the officers themselves. but as there was a complete lack of music. and as the participants were not over-talented, these entertainments served merely to pass the time. Cards were in plenty, said Major de Clive-Lowe, and patience seemed the most popular game, although occasional bridge tournaments wero held. In addition, classes in German and Italian and even shorthand were carried on.

Paid So Much a Day. During their "holiday" in Italy, the prisoners were paid so much a day b,y the Italians. This was done by a system of credit. For daily board, so much was debited by book. This was also done for clothing. Those that left with Maior de Clive-Lowe were each given a chit showing their credit. which. they were told. would be cashed for them in Egypt. When they. were safely under the control of the British authorities again, they were re-issued with paybooks, and the amount which they had received while in Italy was deducted, During their stay in the prison camps, their dependents at home still received i their allowance. For a time he was in a transit camp j in Greece, and, while there, remarked i on the bad position in regard to food. The guards replied that every time a I food ship was sent from Athens the j British torpedoed it, so the _ captors weren't to blame. ' To the outward eye the guard on this camp was extremely lax, as the prisoners were able to take walks freely. When asked about the possibility of the men escaping, the German guards replied that it was just too bad, as they soon came back. The story was told of three men who made their escape from the camp and lived with the peasants for some time, but they soon found that there was little or no food to be had, so they returned secretly to the camp and lived there for three days until they had consumed plenty and regained strengfh, and then calmly escaped again. Commenting on relations between the Italians and the Germans, Major de Clive-Lowe said that if the word German was mentioned to an Italian soldier, he would snarl and spit on the ground. That is, if no Germans were near. He said that the Italians seemed to be suffering from inferiority complex, while the Germans were controlled by the superiority complex.