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[Page 11]
had to be taken in tins we collected from the roadside, and those not fortunate enough to possess a tin had to use their steel helmets and it was not until the last few weeks in Douai that enamel bowls were given to eat out of, and these were taken away from us before leaving that place. We have often been glad to eat birds killed through concussion of English shells.
One day I was taken to work near a German Aerodrome, and was within twelve yards of a Taube machine when the engines thre were set going while waiting for the driver. Seeing nobody near, I was trying to judge how the thing worked, and my heart started to throb as I really thought for a moment I might be able to escape, but not knowing enough about machinery, I had to give up the idea.
One afternoon I was taken to clean out some offices in the prison after a heavy day's work, and while doing this I came on a big French Flag, and the German in charge of me thought he was doing a noble thing by snatching it from me and tearing it into shreds. With all our hardships, at times while working near the fighting line we used to witness some very good sport between the British and German planes, as our pilots brought down German balloons and planes, and whenever the German planes were being defeated the guards in charge of us would not allow us to stop work to witness the battle, but would yelp and at us as we would scold a bad dog.
At times our aeroplanes would be quite near the ground, and in spite of the guard, we would wave to them. On one occasion, I saw one of our planes brought down the by the Germans and for some days