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[Page 41]
A Russian came in with a watch to exchange for a tin of dripping when this lad said, "Yes, Rusky sculker" meaning "how much". "Nicht gilt Komarade, dripping" and offered the Russians a tin of cabbage telling him it was dripping. The Russian handed over the watch, and he took what he thought was dripping. About three hours after, in came Rusky with the opened tin of cabbage saying, England Komarade nicht good." The Russians in the barrack gathered round and laughed at their mate, and in the finish the Rusky with the tin of cabbage had to laugh as well, but he was given something more for his watch, and in the end went away quite satisfied.
The Russians, particularly the German Jews, were fond of gambling, and I have seen them sitting up all night playing cards. They had to be very careful not to let the German guard catch them, and after 10 p.m. they put a wedge of wood under the door. As soon as they heard the door tried by the Germans come to raid them, they would make a straight line for bed. It was most amusing to watch them and see the expression on their faces, some of them with their hooked noses just over the blankets, and the white of their eyes showing, watching and waiting to see who would be dragged out of bed for punishment, and often they would pull out the wrong men.
On one occasion a fire broke out in a shed near the hospital The Germans could not find out for certain the cause of it, but a poor Italian who happened to be near the shed at the time had to take the blame for it and do time in the cells.
One day my mate and I wondered how we could make some money out of the Germans, and came to the conclusion that it would be