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[Page 20]
hand them over to the Germans who gave a pair of wooden clogs in their place, and we had nothing else to wear until a pair of boots was received through the British Red Cross Society. On entering the camp we were put into barracks, being served with eating bowls, towels, blankets, overcoats etc. The next day we were examined by the doctor who ordered us to bed for ten days, but after two days in bed the whole of our barrack was punished through some slight accident one poor fellow had been just outside the barrack door which was observed by one of the officers. We all had to stand on a square of ice and snow for five hours. Fredichsfeld camp is about the most sanitary camp I have been in, the only objection to it being the severe discipline, as the Germans always tried to catch men to mete out punishment. I never came across anyone who liked dealing out punishment more than Fritz. Whenever the boys wanted to lie down on their bed before 6 p.m. they would have to be very careful not to be caught, otherwise it meant seven days in the cells. As soon as a German came on the scene the boys would give the alarm by singing out "Legs eleven", "Eyes down", or "Clickerty click".
I left this camp on 17th December 1917, and was sent on to Gustrow, three days journey, and passed through Aachen, Cologne, Bremen and Hamburg. We arrived in Gustrow camp 3 p.m. one afternoon feeling thoroughly done up after our long trip. On entering the camp a portion of black bread was served out, also blankets, and after being counted we were taken to our barracks and a watery soup given to us, called by the boys, by the name of "sandstone".