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[Page 29]
before crossing the border.
The Commission at Aachen was represented by one Dutch,also a and one German doctor. I was often disgusted with the decision of these doctors as only a certain percentage were allowed to pass, and those who failed had to return to the camp on stretchers and crutches.
I shall never forget a batch of Germans who had just been repatriated and had only been in Germany 3 hours. I went up to one of them and asked if they had just come from England. He said, "Yes, I have come from Australia. I was sick there and was sent to England, and from England here"
"What sort of treatment did you receive from the Australians and the English," I asked.
"I was very well treated, and have the address of a number of people I intend writing to in Australia," he replied.
While I was in conversation with this fellow, I did not notice a German sailor behind me until he said, "I have been very badly treated in England." I looked him up and down, and noticed the name "Emden" on his cap. "Oh," I said "I see you are off the "Emden". Then I told him I was an Australian, and belonged to the Australian Army. I said, "Well you don't look very bad on it."
"Oh", he replied, "we only received a bit of bread so big."
"Yes, and we prisoners in Germany only received about a quarter of what you got in England, and it won't be long before you will see for yourself."
"Are you down for exchange," he asked.
"No", I said, "but just to give you an idea of how we are treated in Germany, in a few minutes a lot of fellows will be lined up in the yard opposite this window, and these poor fellows have come