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[Page 13]
diseases, at the same time, then a hot bath and fumigation which was anything but a pleasure - for your clothes were taken from you and after your bath-without soap or towel-you waited in the cold whilst your clothes were fumigated in a huge steam over, for a matter of forty minutes.
The food question became much worse, for of all the vile mixtures that could be made for human consumption it fell to our lot to eat, and when other prisoners of war-who were receiving red cross parcels- turned the German soups "down" there was always a mad animal rush in that direction.
Most of us were down with dysentery and in my weak state I want through particular "hell" for daily we used to march to an adjoining forest through snow, and then go through a hard day's work handling huge trees - our particular job being hauling and loading. Our midday soup was sent from the camp, arriving there cold - which didn't tend to make it any more palatable- and after having the hours rest after the meal, work would be resumed and we would continue until dusk when the return to camp would be made- our spirits by this time being at a very low ebb. We used to march back- eagerly expectant that our "first parcel" would be to hand but alas the same "expectant feeling" came night after night in my case ----- and we just went on, living in hopes that something for the good would eventuate. The cigarette in those "down-out" days consisted of that well-known brand - known to tramps etc as 0.P.B's (other peoples butts) for when a "butt" or a "Cigarette stump" was seen on the road there would be one wild rush and at times almost a "free fight" to obtain it. Sometimes the german sentry in charge of the party would be smoking what the germans called a "cigar" - all eyes would be watching the "butt" diminishing - watching for the cycological moment when it would be thrown away — in some cases one of us got it but in quite a few the sentry would put his foot on it and make it useless for anyone to think of smoking.
Saturday night was a "gala-night" in the camp, the "seasoned" prisoners would entertain we hungry ones with a first class variety concert in a theatre built by the American Consul, which, when the Camp Commandant was not "straffing" the English (same being pretty frequent) used to be open? In most of the camps there was usually an Englishman or two to impersonate the "inevitable woman" which must always adorn the stage. These impersonations were often very clever, and in the humorous farces extremely funny and enjoyable. Needless to say all concerts were