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[Page 7]
April 28. Sticks rifle butts & bayonet are also common. one of the lads shot in wrist by bullet that pierced heart of another man. received for stepping only 2 feet from the ranks to get cig end, whilst marching to work. March 10-12 kilometres to work. Limbs like broomsticks. under shell fire. French women assist when possible. top hats etc & the ludicrous costumes. many French women shot. Food for 24 hrs. 11 men to one small loaf dinner – nil – tea – bowl of greasy water & 10 pieces mangel wurzel- line raid canteen for food. Eat grass, bones & refuse. Every Sunday parade clothing. no soap or change of clothing intense cold. Wet clothes. this is deliberate cruelty by Commandant at Reprisal Camp. Sick men worked & then clubbed to work until unconscious, then hospital. many deaths thro this practice. Hindenburg line by British. Russians cement & gun emplacements. British & French wires. 29th. diary for Hun scrutiny. I use tube.
30th small party Hunland. Hun cas' too numerous. Special trains Arras Sector. decomposed Sweedes.
1st May. temperature less. Little conversation.. Piece of grissel in my soup which I kept to chew later. Several men wards told me of additional Hun brutality. Many men have had no dressing at least 10 days. latrine buckets, [indecipherable], filthy beds etc. 2-3rd, had 3 dressings since arrive here. 4-11th usual routine. Craving for food. Frenchman returned from Germany told me of parcels in Hunland. No parcels or mail whilst in Retal' Sector.. 12th local papers smuggled. News brief & distorted. aeroplanes – French people tortured. Hun language. 13th. Interpreter informed us of valuables & money - again refused by prisoners usual Hun trickery. 14th. Name appeared for transfer Germany. Much excitement of a transfer. Donnewetter & other expletives. Discovered Wilks when departing. Crippled Huns stretcher bearers. Gifts from Frenchwomen. Hospital train very comfy. nurses [indecipherable], she copied remarks. Then returned hospital, taken to another ward. Desperately hungry.
16-23rd. Inter volunteers information. [indecipherable], glasses, fair hair tipical Hun. also different M.O. very sarcastic & a bully. Wound septic. Fresh dressing since return. persistent requests ignored. 24-31st, 25th Pulled out of bed rough handling forced to walk. Struggled metre collapsed. 29th allowed to remain in bed. Ward similar pigsty. buckets overflowing [indecipherable] state repulsive, received small quantity horse flesh. pea soup. a general improvement in food.
1st June. Ideal climate. Many deaths thro inattention. 4 Australians. Lukis 16th Batt'n leg amputated without anaesthetic died. Muller 14th Batt'n died then – neglect. frostbite both feet off.