Item 12: Frank W. Bungardy narrative of life in Holsworthy Internment Camp, ca. 1915-March 1919 - Page 5

[Page 5]

hawe been made, our experience of past [indecipherable] in camp tell us, that the horrors of past [indecipherable] will be intensified during the coming hot weather & will make our mode of live, wich allready is an insult to humanity, still more unbearable we now aske you to transfer us into one of the Staate jails, wher we hope to find at least a refuge for the undescrible horrors of the Vermin & Dust plagues. We beg to inform you that we are handing copies of this communication to the Consuls of Switzerlined and Sweden with the request that they may support this application to you Signed the Camp Committee. About the time of writing this the Military Officials tried to close all smal shops inside our compound, with the exception of 4 Restaurant Caffees 3 Baker Shops & 2 Butchershops. The Internees had a petition list made out & signed by 75% of the Camp Inmates, handet to Comandant wich in consequence let them remain as previously.

During ende of this month, we had issue giwen to us, to return all empty jamtins, regulation cut open & clean. We Internees looked upon this order as ridicoulous, & requested of the Authorities to issue us Tinopeners to enable us to fullfill the orders & instruction giwen, but as no tinopeners wher issued to us, no tin got returned. 17/9 2 pair second hand soxs issued to each Internees, 18/over 1000 Internees applied & petitioned for voluntory labor, as he might direct & at any place, but must be outside barbwire & under same conditiones as our Parole. This request however has been refused by the Deffence Department.