REPATRIATED FROM RUHLEBEN.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16212, 15 May 1918, Page 8

REPATRIATED FROM RUHLEBEN.

A NEW ZEALAND ER'3 EXPERIENCES.

tribute to the value of SPORT. (from our own correspondent.) LONDON, March 19. Immediately after the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race of 1913, in which Tom Sullivan was professionally concerned in the training of the Oxford crew, the New Zealand ex-champion sculler of England left London to take up the appointment of coach to the Berlin Rowing Club, preparatory to the Olympic Games of 1916. War intervened, the Games did not come off, ajnd Tom Sullivan was detained, as also [ vere his wife and son. Mrs Sullivan . was eventually allowed to come back to England, but Mr Sullivan and his son wero interned at the civilian camp at liuhleben. After about 3} years there the father has been repatriated and has arrived in London ; the son is still a prisoner, and js likely to Do until the conclusion of the war. At the moment Mr Sullivan is not saying much about the conditions 1 meted out to the camp prisoners, nym- ' bering somewhere about 4000. What ' he has to say in this connexion will ; first be placed at the disposal of tho authorities, but he has a good deal to say from the sporting viewpoint, which i alone has kept so many of them fo fit. L All are agreed as to Mr Sullivan's i fit appearance, and he says he feels i thoroughly well despite trying experiences, his fine physique having stood him in good stead, while indulgence in plenty of sport was a tremendous aid—though of sculling he had none. THE SORE POINT. In an interview, Mr Sullivan said , "I do not wish to make any detailed reference to liuhleben at present, pre- | ferring to wifcnhoid my statements tor certain reasons. Many reports Have been given as regards this camp, and to some of these a irom my own point | of view, I feel that I must take exception. Somo of the reports are not as-just as they might be; in other cases probably they might have been made a little clearer. With some exceptions, tho internees in liuhleben Camp are fairly well at the present time. It may seem a strange thing to say, but I think tho older men. in tlie camp, speaking generally, appear 1 to have stood the wear and tear better than the younger men. For food wo depended almost solely on what cam«> from England and the bread which we received through the Dutch Red Cross. I must admit that the parcels from home and also the bread came fairly reguiarly. The German authori- i ties supmied us with potatoes, which I we received most days during the week, I and a little meat sometimes on Sunday, which they made up in the form J of a stew. The work of the kitchens is under the control of a staff of otfr. own civilians, with, of course, German' supervision. The food supplied bv the enemy authorities has never been sufficient to keep body and soul together. Even at the beginning, when the Ger-, man nation itself had plenty of food available, there was not enough for the ; prisoners. That is the sore point I [ nave with the Germans —they did hot! provide the food when they were able to do it." ' During his long period of internment, Mr Sullivan lived in a stable and slept in a horse-box. For the information of the uninitiated, it may bo mentioned that liuhleben Camp is a converted trotting enclosure. THE VALUE OF HEALTHY SPORT. The New Zealander attributes his present good physical condition largely to tho opportunities for sport, of wiiicii the internees were glad to aYail themselves. In this direction, it may ba mentioned, no assistance or encouragement whatever is received from the Gerand never lias been. AU the time it has been the energy of the interned themselves and the determination to keep up a good spirit—and that alone—which has enabled them to carry on. Tho atmosphere of an internment camp must, necessarily, bo peculiarly depressing, and as Mr Sullivan remarks: "Jt is the mental effects which one has most* to fear. If some distraction from the routine of camp life is not possible, if one's mind is allowed to brood for long on the monotonous position, then the end is inevitable. Wo had. as ono would expect to have in a community of 4000 people, some mental I do not know of one of them affecting a man who tuck a keen interest in a healthy sport of some kind." Some of the best-known British footballers are internees at Ruhleben, including Fred Peutland, Steve Bloomer, BrearJy, Wolstenholme* and others. lentland was secretary of the sports committee, and all tho others did really splendid work. They did all they could to keep the game going, and thev invariably turned out themselves, l entJand was whole-hoartedly energetic in the best interests of all kinds of sport THE FIRST MEETING. Wo held our first athletic meetinc early in 1915," said Mr Sullivan, -and of entries over 1100 competed. I'ho programme had to be spread over a week; for we could not always have tho use of the track. Our events included running races, from sprints up to a mile, nigh and long jumps, hurdling and a reiay race round the course, luo prizes were not of great value, as you can guess, but tlioy tiro much treasured. 'iliere were other interests besides those purely sporting to claim our attention. . Practically every nationality was represented on tho camp, and it, ?i?L POSS . lbJ i e t0 l eara l«"4juage one hoso. 1 ha\e been to E£..ne niosc interesting lectures on diverse suojects. i;l!. 011 l ot . re »lly talented musicians owed its inception to such incn as bouncy, Ludiow, Peebles Conn Bainton, and Alacmiilan. They were Ahe back-hone of the musical side. Then there was .Johnny itoker, tue dancer, theatricals, a stage for tJie -™Jldstand." Apart from the games and music education was not negiected. At the nunHs' Sn i" aS - about a pupils, men who m pre-war days were connected with the commercial 3 world have been devotme their ' J ability in instructing younger men In, caso, after all that hehas tho impression should get about that Ruhleben must be a verv f™!"; Place, Mr ffivSn™ *0 voillt out that it ,s tho i the interned themselves and thl de termination to keeD un •, ™ i • .<«*«* whatever k GA-mans and. never has been. WW ever assistance there has been was SoJ° r ™ lh ° nothing much to (UiTfadt uith for there ls ntenty of fresh air. Referring to chums left 6ehind lie added: 'Though they make a big fight, you eventually see stron* men losing their vitality, and Ido iiop 3 that everv effort will be mado to " both young and old." After so long an absence from the Old Country, Mr Sullivan is keenly anxious to bc able to do something useful-to take some part in wimiing the war. "I have been out o r it for three and a htl/ veaxs, and I cannot remain idle lcn« now I am free." This keen desire speaks much for the Qualities and physique of a man wno hcis pssscd tlirougii m bdv trying and difficult experiences. 1 It is not a little curious, remarks "Sporting Life," that the last event in • which Mr Sullivan took part before tho ! outbreak of war was a military regatta j at Wannsee, on July 29th. 1914. Three months before this a number of young military officers were sent down to Mr