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[Page 40]
Shortly after arriving back at Munster I determined on faking some complaint, that, provided the German Doctor could be "bluffed", would prevent me from being sent out to work over the winter months. With this purpose in view I reported sick one morning, telling the Doctor that I had had an epileptic fit over night and producing a mate to substantiate my statement.
I fancy I must have looked honest, or perhaps the solitary confinement had made me look a mighty sick man, for my tale was accepted and I was classified as a man unfit for work of any kind and put on an exchange list for England - though I was under surveillance for some days.
Having achieved very much more than I had aimed for I was certainly not a scrap behind in giving the "fits" a further I flutter, always having recovered when the sentries put in an appearance.
I was very sorry to lose the pal I had attempted escape [with, for after we had been in camp about a fortnight he was sent off on a working party, and took with him the compass and maps that we intended using again, I also gave him the greater part of my civilian money, knowing that if I didn't succeed in passing the final board of doctors I would be sent back to the camp where I should have plenty of opportunities for acquiring all the necessary articles for another attempt for my liberty.
Three weeks passed and my ruse was still going strong, Life, generally speaking, in this camp was fairly comfortable, for thanks to the Red Cross there was a very fair library in the camp, and this , with a concert or picture show once a week used to help break the monotony although field grey uniforms and barbed wire could not be forgotten.
The canteen in the camp run by Germans was a huge Joke, for all that could be bought were cigarettes (which used to cost 8 pfenigs, equivalent to 1d a piece) and were pretty rotten too
at that. Swedish matches, all manner of brushes and tooth paste and once a week "vin blac" of a very inferior quality was available at a cost of a mark for a small wineglass, but it was a rare occasion when any of us were financial enough to attempt I drowning our sorrows and tribulations.
Medical treatment in the camp was a bit of a farce, for apart from the paper bandages the doctor's verdict for any kind of minor complaint was "aspirin tablets" and "arbide" which meant work - both in the same breath.
I had been out of gaol seven weeks, having a good time so far as good times went in Deutcshland, when one afternoon about 3 o'clock I was warned to get myself in readiness to move