PRISON CAMPS IN ENGLAND

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LXI, Issue 17, 1 March 1940, Page 1

PRISON CAMPS IN ENGLAND

HOW ENEMY ALIENS ARE

TREATED

HOSPITALITY FOR REFUGEES

"Herr Kommandant—ve haf a gomplaint."

"What is it?" demanded the Colonel in charge of an internment camp oh the East Coast of England.

The enemy alien saluted and clicked his heels.

"Too many Nazis here," he replied. "Dey haf a Fuehrer elected. But we believe in democracy. We do not vant a Fuehrer in the camp. Vot shall we do?"

The Colonel said: "If you believe in democracy, you must abide by the decision of the. majority. That is the way this camp is run. If you don't want a Fuehrer, just vote him out."

"For the Duration"

The prisoner grinned. "Ja, Herr Kommandaht," he said "We vait. Den ye vote him out."

I know that camp well, writes G.A. in the Sunday Chronicle, London. Last time I was there, in the summer, it was filled with British holiday-makers—3ooo of them. Now the chalets, ballrooms and beer-gardens that were built for peace-time pleasure accommodate 200 German and Austrian citizens.

It is one of the three centres in Britain where the nationals of enemy countries are housed— mostly "for the duration." They are for Britain's Foreign Legion— the civilian internees, the prisoners of war, and the refugees from Nazi persecution. Let us look at the civilian internees first, see how they live, what sort of men they are, and what sort of treatment they get. They have been sent to this camp because Tribunals have decided that they ought not to be at large in Britain in war-time. But the only sign that they are prisoners Is the presence of armed guards at the gates. Apart from this military supervision the internees do pretty much as they like. They are nearly as free as the holiday-makers who inhabited the camp in peace-time. When Fritz arrives at the camp, carrying the one suitcase that he is permitted to bring, he finds "himself first in the former cocktail bar. There he opens his suitcase to show that he has brought no knives, scissors or other sharp implements. He is allowed to possess a safety razor and one blad.e. When he wants a new blade he must surrender the blunt one. A doctor runs the rule over him, and then he is given a mattress, a bolster, a pillow, and four blankets. These he takes to a chalet, where he is allotted one of three wooden bunks. And then, if he wants to start talking politics, Nazi or antiNazi, he is free to do so, for he is among his own countrymen. Fritz rises at seven, makes his bed, and gets ready for breakfast at 7.45. Porridge, meat pie, plenty of bread and margarine, and a pint of tea. Camp inspection is at 10.30 and, lunch at 12.30—usually meat, fruit pie and cocoa. Exercise and work fill in the hours to 4.30 tea, after which the evening is his own. Roll call is at nine, and lights out at 10.30. He can send out two letters a week, receive as many as come, as . well as parcels. Not bad for an • enemy alien. But we have, as well, many friendly guests from enemy - countries. r Camp for Refugees Three thousand of them are in

a camp that our troops occupied in the last war. It is in the south of England. Until recently, for 20 years, it had been an eyesore.

Weeds made the grounds a jungle. Displaced wall-boards, broken windows, and sagging roofs made the 40 huts look like a derelict mining camp. But now the camp looks like a garden city. The huts have been repaired, the grass clipped, and the paths laid out. Most of the work has been done by the villagers themselves.

They are refugees from Nazi oppression, and all, in this camp, are men. Among them are doctors, musicians,. lawyers, writers, and. actors, some with celebrated

names

This town of 2000 Germans and 1000 Austrians and Czechs, where Jew and Gentile mix as friends, is a completely self-governing community. The camp costs £80,000 a year to run, and the Central Fund of British Jewry relieves the British taxpayer of that expense.

' The refugees have their own camp newspaper. They do all their own carpentering, roadmaking, and gardening, and their post oftlce handles 6000 letters a day. An educational department organises lectures * and occupational instruction.

"Young men are fitting themselves there to take jobs abroad. This camp is losing members, as bright youngsters, after receiving technical training, pass out to the great world.

But it is not so with Camp No. 3. There the population is growing daily as newcomers arrive. It is a camp for prisoners of war.

Airmen and U-Boat Crews

This is in the North of England. Most of the prisoners, up to now, are airmen or members of U-boat crews. They live in a factory building that had, not been used for many years before the war.

For the most part young fellows, they have quickly taken to Soccer football, and they have two matches a week in the camp. Their work consists mainly in trenchdigging and sandbag filling under the eyes of their guards. They carry British gas-masks and are making their own dug-outs against the prospect of visits from their Nazi friends.

Each has a coloured circular patch of cloth stitched into theback of his coat, and on one trouser leg, to show that he is a

prisoner,

As each Fritz arrives he shows either fear or Nazi arrogance. But in every case it disappears quickly as he realises that he is well treated.

As a rule, he speaks some English, and when he misbehaves, all the sergeant has to say is this: '

"Any more of that, me lad, and back to Germany you go!"