LIFE IN A PRISON CAMP

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 98, 14 December 1943, Page 4

LIFE IN A PRISON CAMP

A LONG DAY'S WORK

SPIRIT OF GOOD COMRADESHIP

Letters received locally from a prisoner of war in Germany give interesting glimpses into the life and routine of a prison camp.

"Our day begins at 5 a.m. when horse-drivers and van drivers clean their charges," he wrote. "At 7 ■o'clock we begin the day's toil, our tasks being many and varied. Two hours are allowed for dinner and finally, at 7 p.m., we finish for the day. In barracks every man has a certain job to do, such as drawing rations, sweeping put, washing-up and general cleanliness. This is all done by roster, three men each day. Slackness is not tolerated and neglect of duty is punished by peeling the potatoes for tomorrow's dinner. Our washing is done for us but we darn iour own socks. For recreation we play cricket; indoors we have books, cards and various games. We are fortunate in having amongst us an accomplished violinist and an acoordeon player, supplemented by four mouth organists of no mean ability. In the vocal line we have much to be desired, but we are willing and if at times we don't harmonise, who cares? We don't, at least, and our outside audiences seem to appreciate it. Cigarette parcels received are distributed equally to all, and our wages are pooled, everything bought from the canteen being paid from the bank. Sundays are free and are generally filled with mending our clothes sleeping, writing home and making gadgets such as tea pots, suit-cases, picture frames, arid trying out our cooking abilities ,on recipes never heard tof before, from our food parcels. Lights out at 11 p.m." There was also an interesting reference to "muchers," meaning a joining together ,of two or more mostly two, for purposes of economy and comradeship. "My mucher," he wrote, "is also a New Zealander a,nd for nearly two years we have been together without a misunderstanding; in . fact we are the only original partnership, which is saying a lot for both of us. There are times when this life becomes tedious and tempers short and an ill-timed word which on other occasions is insignificant, has broken real friendship. These partnerships of share •and-Sihare alike, in most cases will probably last a life-time. Naturally confidences and ambitions are exchanged and kept. Our food parcels and rations are combined and believe me, we can cook som* tempting, if .not palatable dishes. We both work with horses and here again we help each other with looking after them. The party, taken on the whole is good, the spirit of good comradeship prevails over all"

The Royal Navy, together with the R.A.P., has sunk or captured well over 5,000,000 tons of German and Italian shipping, ,and damaged more than a further 3,000,000 tons.