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[Page 8]
beds or blankets were provided, and when the men wanted to go to the latrine they were told to use a cask placed at the end of the room. I shall never forget my first night in there: I was too wet to think of lying on the tiled floor, so I walked about until I was dry. Next morning we were given a slice of bread, and it was useless trying to save anything for the next meal which was composed of barley and water. No eating utensils were supplied, so we were compelled to eat our so called soup from our helmets. No water was given for us to wash in, and this kind of treatment had to be endured for seven days, after which we were taken from our room, mustered in the yard, given a portion of bread, one loaf being divided between three men, and then marched 30 kilos to Douai.
This march was very trying, some of the men rushed into the fields for stray sugarbeet or any vegetable leaves they could pick up on the roadside. When passing through one village, the Frenchwomen were excited at seeing English prisoners and rushed in amongst them and embraced them, and many French girls bravely faced the risk of severe punishment in giving slices of bread to the prisoners. On entering Douai I was very interested in its canals and walks with beautiful trees growing on each side. After passing these sights, we were taken to the French prison, numbered off and placed in cells, thirteen to a cell built for one only. On entering the cell we had the door locked on us and were told to be ready to go to work on the roads at 6 a.m. The sanitary arrangements of these cells were just as bad as at Lille, and for hours the men would kick at the door without obtaining any relief.