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[Page 37]
On the occasion of our second re-capture we were taken to a Russian prisoner of war compound at Neuss, where that same night we entrained for Limburg,
Whilst going into Neuss in an electric tram-car, the German civilians were very jubilant over the success at Cambrai and were treating us to jibes and informing us that in a month's time they would be in Paris to which we replied in our limited conversational ability, that they would not get there in a hundred years.
Knowing of the unpleasant solitary confinement ahead of us, had the chance offered itself both my pal and myself would have attempted a break, but it was no for we were too closely watched.
Our train journey to Cologne passed without incident and we disentrained and were put in the guard room until our train arrived next morning,
The Germans at this time were very scared about the much boomed American Air Squadron that never arrived. The station on all sides was sand-bagged and a strong guard was in evidence.
Another noticeable thing in all the big towns on or about the Rhine were the darkened lights, which, in all towns I was in were much darker than the London lights, this in view of the possibilities of an air raid, would show how scared the Germans were.
Over night, as no sleeping accommodation was available, we passed sitting about the floor. We were regailed with some soup that we had much pleasure (in view of possessing English food) in turning down - much to the amazement of the German soldiers
Next morning we continued our train journey and after some hours arrived at Limburg in the state of "Hesse-Nasau" -- famous for being the camp where the late Sir Roger Casement tried to form his Irish Brigade.
The camp was in a fine position, being on the top of a high hill, and the sanitary conditions and the general camp conditions were the best that I saw in any of the camps I was in.
Before going into the camp we were searched in the reception room, this time by a man that knew his game thoroughly, for all our contraband articles were discovered - except for some of the currency paper money.
Red Cross supplies at this camp were in abundance, for many prisoners working behind the firing line, who in all probability had died from lack of food, overwork or exposure, could not be traced and their parcels were accordingly distributed