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[Page 85]
24th to 25th. Very high temperature caused by my wounds. I paraded sick and the Russian camp Doctor advised me to go to hospital. I reluctantly submitted. I waited several hours for stretcher bearers and escort. Finally I was hoisted on the shoulders of 4 Russians; I was taken to a hospital situated in the town of Altdamn, roughly 2 ½ miles from the camp. In pre-war days the building was a beer house, with gardens and shooting galleries attached; it was appropriately named "Schutzen Haus". Despite any objections to washing in a tub of water used by four or five filthy Russians before me, I was thrown into the tub. I was eventually, taken to a small room occupied by ten English and two Russians. One Englishman who had experienced reprisal in Russia now acting as Interpreter, arranged for my accommodation and I was soon abed. The sheets were black and filthy but, I felt ill and submitted willingly. Parcels have not arrived lately, consequently I am obliged to resort to the Hun's rations. Fortunately I did not require food at the time, on account of high temperature.
26th. 10 a.m. Hun and Russian surgeons visited the ward. Through the Interpreter I explained my troubles and was promptly ordered to report in the operating theatre in the morning. The Hun Doctor is a rough, ugly specimen of humanity; judging him by appearance I think he was a butcher or barman prior to the war.
27th. At 10.30. a.m. I was taken into the operating room and placed on a table to await attention. Half an hour elapsed before the Hun looked at me, he then called the Russian who apparently does all the work. The Russian selected a surgical knife and motioned me to look away. I felt a sharp incision and then thought it time to see what he was doing. Upon looking round I saw a stream of blood and pus; a few seconds later I was glad to look away. He had commenced cleaning the wound with dry gauze. To do this he probed and scraped for fully ten or fifteen minutes, causing me extreme pain. I managed to stick it without a word but nearly chewed my shirt sleeve in two. When the probing process ceased I felt considerably relieved although the thing pained awfully. My leg was swathed in paper bandages and the Hun told me to walk back to the ward. I refused to obey this cruel, ridiculous