Charley
Pocock’s War
Compiled
from diaries
By Rodney Pocock ©
CHAPTER I
I heard the motorcyclist long before he reached my quarter, and knew what it
meant, mobilize, it didn’t worry me at first because I had done it twice before
and everyone knew exactly what to do, I was of the opinion that nothing would
come of it as on previous occasions but as the day wore on and orders we
received to get ready to move so my spirits got lower and lower and the more
worried I became, I was thinking of Kit and the boys; if war was to break out
what would happen to them, it wasn’t as if they were in their own country,
supposing Italy came into the war and made for the Canal what would happen to
them. With all these thoughts in my head I had to remain on duty, when I wanted
to be home with them, it was Derek’s birthday and he was having his party.
Eventually orders came down for us to move, I had to go home and tell Kit, and
how downright miserable I felt about it all, should I ever see them again was
my chief worry. That night we entrained and went off and to make matters worse
I had an attack of lumbago, that small train was, I thought, the worst one
could experience, but since then I have suffered much worse.
At Suez we were destined to remain for almost 12 months, life was a semi peace
and war type, and very early on I missed my home comforts, but fortunately I
was able to get home once a fortnight for 48 hours, and how I used to look
forward to those visits, I used to live from one fortnight to another. food I
missed greatly, although that issued was good; it could in no way compare with
what I was used to. The lack of home comforts hit me hard, after so many years
of married bliss; the lack of privacy came so very strange. My first bed was on
the railway platform, my second on the Pilgrims Quay, the third was in an old
store together with about 70 troops and the fourth eventually in the Officers
Mess but not before a 12 month had elapsed. The unit was split up all over
Our orders for active service arrived on 15th August 1940, the CO
and I, as acting Quartermaster, which duties I had been carrying out for some
time, attended a conference at Middle East HQ at which we received our orders,
and they were to be ready to embark at 12 noon on Saturday 18th
August 1940 and proceed to............ and there to make a landing to help the
Black Watch. This did not sound at all good I knew that I had my work cut out
to get the Battalion ready, but on the journey back my thoughts were with Kit
and the boys, this appeared to be the last straw, having suddenly to go into
action on Saturday without seeing Kit, however duty is duty, and I had a job
which kept my time fully occupied. I had the Battalion ready by the time
appointed, the warship to carry us arrived, HMS Terror, and then the order was
cancelled, I was relieved, and for once had an evening off. A few days later I
was ordered to prepare a meal for the returning Black Watch whom I knew very
well because they came out on the same troopship, HMT Nevassa
from
Chapter 2
The next few days were horrible for me, I had more work to do man was necessary
and that kept my mind occupied. But when it was broadcast over the German radio
that they knew of the embarkation of the families and intended to sink the
ship, I was dumbfounded, I had plenty to do in the daytime but the nights were
dreadful, sleep I could not. In the meantime we moved to
At the end of October 1940 or the beginning of November we moved up to Sidi Haneish and occupied a
portion of the southern face of the Baggush Box. Here
I had a very good dugout which was well sandbagged and sheltered from the sand
storms. On the whole I was quite comfortable, I had a good safe store and was
able to use a fairly good Officers Mess.
We were moved up for the 1940 push to a place about 30 miles south of Sidi Barani, but did not take a
very active part except to collect prisoners by the thousand. For one night
only there was nothing between us and the Italian lines, it was on this night
that HMS Terror shelled Sidi Barani,
the vibration was terrific even the sides of my dugout began to cave in. On the
9th December 1940 we were relieved by the 6th Australian
Division, the relief was not carried out as smoothly as expected. I was sent
back with my echelon to Sidi Haneish,
a distance of about 100 miles, starting early in the morning with instructions
to prepare for the Battalion who would move at about 1600 hours, everything was
prepared, hot meal, etc in time but no battalion arrived. At 2000 hours I got
worried and went to Brigade HQ to find out what was wrong, they got in touch
with Army HQ who informed us that the relief would not take place until a day
or so later. This meant I had got to return to the Battalion post haste knowing
full well that they had no rations for the next day. Hurriedly I collected my
convoy together again and at 2300 hours off we went, on reaching Matruh one of the water carts developed a puncture. I told
the other vehicles to RV outside of the town. I stayed behind with the water
cart and consequently got mixed up in an air raid which was not too pleasant,
however we got over this difficulty and continued down the Siwar
road, to a track which led across the desert Just as we turned off the road the
bombers started up again and at that moment one of the lorries burst into
flame. Things became a bit tense for a moment or so but we managed to put the
flames out and proceed on our 30-mile desert drive with the damaged vehicle in
tow.
It was bitter cold wind a head wind, direction finding was very difficult, I
had judged that we should be back in position by daybreak, when that came there
was no sign of the Battalion. I thought I was lost, but my luck held good and
about 0615 hours came across HQ, they were still sleeping but they were rather
pleased to see me. The move took place the following day, quite satisfactorily.
We stayed at Sidi Haneish a
few days’ then moved back to Ameriah, to refit once
again. This put a lot of work on my shoulders, whilst others could go into
Chapter 3
We celebrated Christmas Day on
I must mention how we got flooded out one day and a night. It had been a very
quiet and hot day but one could see that up in the mountains it was raining, in
the evening it came on to rain in our district. We were encamped near a dried
up river bed, during the night I heard a noise like thunder which gradually
faded and then I heard a lot of noise from the troops, so we decided to get out
of bed and find out what was going on. On getting up I found I was standing in
about 6 inches of water, my bed fortunately was standing on a little mound of
earth, everywhere else was about 3 feet deep including the stores, the water
had come down with such force that it washed one of the 160 pounder
tents down to the seashore some 5 miles away. The damage was enormous, our
vehicles had been dug in and the pits were full of water, the drivers had their
work cut out to get the vehicles moving. I was supposed to move off with
rations at 1000 hours but could not form the convoy up until 1600 hours and
then the going was very heavy, I had my doubts as to whether I would get up to
the line or not, however I had to make the attempt and so started off. I was
dressed in tin hat, shorts, canvas slippers and a ground sheet with a belly
full of rum. The vehicles were continually getting stuck but with hard work and
hard swearing we crept slowly forward until we met an enormous obstacle, a
river bed, which had previously been dry, was now full of water. I went through
with my PU (a small load carrying vehicle known as a “pick up”) and managed it,
the next vehicle, a 30 cwt, got stuck right in the middle, we tried to get a 15
cwt across and that also got stuck, here was a pretty state of affairs. The
first thing to do was off-load the vehicles, halfway through this job; the
sound of aircraft was heard. It might be one of ours, but no such luck! 3
Italians, I didn’t know whether to duck my head under the water or what to do,
but after circling round us they dropped their load and went off. We sorted
ourselves out again, no damage, and carried on getting our vehicles out.
After a time we were successful and continued our journey reaching the battalion
at
Before leaving this part of the country I must mention the animal life at which
we had some laughs at their antics, there were all kinds but mainly baboons,
all day long one could hear them barking and they would appear at all kinds of
places, it was most disconcerting when having a s... to be surrounded by a
gaping ring of baboons. One day Tiffy, Chalky and RSM
Greenfield climbed a hill, which was occupied, by a colony of baboons, when
they got to the top they were promptly chased back down again, I never heard so
much noise in all my life as they hurriedly came down. Often I would be going
up to the line with rations when in front of the would be a family of baboons
on the way to their watering place, they would appear in single file led by the
father, a big grey whiskered old boy, he would bark at us and then we would
pull up and watch them pass, following the old boy would be about 20 or 30
others all gradually getting smaller in size, the last chap being about as big
as a rabbit, the very small ones were carried on the backs of the mothers, I
could watch them for hours on end. The lions were the things that really
worried me, I used to hear them sniffing around my tent, I lay as still as a
mouse, in the morning I would inspect their footprints. One day I issued John Callan with a new pair of boots, the following morning he
had lost one on looking for it found it chewed up by one of these animals, I
was not at all pleased as I had taken a great deal of trouble to get them for
him. Another day we shot a hartebeest for fresh meal, the butcher took the
carcass some way away to clean and skin and bury the entrails, that evening the
CO visited the area and parked his car over the spot where they were buried, in
consequence he got no sleep. The jackals came along with all the other animals
in the vicinity and dug up the entrails making a hell of a noise.
After the fall of Keren we were taken back to Chemelette and there told we would have a ten days rest,
but did we, a couple days later we were ordered to move and capture Massawa. We started off on the evening of 1st
April 1941, and moved back just short of Cub Cub
where we struck off for the coast, we drove all night and I can remember saying
at daybreak when we stopped for a tea break, what a good way of spending ones
wedding anniversary. Later that morning we came to a place called Oblette and had to pass up the worst river bed that I had
ever come across, in places there was up to 30 inches of loose sand and of
course a large number of vehicles got stuck, there was a lot of swearing as the
troops dug out and pushed their vehicles through, even my light vehicle got
stuck. However we eventually got through and arrived at a place called Mersa Cub on the coast, here we caught up with Polly’s
company. After the Battalion had once again collected together we pushed on
down the coast, the going was extraordinarily rough and in places the sand was
very soft. My vehicle was put out of action by a broken spring so I left it
behind to come on later. The advance was stopped that evening because of a
destroyed bridge, which when we reached it was still burning. I was pleased for
the halt because my vehicle was repaired and caught up with me. That evening I
had a bathe in the sea which was wonderful and for the first time in my life I
found I was worried by land crabs, I dug a hole for myself to sleep in and the
damn things crawled over me all night.
The next morning the Sappers had sufficiently repaired the bridge for us to
cross over. We passed through some plantations and a village when the speed of
the convoy slowed down considerably because we were entering the Massawa defences eventually stopping before evening fell. B
Company who were the advance guard had been told to push on as the town had
supposedly surrendered, but they ran into a fairly hefty barrage when most
unexpected, so had to be brought back and a proper attack organised. That night
I had to go up with the cook’s lorries, as they had had nothing to eat all day.
After having issued the rations I went to the Officers Mess for something to
eat myself, I cannot say I enjoyed it because at that moment they started to
shell us, which was not at all pleasant. That night I went back to B Echelon
area and the following day we were shelled by a naval gun in Massawa fortunately with no effect. That afternoon I was
ordered to go back for rations, a job that took 3 days to do and on my return
the Battalion was still in the same place. During the trip back conditions were
not too pleasant, we had the Oblette riverbed to
negotiate however the Sappers had considerably improved this. We managed to
take advantage of a good swim that compensated for a lot. After rejoining B
Echelon we continued to be shelled quite a lot again fortunately with no effect
A few days later the attack was delivered during the early morning and was
successful but lost 17 killed and 65 wounded. We did not enter Massawa that night but very early next morning, I was one
of the first of the Battalion to enter. We met one of our platoons that had
been captured the previous day. The town was crowded with Italian soldiers and
sailors, 11,000 in all, it took a good 3 days work to round them up. I took
over a Naval barracks for the Battalion, with an extraordinary good cookhouse,
which had been put out of order by the Italians was soon put into working order
again and I was able to give the troops some good feeds. The officers were
quartered in an Italian headquarters offices and supply store from which I was
able to extract some good stuff including wine. I lived in a room with Tom Roe,
a jolly good sort, the room had been an office of some description, the
previous occupant had lived fairly well because amongst other things we found a
store of Apricot brandy, very good it was too, this together with the wine that
I was able to scrounge caused a never ending flow of officers visiting us.
The heat was terrific it being practically impossible to do anything after 9 is
until
Things were much better organised after a week or so, although I did not get
much time to myself, some officers visited
Chapter 4
We embarked on the ‘Ethiopia’, I was responsible for loading the ship, the crew
refusing to do it, it was not very difficult but the men manning the donkey
engines were not very efficient but we managed after bit of difficulty with
some of the transport The harbour was full of damaged and sunken ships, I never
counted them but it was a great number. There was a danger of us being attacked
by 2 Italian destroyers that were loose in the
We had no idea where we were going this time, early next morning we realised
where we were, in the afternoon we detrained at our old place Sidi Haneish but this time on the
West face of the Baggush box in relief of the
Leicestershire Regt with whom we stayed for a couple of days before they left
for Crete, it was here that I spent my birthday, a terrible sand storm raged
all day but I was compensated by receiving a letter from the CO saying that I
had been Mentioned in Despatches. Shortly after this we again met our old
friends the Camerons,
The Battalion were still in the south face of the Baggush
box, the time being occupied by training and improving the defences, my own
dugout was unproved and well camouflaged. I was quite comfortable and safe
neither was I overworked being able to write very regularly to Kit and look
forward to the receipt other letters, parcels and papers. The PRI sent to
Chapter 5
At the end of July or the beginning of August 1941 we moved to a place called Jarabub, a distance of about 300 miles across desert, this
and the return journey was a nightmare for the. For the move I was allotted
seven 10 ton vehicles to move my stores, of course they were far too heavy for
such a move, I spent most of the 300 miles digging them out of the sand. The
route taken was for the majority of the distance across virgin desert and so
from the very outset the going was unknown. The vehicles were driven by RASC
drivers who had very little experience of desert driving; the CO took the
opportunity of practising driving in desert formation, my position as usual at
the rear of the column. The pace set was about 15 miles in the hour, which was
naturally far too slow for the heavy vehicles, in consequence they either got
bogged in the sand or increased their speed so much that instead of being at
the rear they were at the head of the column. I therefore had to adopt tactics
of moving by bounds, but I was liable to get lost owing to continually changing
course, at the end of the day’s trip I was able to report all vehicles in,
which was something. Next day we continued very much as for the previous day
and reached Girabub via the
One of the lighter sides of life during our stay there was the supply of fresh
meat which could not of course be brought from Matruh
because owing to the heat it just went bad before it reached us, it was
therefore decided to send our meat on the hoof. One evening just before dark
two lorries reported to me loaded with live sheep, the drivers bringing the
instructions how they were to be distributed the following morning, but what
was I to do with them in the meantime. The shepherd instinct in me rose to the
occasion, in my stores I had some wire netting with which I had a pen made, in order
that someone could keep an eye on them I had it constructed within the vision
of the sentry. Before dark I had them herded together and was very proud of it
too, I also arranged for our Battalion butcher, who by the way was doing batman
to me whilst Glue was on leave, to commence killing our Battalion share at some
godforsaken hour of the morning. Having done this settled down for the evening
and went to bed, about
At this period I was missing Glue very much, he had gone on leave but in the
meantime diphtheria had broken out in the Battalion and no one was allowed to
leave or join, so had to put up with Blaber who did
his best but was far and away below Glue, I couldn’t rely on my early morning
shaving water and tea neither did I look as clean and tidy as usual. Ben Dalton
was the other officer with me and his batman was on a par with Blaber, so we did not live at all well in the mess, I was
highly pleased when Glue eventually rejoined. The spot I had my bed erected was
not very comfortable being under a cliff but it was safe from air raids, one
day I was able to lay in bed and watch an RASC convoy being bombed in perfect
safety. Our stay came to an end about the end of August or the beginning of
September 1941. When we were ordered back to a site on the coast opposite Kilo
41 on the Sidi Barani road,
west of Matruh. The trip back was uneventful taking
two days, again I was allotted 10 ton vehicles but this time I knew how to
manage them, the rest of the Battalion were carried in them, many a lorry load
pushing like hell.
I was not too badly off in the new spot, had my stores in a cave and had my old
camp bed erected under a brick wall, with Glue again doing batman to me I was
back in my old stride. Our stay here was fairly short after about 10 days we
were moved farther along the coast to a small spot called El Shamas, turning off by the Kilo 101 on the Sidi Barani road. From this
position we fitted for the November Push, we were also issued with Battledress,
I had much fun in the fitting of this, it being the first time since the
outbreak of war that we had worn it. About the 7th November 1941 I
was sent off to
On the 11th November 1941 we started our move forward for the push,
the first few days we spent at Sofafi then a few at
North Point and so by a series of night moves to our position West of Sidi Omar, B Echelon was just inside the wire, south of Bir Sherfersen. It was my job to
draw rations from the supply point by day and take them up to the Battalion by
night, this was quite easy all the time the Battalion was stationary but once
they got on the move it became increasingly more difficult. While the Battalion
were in this position, west of Sidi Omar, I had to go
up to them so as to reach them after dark. For the first trip I was given an
escort of anti tank guns but after that I had to do it on my own, unescorted,
and as German columns were all over the place it wasn’t too pleasant a job. To
make matters worse the Battalion laagered each night fairly close and it was
easy for me to miss them in the dark. On the day of the attack on Sidi Omar, B Echelon moved outside the wire to a spot about
5 miles along the Trigh El Abd.
The following morning we got the message that the Battalion had attacked and
suffered heavy casualties, I immediately went up to them entering Sidi Omar by the north gap, I passed poor old Dickie Deacon on the way and then saw the dressing station
which was a bad sight with Doc Bapty working like a
hero. I met the Brigadier and the CO by a Jerry 88 mm gun and felt very proud
of the Battalion when the Brigadier said “what do you think of your boys now!
Quartermaster”. The dead were still lying about, the Battalion had certainty
done a good job and a few days later it was realised how very important it was.
The same day I had to go back for more rations, B Echelon had in the meantime
moved to Bir Sherfersen,
this time I had to move by the south gap of Sidi Omar
and got Frank Day to give me a route in order to avoid the minefields, as both
the other Quartermasters of the Brigade had been blown up by mines everyone was
saying it was my turn next. Following Frank’s instructions I push off and got
about 3 miles into my trip when Jerry artillery opened up on my convoy, we did
a very smart right wheel and got behind a hill everything being alright except
that a U bolt on my truck was broken but managed to make Bir
Sherfersen in fairly good order. Having replenished,
I went up to the Battalion again the following day, but having distributed my
stores found that I couldn’t get back again as Rommel’s
tank column had broken through and we were more or less surrounded. I began to
wonder what would happen to the rest of B Echelon, during the night the whole
of the 4th Division HQ started pouring into Sidi
Omar, I kept a sharp lookout for my column but they did not arrive until the
following morning; I was greatly relieved when they did. Now the importance of
the capture of Omar proved itself otherwise the 4th Division would
have been put in the ‘bag’. So here we were in Sidi
Omar in a good defensive position. Jerry in occupation of Omar Nuord and his tank columns all round us. I was allotted a
good trench with dugouts and was responsible for my own protection, it became a
veritable fortress, I had Jerry mortars and machine guns and an anti tank gun
and felt quite proud of my command. I only had to give the order to occupy
alarm posts once and that during the afternoon when attacked by tanks but they were
beaten off by the Artillery, who suffered a lot of casualties. I had a very
good view of it from my trench, we also got shelled regularly but to no effect,
I don’t think we had a casualty from this. I used to sleep at Battalion HQ
trench in case I was wanted at any time, it was my habit to sleep on the top of
the trench, early one morning, 4 am, I awoke to the noise of aircraft, I looked
around, the place was lit up by flares, I very soon went to ground and spent
the next 2 hours there being strafed from the air. It was found out later that
the attack was by our own aircraft, the Fleet Air Arm; I met some of the pilots
later in captivity and had much pleasure in telling them what I thought of
them.
Owing to the rationing of water I had been unable to shave for a considerable
period, must have looked a horrible sight. The CO insisted on my photograph
being taken before I was permitted to shave my beard. The Battalion got a very
good write up on the Omar action, Quentin Reynolds the famous American broadcaster
was present during the show and was able to give an eyewitness account of it as
well as writing in the press. After a short stay in Omar we pushed on, dates I
cannot remember, but I know that it was just one hell of a rush until we
reached Martuba just east of Derna,
but before getting there we had halts at various places, at one of these by Bir Dudar, B Echelon was strafed
by low flying aircraft, Sgt Smith was wounded, the same aircraft that attacked
us also attacked the Battalion. It was at this place Doc Bapty
and Harry Hawkes got wounded. During this move it was
as much as we could cope with to keep up with the Battalion who were
continually on the move although I got up to them almost every night but the
last mad rush up to Martuba had me licked. I chased
the Battalion for 2 days reaching them late one night, the CO asked me how much
petrol I had got and when I told him 400 gallons, he said that was no bloody
good, I never felt so disgusted in all my life, nevertheless I chased off
before dawn and by 1000 hours managed to collect some and replenish the
Battalion. The next day B Echelon moved into Derna
immediately after it was captured, the area allotted to the was on the
aerodrome amongst some of the biggest bombs I have seen, on the landing fields were
almost 150 destroyed aircraft, a very good sight, in this position I was in
front of the Battalion so had to take rations back to them, I met the CO on the
way back and he wondered where the hell I had sprung from. Shortly after this I
moved B Echelon up with the Battalion, it wasn’t a comfortable position by any
means but I didn’t have so much travelling to do. Derna
was a nice looking place from the escarpment but there was nothing in it.
Chapter 6
We spent Christmas 1941, such as it was, at Martuba,
I travelled to Tobruk on Christmas Eve in the pouring
rain, 100 miles or so and got nothing for the troops except 20 Players
cigarettes each. Shortly after this we moved to Barce,
B Echelon leading, the road was washed away so we had to make a detour, it took
us all one day to do the trip in the pouring rain, not at all pleasant. We
occupied some barracks at Barce for a couple of days,
but I found it better to sleep in my truck it was more comfortable. I did a
very good deal with a farmer in Barce; I got some pig
and piglets in exchange for some bully beef and biscuits. I arranged for them
to be slaughtered overnight and carried them with us to Benina
next day for issue to the troops; we reached there on New Years Eve 1941. We
stayed at Benina nearly a month, I was very
comfortable erecting my camp bed in a house opposite Battalion HQ together with
Frank Day, Archie Edwards and Ali Bates, I had a vivid red eiderdown for my
bed, of which I was very proud, water and electric light was on tap and we had
a very safe air raid shelter underneath the scullery. My office was next door
in the Meteorological office and my stores were next door to that in two
civilian shops, on the whole very comfortable. For once we had a good officers
mess in the local police station and we fed very well. Life here was fairly
quiet except of course for air raids, but my shelter was very efficient and
although bombs dropped very near, no damage was caused, however the anti tank
platoon suffered casualties. I bought a watch in
About the 25th January 1942 we got our orders to prepare to move on
Plan A or B, A forward B back, on the morning of the 26th, Plan A
was put into operation and we moved forward to a place called Ghemins arriving there about 1600 hours. I had previously
been told that petrol would be available at this place but on arrival found out
that the dump was to be at Benghazi, consequently I had to send all the way
back again to get a load. I did not go up to the Battalion because my petrol
lorry had not returned. It was my intention to move B Echelon area on the
following morning
On the previous day I had been joined by Sgt Ettridge
with his anti tank gun, about 1630 hours I received a message from the Brigade
Staff Officer ordering me to send the anti tank gun forward to the head of the
column as German tanks were coming down the Benina
road. We suddenly received orders to push on and moved down the Benina bypass, after going some way along the column turned
off toward
The column moved once again until we came across the Welch Regt HQ busy packing
up and blocking the road, after a lot of swearing the road was cleared and we
were able to get on. Once passed the Benina and Barce road junction I breathed a sigh of relief and pushed
on steadily for Karmusa as I hoped. After travelling
for another 5 kms I came across Mike Allden BMTO, he asked me to send forward any guns that I
had got because the head of the column had come up against a road block, I
therefore sent my two bren guns forward, a short
distance on I came across the rest of the column halted on the road. On going
forward I found out that the roadblock had been established at El Coefia, by this time darkness had fallen and it became
difficult to find out what was holding us up.
Lieut.-Colonel Lavender then appeared and decided to attack but as his
Battalion was not with him, my B Echelon were used but as they only had rifles
it was unsuccessful, one private was killed and two others were wounded. A
Carrier of the 4/16th Punjabs came along
and that got knocked out, the 65th Anti Tank Regt brought up some 2 pounders, they suffered the same fate. The road by this
time was rather crowded, then the Welch came along causing chaos, 2 companies
went into attack but that was the last seen of them. At about
We eventually reached the coast rather the worse for wear, here we met up with
several others who were drying themselves, I knew we were fairly safe from
their armoured vehicles because of the terrain, but before halting to dry
ourselves I decided to go along the coast a bit farther. Fred Hearn I left
behind with some of his own troops and I continued with several of my men, I
tried to get them to travel in small groups but they continually joined up. I
eventually picked up with Padre Jones and later in the day Lt Green RE, during
the afternoon I called a halt for a spell for two reasons, one to decide on my
next course of action and the other to bypass the
In the early hours of the 29th January 1942 we moved on again, it
being my intention to reach the outskirts of Tocra
that night but everything went wrong, the going was worse than the previous day
in some places we were close to the road and had to move with extreme caution
because of the enemy traffic on the road. In other places we had to wade into
the sea and then into sand dunes, it rained and the wind was terribly strong. I
was trying to keep to about 4 miles in the hour with the 10-minute halt but in
this I was frustrated because Padre Jones could not keep up. During the
afternoon the Padre said he could go no further, I hadn’t the heart to leave him
behind so we had another long halt and a bite to eat. We were all very hungry
and dying for a hot drink but we had to conserve what very little drinking
water we had leave alone heat any up. Later on in the afternoon we pushed on
for another 10 miles or so and I could see that all of us were nearly done for
the day, having but very little to eat so once again we halted for the night.
It was far too cold to sleep and in any case I couldn’t, I lay thinking of Kit
and the boys and what would the Regiment think of me if I didn’t get back
somehow or the other. So after a sleepless night we moved on again the ground
was even more worse than the previous day, some places we had to scramble over
rocks, in others knee deep in sand and in one place walk ¾ mile up to the waist
in water. This was far too much for the Padre and Jack Green but I didn’t
weaken this time and left them behind. Our own pace was much slower at this
stage and must have looked a motley crowd; I had to make the halts much longer.
The night of
Chapter 7
I was taken into
Midway through the next day
The following morning before it was light we were called and counted and
marched to a cookhouse and given a hot cup of coffee, what a blessing although
it had no milk or sugar I never appreciated a drink more, I had been without a
hot drink since the 27th January and this was the 7th
February 1942. We were given our usual ration and by
Food was scarce, we each received 2 rolls a day, every morning at 9 am, we had
a cup of coffee at 12 noon ½ a dixie of macaroni and
water and another ½ dixie at 5 pm, once a week we had
a very small portion of meat, Camel, I think, mixed in pasta, sometimes in lieu
of pasta we received rice. At times we could supplement this, advances of cash
were made to us and a Padre was permitted to proceed to the local village and
purchase what he could but he was only ever able get dates at an exorbitant
price, they were worth it, I eked out more with my bread but hunger pangs were
for ever there. About 14 days after my arrival a lot of officers were moved out
and I promptly claimed a bed and some more blankets, that night I had a real
good rest, the beds were of a canvas pattern I had 3 blankets under me and 4
over me and did I sleep. And so this type of life started to roll by, I have
been used to dealing with men all my life but now I was mixed up in a different
class altogether, the usual spirit that is common among the troops was entirely
lacking among these officers, it was self first all along the line, very senior
officers took advantage of their rank to obtain extra food. However life had
its amusing incidents, I remember two, the first when a party of us went for
our first bath, we were lined up and marched off, we undressed in a room
separate to the bathroom and issued with a towel about the size of a pocket
handkerchief and a piece of soap the size of a caramel, we then entered the
bathroom which was of the shower type each standing under a shower in our
nakedness, we were then kept waiting some time whilst a doctor inspected us for
flea marks, he found some on a colonel and a major, of course giggles from the
subalterns and then came the funny part, the water was suddenly turned on for
not more than 1 ½ minutes, at the start it was freezing cold and by the time we
got a lather going the water was turned off so one was left standing half
lathered up, never did the water get any warmer than tepid. The second amusing
incident was the fitting of clothes, for this we were conducted by an American
speaking Italian with a proper Yankee twang; he also performed the duties of
interpreter for us. The chap in front of me wanted a pair of braces, the
Italian could not understand so it was explained they were for keeping his trousers
up, “Oh” said the Italian “You mean suspenders why don’t you talk English”. I
purchased 2 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of pants which I never had the nerve to
wear, they were made of calico and came down below the knee where they were
tied with tape, they were shaped just like a pair of riding breeches. I also
got 2 shirts, green in colour these I had to wear because I had nothing else
but I used to feel very conspicuous in them and dumped them at the first
opportunity. For these I was charged a most exorbitant price, after the
transaction I found I was broke.
Chapter 8
On the evening of
Late in the afternoon of the 24th February 1942 we put out of the
harbour, we saw a convoy arrive which showed their respect for the Royal Navy
because it consisted of 4 cargo boats with an escort of 13 naval craft, 3 of
these craft formed the escort for us, our convoy being 2 ships carrying POWs
and the escort. Like proper POWs our morale went up because we all thought that
we would be rescued by the Royal Navy, we had a laugh to ourselves because
immediately we left harbour all sailors and soldiers escorting us unlaced their
boots, removed putties, undid jackets and donned lifebelts, we had no such
comforting equipment. As soon as we were out of port we were all ordered below
and hatches put on, this was not at all good. There was just one little
electric light so that we could just see, I laid down next to Mick on a cold
steel plate and tried to get some rest, but who could, my thoughts were about
the hopeless position I was in if anything did happen. I got a position quite
close to the steel ladder leading up to the next deck and knew that I had to
move quickly if it did happen. Then of course I got hungry during the day we
had been issued with 2 biscuits and a tin of Italian bully, of this I saved
half for my breakfast, but gave way to temptation and ate it knowing full well
that if I didn’t I should lay awake thinking of it. I eventually dropped off to
sleep only to wake up at a resounding crash, what a rush for the ladder, I
managed somehow or other to maintain my self control and didn’t join in the
crush because I had heard the noise before, the anchor was being dropped but
for what reason I did not know, of course this episode drove all sleep away,
there was just no hopes of it for me. The next morning
During the evening we arrived at
We stayed at
We all rushed out when ordered to fall in, formed up under our own steam all
because we had visions of food, away we marched, straight on to a train, what
about food? Yes, you shall get some immediately everyone has been fumigated,
1200 troops to go through, it had taken us 100 officers moving very quickly
exactly one hour. It was now
For the first 2 days at Capua I lived in a wooden
hut, with a bed made of 3 wooden boards and 2 trestles, but no mattress, after
that we were moved into a place called the Infirmary which was slightly more
comfortable, I had a little shelf on which to keep my belongings, such as they
were, 3 jolly good blankets and a mattress, and lavatories and wash house were
inside the building. We had our food in a tent, which would only hold a 100 and
as there was 300 in camp we had to do our feeding in 3 sittings not that we got
much, every morning at 8 am we got a cup of tea, the tea coming from Red Cross
parcels to which we were looking forward to receiving, at midday we received a
plate of rice or macaroni and our bread ration, sometimes a bit of jam or an
orange at about 4 pm, we got another plate of soup and once a week a bit of
cheese then just before dark another cup of tea providing the fuel issued to
the cookhouse had lasted the day out After being at Capua
for 4 days we received our first and last Red Cross parcel in the camp, the
scale was one between three but nevertheless it was grand, I made my portion
last a week the biscuits, salmon, cheese, sardines, bully, butter, jam and
prunes, it was simply wonderful to be able to eat a bit of bread with butter
was, well I just cannot express how I felt. With the parcel were 50 cigarettes
or should have been but we never got them, I was however given an English
cigarette, I must have been weak or something because it just knocked me dizzy.
By this time I had been able to send a message to Kit over the Vatican Radio
and also send a letter and a postcard home. I was also getting more settled and
finding out things, I got myself a new suit, some pyjamas, socks and
handkerchiefs from the Red Cross store, in addition some soap and toothpaste. I
tried to set an example and kept myself clean and well shaved although in order
to save blades I grew a moustache, which was not a success.
The thing that worried me most was money, I found out that I was paid at the
rate of £13-3-11 a month out of this I had to pay for my food which was 12
Lira, the rate of exchange being 72 to the £, on working this out I found out
that Kit couldn’t possibly draw the same amount of money she had previously
done, this worried me beyond words but there was nothing that I could do about
it except be very judicious with everything. We stayed at
A civilian contractor ran the messing arrangements for the officers and he was
responsible for supplying all our food. Some of this he had to purchase from
the Italian Government, the value of which was about 3 Lira, the balance of the
daily 12 Lira was spent as he thought fit and we had no say in the matter at all,
once a week he was supposed to supply meat or one egg per officer for one meal
and for another fish or cheese together with vegetables and fruit daily and jam
once a week. The main item issued of was course macaroni or rice, which was
flavoured with tomato puree. The cooks were our own POWs, mainly South Africans
who knew but little about it and again thought only of themselves. I was able
to reorganise things when I went in, the first thing I did was to sack the cook
NCO and thereby improved the messing immediately, I then cut down on the waste
vigorously and with the cooks it was unpopular until they got to know me. I
dread to think what people outside a POW camp would think of some of the dishes
I made up. One extraordinary dish was cauliflower stalk rissoles, the issue of
meat came up and was not sufficient for 50 let alone 300,I was at a loss what
to do, some cauliflowers were also bought, to make up the weight. I had the
stalks and the leaves cut off, and boiled. The meat was also boiled and then minced
as was the cauliflower stalk, some rice and macaroni I held back from a
previous meal was added and made up into 300 rissoles and they had tomato soup,
rissoles, cauliflower and an orange each. Another day I got a whole lot of
chestnuts had them boiled and peeled put through the mincing machine, all kinds
of things added, so more rissoles on the menu.
By this time I left
Chapter 9
So, with almost 23 years service as a regular soldier I found myself well and
truly in captivity, not a good position to be in and in consequence I was very
low in morale, my thoughts were continually with the Regiment, what would they
think of me, was I in any way to blame, could I have done or rather ought to
have done anything more to avoid being in this position, my thoughts would then
rocket to Kit, how would she be able to manage. The nights were terribly long
and sleepless due to two reasons firstly I found out that hunger keeps the mind
alert and being alert caused the second reason, which was this continual
thinking. I was reasonably comfortable as regards accommodation, a good bed and
bedding, although the building was very large, cold and damp, after all one
could not expect a palace. I soon settled down to my corner cot and under the
circumstances could not grumble, although I have been more comfortable as a
single soldier in barracks. I missed my married bliss more than I care to say
though there is nothing to beat home life. It will do Derek and Rodney good to
always remember this. I have always appreciated my home comforts, I probably
have not shown it as much as I ought to have done but if I am lucky enough to
get out of this with my life and to once more to have a home of my own, Kit
will never have cause to complain of lack of appreciation. This single bliss
was hitting me hard.
I had a very good pal in Mick who remained with me throughout the Italian days,
I also had Glue, my batman, and Baker, my driver, with me in camp, in addition
to others of the Regiment, the only other officer being Charles Woodbridge. I
got to know quite a number of people but nobody that I had known very well
before capture. There were several officers of our Brigade who were captured at
the same time as me. Other than Mick the only ones that I really interested in
were Arthur Woods, a regular QM of the RA, whose wife was down in Durban under
the same conditions as Kit, Ernie Cox of the Sappers, whose father had been RSM
of the Buffs. The monastery in which we were in was very old, with great thick
walls, which were very damp, high ceilings, which also were very damp. It was
built in a hollow square, senior officers were allotted the ground floor, which
consisted of rooms, and each set of 3 rooms having its own toilet and
convenience and held about 12 to 14 officers. In addition they had a small
garden to each set, altogether there were 23 or 24 sets of rooms, originally
each set of rooms was occupied by a monk. The officer occupants of these rooms
were known as Wing I, I had the opportunity of moving into one of these rooms
due to my age and being a Quartermaster, but as Mick could not go with me I
decided against it The majority of the junior officers were housed on the upper
floor which consisted of a huge corridor running around 4 sides of a large
square, about a 100 officers being allotted to each side of the square and were
known as Wings 2, 3, 4 and 5. There were only 2 stairways to this upper floor;
one a very rough arrangement and the other a fine piece of work. Electric
lighting had been installed but the load on the local power station was so
increased it was very poor indeed, in fact of a night time one could only read
when immediately below, the eyesight of several must have been ruined through
this. All the windows of the upper floor were on the inside of the quadrangle
so that we could see was what went an in the square below, outside of the
windows was a balcony about a yard wide on which we used to sit and in the
summer and in the evening to watch the most glorious sunset, if Italy has
nothing else to see these sunsets were worth watching. The conveniences on this
upper floor were bad, for the 400 hundred officers accommodated on this floor
there was not more than 10 sit down toilets and 30 wash basins, this number was
eventually increased but never a sufficient number to be adequate.
The view that I had from the French window by my bed was not very inspiring, in
the quad was a path around the outside with a series of paths that led to a
fountain, that did not work, in the centre, the paths were laid out like a
Union Jack. Looking to the left I could see 2 wooden huts, which were increased
to 4 at a later date. Three of the huts were used for housing the orderlies and
the other was used as a recreational hut, jammed in between these huts was a
small squared off portion which was apparently the burial ground for the monks.
To the right at the far end of the quad was another wooden hut, which was used
as a library and canteen, when there was anything to sell. Looking straight
ahead all that I could see Wing 5 but over the roof one could see some high
mountains in the far distance, I could just see the peaks of these and usually
they were snow covered The view from Wing 5, the opposite Wing to ours, was of
the village of Padula on the hills behind us, this
was very picturesque.
Outside of the building to the west was a place called the paddock on which we
used to play football and take our daily exercise, it was surrounded by a huge
wall with barbed wire mounted on top, and inside the wall was a double apron,
which was lit up by electric, light every few yards and sentries as numerous as
the lights. Around the football pitch was a track, oval in shape like a running
track, which had been made by the prisoners endlessly walking around in
circles. The only other places I have not mentioned are the hospital or
infirmary in which for a long time there were no medical stores whatsoever and
until the time that we came away no serious illness could have been treated.
Next the showers, the only type of bath in camp, one could obtain a hot shower
once a week and then the water was alternately hot and cold, running for 4
minutes cold and 2 minutes hot, 21 officers could bathe at a time. There was no
actual mess but we did have a dining room. in which 250 could sit down at a
time, 12 to a table.
Cutlery and china was supplied, excluding cups and saucers, all the time I was
in Italy I had to drink out of a Canadian butter tin with a handle I managed to
fit, in consequence I never really enjoyed my ‘brews’. We started off with a
full set of crockery, breakages will always occur and they did more than
necessary, we found out to our dismay that it could not be replaced, when we
left the place we were eating off aluminium affairs which were shaped like a
pie dish. The room in which we dined had been fine 100 years ago but now was
not so good, it was an old chapel and was quite lofty. The windows were very
high up but had no glass and in order to keep the birds out wire netting was
put up, this served as a good roost for the numerous sparrows that used the
place.
Across one end of the hall was a huge picture depicting the Last Supper, but of
course was now very dilapidated, it used to show up more plainly during the
damp weather. On one side of the hall was a very fine pulpit made of polished
marble that was resting on an eagle carved out of stone, a very fine specimen
indeed. Around the walls to a height of 10 feet was a lot of panelling which
would have looked very nice in its day but now was home for the biggest rats I
have ever seen. The floor was of a very fine mosaic was for our stay covered
with wood so we never had the opportunity of seeing it, this hall was used to
hold our entertainment, a stage being erected from the dining tables.
The camp at the beginning was commanded by Colonel L of our Brigade but he went
off to the Senior Officers Camp 4, Colonel F, New Zealander took over for a
short while until the arrival of Brigadier V, but he could not get on with the
Italian Commandant and was continually being confined to his room until he was
moved and then Brigadier M took over and remained Senior British Officer (SBO)
whilst we were in Italy. The Adjutant was a New Zealander by the name of
Charles Hutchinson, a small man with a ginger moustache, a very big one at
that, a right good Adjutant he was too, everyone looked up to him. The Camp
Quartermaster was one Arthur Woods with whom I was very friendly. The usual day
was 8am, cup of coffee, between 8 and 9 am a check parade at which we were
counted, another between 11 and 12 am, lunch first sitting 12.15 pm, second
sitting 12.45 pm, check parade between 1 and 2 pm, cup of coffee or tea at 4
pm, evening meal at 6 pm and 6.30 pm, another roll call during the course of
the evening and we had to be inside the building by 9.30 pm. During the first
month the camp being a new one began to get organised, many educational classes
on all kinds of subjects were formed, programmes of lectures of all kinds and
entertainment were arranged.
During this time also we were made up to the strength of 500 officers and 140
other ranks. The officers coming from Sulmona, Bezzanello, Bari and have course
our party had come from Capua. The other ranks were
used to do the various jobs of the camp, cooks, mess waiters (l to 48 officers)
and batmen (l to 10 officers). The officers were Naval, Military, RAF, Fleet
Air Arm and Merchant Service, some could be called officers in the true sense
of the word but others no. I realise that it was a very trying time for all,
war news looked very black, morale was very low indeed, but quite a few forgot
that cleanliness is next to godliness and went unwashed, unshaven generally
looked most filthy, a bad example to officers against whom we were fighting. I
felt very miserable and low in spirits and seldom said a word to anyone but
Sticky and Mick, but I did clean myself up to the best of my ability and
changed what washing I had at least once a week The other ranks did our washing
for us but how they managed under the conditions I do not know. On the other
hand I could see why these officers were getting into a state, the weather was
terrible, we were 2000 feet up in the mountains which didn’t improve matters,
it rained like hell, news was so very bad, no news from home and above all the
great shortage of food, all conversations were on the subject of food, which of
course made them more hungry. In addition we were all going through that very
bad period, the first 3 months.
I very soon realised that I had got to do something to occupy my mind or I
should go round the bend. I had a job of work to do which kept me busy during
the day but the evening hours lagged, I couldn’t read owing to the lights, my
thoughts were for ever with Kit. And so I studied accounts in my spare time,
languages I could not cope with being of the opinion that if anyone wanted to
speak to me they could do so in my own language. I also took over the duties of
Wing QM to give me something additional to do. I learned to play bridge and
other card games and so passed many an evening but this was in the very early
days when one didn’t know how long the war was going to last, there were all
kinds of forecasts and bets laid, on the whole it looked never ending, if there
had been a date to look forward to it would have been so much better and so I
and an agreement with myself to live from birthday to birthday commencing with
mine for 1942 and then on to Kit’s and so on. I also found this craving for
food was disconcerting, although I was dealing with the food of the camp.
Unless one has been through the pangs of hunger one does not realise how
disconcerting they can be, your mind just cannot rest, it is not the same
hunger as one feels after a hard days work, then one knows that the feeling can
be satisfied, but when you have just had a so called meal and still feel hungry
knowing that after the next meal the feeling will be the same, then one begins
to think and it is the thinking of it is so disastrous, but one just cannot but
help think about it and the mind wanders back over those tasty meals that are
enjoyed so much, how many times I thought of the meals that Kit used to give
me, I used to miss them before capture but now it was a 100 times worse. No
wonder that some of the younger ones who wanted more food than I began to lose
their self-respect. It worried me to see myself falling away but nothing could
be done about it so I had to grin and bear it.
Chapter 10
My job as assistant Catering Officer was to draw the rations for the officers and
to supervise the cooks and their work. The facilities for cooking were not at
all good because we only had boilers, if they had been better at the time we
first went to the camp they would have been of no use because there was nothing
to cook. As the camp was new there was no arrangements made for a contractor to
supply food until after our arrival, in consequence our first two or three
weeks were very thin indeed, there were of course no Red Cross parcels arranged
for us. Every morning I went to the QM stores which was outside of the
quadrangle with a fatigue party of other ranks to see the food weighed and
carried in. The only bit of trouble that I had in the early days was with the
bread; this was made up into small cakes about the size of a doughnut, each
cake was an officer’s ration. The Italian QM wanted to give me them by weight,
but after my Capua experience I was wide awake to
that one, it simply meant that on some days I got one for each officer but on
other days the bread would weigh more and I should not have enough to go round.
After a lot of arguing I used to count the correct number out each day and
chance the weight. The only other items that I had to draw at this time was
salt, sugar, cheese on 5 days a week and meat on the other two days, tomato
flavouring, rice or macaroni on alternate days, coffee and a very few split
peas and vegetable, this consisted of something not unlike cabbage but when
cooked was tough and looked like grass, the last item was fuel wood with which
to cook, this of course never lasted the day out. That is all I had to deal
with during the first 2 or 3 weeks in consequence the meals consisted of early
morning coffee, lunch was soup from the split peas, cheese and bread ration,
coffee again at
The arrival of the contractor improved things a bit, he was responsible for
supplying goods other than that supplied by the QM, who now stopped issuing
cabbage, therefore the value of the food supplied by the QM was somewhere in
the region of 2 lira per officer, the contractor could spend the remaining 10.
At first the contractor supplied an orange and an apple a head plus a better
type of cabbage, and wouldn’t put himself out to do anymore and so after a long
argument with the Commandant, the contractor was sacked and a new one
substituted. This one proved to be a contractor to beat all contractors, a
proper rogue and fully alive to the famous black market of which he didn’t mind
taking advantage of if we were willing to play. Then ensued a period of 3 or 4
months when we lived, at tops under POW circumstances, until the Commandant got
the sack and things were tightened up again. In the vegetable line we did very
well except for potatoes which were like gold, but as each type of vegetable
came in season so we got it and any amount, however the contractor did it I do
not know, fruit and nuts were also supplied in large quantities. Then the black
market came into play, seldom a day passed without he didn’t supply meat, then
potatoes arrived and ham, extra cream, cheese and butter. It was my job to get
this all into camp without being seen; by various schemes I managed it.
With all this food at my disposal cooking was made much easier, I was able to
produce some real good feeds. At one period I had two barrels of condensed milk
and was getting in a weekly supply of eggs, which were not always sufficient
for one per officer, and so I used to serve stewed apples and pears with egg
custard, my sweet rice dishes with condensed milk were delicious. With the
addition of meat and plenty of vegetables of all kinds I could serve 2 good
meals a day consisting of soup, entree and sweet. Chianti and
The happy feeling that had been in camp also began to go and so the old days
were back again, until just before the camp came to an end we could get no
fruit or nuts and the only vegetables available were onions and pumpkins, two
more wind and water making vegetables I have yet to eat. As time went on and
everybody including the civilians were feeling the pinch the QM tried to come
the ‘Old Soldier’ with me by cutting the ration by unfair means, one method he
adopted was to adjust the scales but I countered this by stepping on the scales
each morning, I knew my correct weight because the QM used to weigh me
periodically, so by this means he was frustrated. The next method was to weigh
everything in sacks or containers and try and gain a bit that way but it didn’t
work either. Finally his last method was to try and tamper with the scales
after I had tested them by taking me out of the way and getting one of his
soldiers to fix it up, but my fatigue party noted what was being done so I
insisted on being weighed again. I complained to the Commandant after that
things improved, they improved to such an extent that at Easter 1943 he gave me
a bunch of grapes and an egg.
Chapter 11
In my humble opinion a POW has many things to be thankful for and of these
things the two most important, firstly getting away with his life and secondly
the British Red Cross Society, he has got away with his life but without the
great assistance of the Red Cross the life he has been so lucky in ‘getting’
away with would not be worth living. He is at times solely dependant upon that
wonderful organisation for his existence, even down to food. True the detaining
power is responsible for feeding a prisoner but in actual fact the food is only
just sufficient to keep one alive, were it not for the supply of food parcels I
am certain that there would have been more cases of malnutrition. It is in the
standing camps of course that most assistance can be given, in actual fact they
come into operation much before that eight or nine days after I was captured I
completed forms as to my identity so that the Red Cross could be informed, a
few days later I was able to write a letter and postcard for despatch by the
Red Cross. On arrival at a transit camp in
The state of a POW on first capture is horrible, he probably possesses just
what he stands up in, if wounded probably less, I was lucky being in
battledress which of course was in a terrible state, I had my greatcoat and a
small haversack containing my towel and shaving gear. At the transit camp I was
able to draw pyjamas, a change of underclothing, soap, handkerchiefs and
toothbrush sufficient to say the least to make one feel clean. I was under the
impression that I should have to wait for those from Kit, which would be
goodness knows when. At Campo 35 it was not a very long wait before they got
into their stride good and proper, first to arrive was the food parcels then
the clothing following that came books and recreational stores, regarding the
clothing I assisted at the issue and there was sufficient to complete each officer
with what he wanted and also to create a reserve for future use. It consisted
of battledress, greatcoat, boots, socks, shirts, vests, pants, pullovers,
handkerchiefs, laces, braces, pyjamas and blankets. The woollen underwear was
most acceptable as the majority had light underwear as used in
Quite an adequate supply of books of all descriptions arrived and a good-sized
library was formed, this eventually became enormous as private book parcels
came through. Sports kit and games very quickly arrived so that we had not to
wait until the arrival of ‘next of kin’ parcels. Above all the food parcels
played the greater part and were always welcome. In Italy we were issued with
three kinds English, Canadian and New Zealand and one period we received what
was called bulk issue, that is instead of being done up in small parcels the
food came through in bulk, it was the same as was contained in the English parcels.
Some officers preferred Canadian whilst others other types but I was only too
pleased to accept what came my way, I was only too thankful to receive it. With
each food parcel was issued 50 cigarettes that greatly assisted with the 30
that we could buy weekly from the Italians, which in no way could be compared
with English cigarettes. Parcels were issued on the scale of one a week for
each officer and it wasn’t until the last few months in
Individual cooking was therefore the order of the day; many happy hours were
wiled away at this, everyone formed up into syndicates and made stoves of all
descriptions and shapes. At first no fuel could be obtained, it was not until
the Italians noticed the monastery began to disappear that they woke up to the
fact doors etc., were being chopped up for fuel, after that we were able to
purchase fuel wood at the usual exorbitant price, but it used to see us through
and their monastery was saved from vandalism. My syndicate consisted of Mick, Ernie
and Fred Harris soon constructed a first class ‘stufa’
as they were called, it was made out of tins but for cooking there was nothing
quicker. Our cooking pots we also made, in addition I had my English dixie, Mick had his Italian dixie
and we also rose to the heights of a ‘pukka’ flying
pan, so we were all set. Although I was in a syndicate Mick and I used to share
our food the other two did likewise and it worked out a very good arrangement.
One being on duty each day, every morning one got up and made the early morning
tea, in the summer I used to do this regularly at 6 o’clock which was the best
part of the day sitting out on the balcony in my pyjamas and drinking it after
having delivered it to the others in bed. I used to invite my other early rising
pals around for an early morning brew, when we would sit and watch the PT
enthusiasts going through their exercises and the hardier ones strolling off
for an early morning cold shower. With the morning coffee we cooked breakfast,
Mick and I sharing a tin of whatever we decided upon, by this means we had
breakfast each morning of the week. At
Mick and I were very frugal, thinking of (he winter ahead when owing to the
state of things parcels would not arrive and so as to cover this we gradually
made a stock which we left in stores and how pleased we were that we decided
upon this policy because when others had to forego breakfast we were still able
to carry on. On the whole and especially during the black market days stewed
fruit and custard etc., but afterwards it wasn’t so good but we still had some
tasty meals especially when egg flakes were introduced into the parcels. Even
this wonderful parcel was abused though which to my mind was disgusting, I
didn’t mind the bartering that went on such as exchanging cigarettes for
chocolates or jam and marmalade or such like. It was really funny to see the
trail of people walking round with tins that they wanted to exchange it looked
just like a market. But what I objected to was the selling of parcels for cash
or throwing dice for them. This practice was very prevalent during the days of
the black market mostly by those people who had greater access to it. I am glad
to say that these people got the cold shoulder and the practice ceased
immediately it came to the notice of the SBO who came down on it with a heavy
hand. I have no hesitation in saying that once the black market stopped that
Red Cross food parcels were the only things that kept me going. Some people of
course got food parcels from the
Chapter 12
During those early days how I longed for news of home. Kit had always written
to me very regular and now I was missing them more than ever, I couldn’t tell
if she knew I was safe or not, whether anything had happened to her in the
meantime, supposing it had what would happen to the boys now she was Mum and
Dad, a thousand and one things used to flash through my head. As Kit was in
How much longer would it be, some mail had begun to drift through from South
Africa, but still Arthur Woods was unlucky and as long as he was I could expect
to be the same, we tried to console each other. The method of distribution was
altered and the letters were placed in pigeonholes bearing the initial letters,
mine was in a different box to his, daily we used to look in each other’s box.
The much looked forward to day arrived, I approached the box from some distance
away I could see that there was one solitary letter in the ‘P’ hole, a coloured
envelope - not English - could it possibly be mine, two other ‘P’s’ arrive
before me pick it up and put it back - my heart starts thumping -I pick it up -
its face downward -I see Mrs C Pocock - thank God
it’s mine. I stand and look at it, study the postmark. I go to find Arthur
Woods in his store, ‘were you lucky, Arthur’ - ‘No - ‘were you’ - yes, sorry I
can’t stop’, the look of disappointment is too great, I go away to find a quiet
spot to sit down and read, I select a spot near the fountain in the middle of
the quad and read, read, read, then lay back relieved to think of Kit. How
happy I am, but this is not the first letter she has written - however news is
news, I am for once happy and that nights sleep the sleep of the just. The
second letter written by Kit did not arrive until
Private parcels of all kinds began to come through after about 2 or 3 months,
but the majority were English and therefore like letters I did not expect
anything until sometime about September, I set this date and eventually got
used to the idea that I should receive nothing until that month so that I was
never disappointed. I also knew that Kit was unable to send cigarettes from
South Africa so I didn’t expect any, smokes and had to manage on my Red Cross
issued plus those purchased from the Italians - 30 a week, by judiciously
saving my stub ends and smoking them in my pipe I found that I could make ends
meet. One day in June or July I was sitting in the cloisters talking to Butch Cowland-Cooper and Padre Rees Davies, we were talking of
parcels, the Padre was telling us of his disappointment a few days previous.
His name had appeared on the parcel list for the first time, he went to draw it
expecting a clothing parcel but when it was opened it contained 50 hymn books
from the Middle East, I actually saw him draw the parcel and admired his pluck,
the look of disappointment which appeared on his face was controlled
immediately and he had to laugh about it although I know how very hurt he must
have been. While we were talking of this the shout went around the quad that a
parcel list had been posted, I said to Cowland-Cooper,
“I know that it won’t affect me so shall not trouble to go along and look”,
after a pause he said “Well I might as well you never know”, so off he trotted
he was gone about five minutes and when he returned he said “Thought you
wouldn’t get any parcels you jammy bugger” I replied “You cant pull my leg.
Butch” “Can’t pull my leg you lucky sod you are on the list for ten”. This of
course I simply could not believe and nothing could move me, until he said he
would give me his evening meal if he were wrong. At this I began to sit up and
take notice, so very nonchalantly strolled along to the notice board, quite
prepared to be had for a fool but true enough my name was on top to receive 10
parcels, it was the talk of the camp. I could not draw them before 10 am the
following morning, I had all evening to ponder about them, who could they be
from, Mick and I put our heads together and had a rare old talk on the subject.
Sticky joined in trying to decide whom they were from. I got but little sleep
that night thinking about them and was excited as a small boy,
I realised of course that they were not all mine but for the lads who were
captured with me as they were addressed to Camp 66. I left 9 parcels unopened
in store and took the remaining parcel of 2,000 out and issued them out to the
lads and officers of the Regiment. The name of the Regiment was high; everyone
in camp was talking about it. They had even more to talk about a few days later
when I received another 9 parcels and Charles Woodbridge received 6, all from
the Regiment I was now worried as to how I was to forward them to the troops,
so applied to the Italians, at first they would not play at all, and them I
decided to sell them to certain officers as there was such a shortage and get
their regiments to pay Major Colver for them. But
eventually the Italians agreed to get the addresses of the senior NCOs, after a
time I sent off parcels to the NCOs with instructions to distribute them evenly
amongst the men of the Regiment in the various camps, I heard later that these
had been received safely. Altogether Charles Woodbridge and I received 86,000
cigarettes from the Regiment, how proud I was of it at the time and cannot
praise the organisation enough which sent them so promptly, I suspect Major Colver and Jack Hanlon of having a hand in it since those
days I have received several parcels of 200 cigarettes from them and I know
that the men have done equally well and that they are as thankful as I am.
My first clothing parcel arrived on 5th September 1942; on this
occasion I knew the day before that it was a clothing parcel so instead of
laying awake all night wondering what it was or who it was from, I lay
wondering what was in it, my excitement was like that of a small boy at
Christmas. When the time came to draw it I found myself trembling. Of course it
had to be opened by the Italians in my presence, if ever I wanted to hit anyone
it was the unfortunate officer who opened my parcel, not that he was in anyway
careless about it but just because I was so excited and wanted to do it myself.
The outside wrapper had been sewn on and in places was sewn to the towel and pullover
in which it was wrapped, the officer was most careful to see that he damaged
nothing, which made him all the longer in opening it and I got so impatient.
Immediately he had passed it I took it up to my bed before I went through it.
Then Kit, how pleased I was with it, you could not possibly have done better,
everything that I required to set me up, however did you think of it all. Also
how very proud of you was I, because everyone agreed that it was the most
useful parcel they had seen. I shall only be able to show my thanks after I get
out of this and never enough, my dear.
Chapter 13
What a place and under such circumstances to celebrate ones fortieth birthday,
but Mick decided that celebrated it must be and so we got to work, at this
period the black market was in grand form and I was putting in full time in the
cookhouse and had shall we say rather more chances of putting on a good feed,
but I did not want to take too much advantage of my employment. The strength of
our party was to be four consisting of John Barker, Jack Green who had walked
along the coast with me, Mick and myself and was to be held during the evening
after 2nd sitting, as much cooking as possible to be done on our own
stufa. The day dawned, Mick spent the afternoon in
preparation, all that I had to arrange was the sweet and wine, which were easy.
We both had a good store of tinned foods; in addition Mick had received an
American food parcel that helped considerably. I prepared the sweet during the
afternoon in the cookhouse, I borrowed a tablecloth and crockery from the mess
and at
By various means and over a fairly long period I had accumulated about 7 days
bread ration, which did not amount to much, 7 doughnuts, which of course were
very stale, in addition I had raisins from a Canadian food parcel and custard
powder from a British parcel, together with some margarine. This I took to the
cookhouse and started off, the bread I grated up very finely crust and all and
mixed the raisins in and added some condensed milk from the mess until it
looked like a suet pudding, but a bit on the small side. The cooks were called
into conference, what could we add, a couple more loaves were added as were 4
or 5 eggs, ½ lb pound of margarine, 1 lb of sugar, 6 apples minced up and also
in went 2 lemons, now it began to assume enormous proportions. Next we rolled
it up in a bit of cloth, it then measured 22 inches, but how to boil it was the
bother, it would just go into a tea bucket, so in it went and on to the fire it
went and boiled for an hour and a quarter and by then was 6 inches round and 2
foot long, a real good looking pudding. My next problem was the custard; one
small packet of custard powder was insufficient for a pudding of such gigantic
measurements. Here again the cooks came into play, the milk used was condensed
milk about ½ water and ½ milk, but then we decided it was far too thin, at this
point the head chef decided to take over and said that he would make the
custard for me and By George! Did he produce a masterpiece, he quickly turned
it from ordinary to egg custard by adding 19 eggs, it should have been 20 but
he dropped one, plus some more condensed milk. The final result was absolutely
delicious, never before or since have I tasted the like and what is more, there
was plenty of it, a whole soup tureen full. After this was prepared I had to
smuggle it up to my bed cot, it was so big that I had to make 2 trips and even
then could not shut my cupboard door. When we were ready for the sweet John was
sitting with his back to my cupboard, so I said to him, hand out the sweet,
John. He casually turned around to do it, and put his head into my cupboard and
said “Good God Almighty what is this” and his eyes nearly popped out and even
more surprised when he was told to hand out the custard. Now at this stage of
the proceedings we were fairly full and satisfied however John who was 6 foot
and had the appetite of a horse was still game so were we. The pudding, up to
now I had been a little dubious as to what it would taste like and hoped that
the custard would cover the taste, but it was a pudding to beat all puddings,
simply grand, we each had enormous helpings and decided to save the balance for
the next day, but John couldn’t wait till the next day and commenced eating it
on his way to bed. We finished up with coffee, cheese and biscuits and
As our camp was a permanent one there were but few changes because the
accommodation was insufficient but early in 1943 quite a large party did
arrive. They were subject to the usual scrutiny by other and older prisoners, I
walked by their baggage to see if I could recognise any names but couldn’t so
assumed that there was nobody that I knew, afterwards retiring to the cookhouse
to prepare a meal for them. 1 had occasion to go to the orderly room to find
out the exact numbers when somebody said to me “I saw an officer with your
badge up Poey”, I immediately shot over to the
Infirmary where they were being temporarily housed, walked in and said “
anybody of the Royal Sussex here”, there was a chorus of yes and met eleven
officers of the Regiment, what a surprise, I knew none of them except one by
name, but they knew all about me, they being of the same Battalion that I had
been PSI. Mick and I soon got moving and had them all up for tea and a feed; I
issued them with cigarettes that had been supplied by the Regiment. What talks
we had they lasted well over a month, all about the Regiment, all the people I
knew, the laugh their CO had when he heard of my capture. Two came from
Chapter 14
I have mentioned before the subject of food and it must crop up again in the
telling of this story. Among the prisoners in camp were a number of farmers who
decided that we should produce as much of our own food as possible and they
soon got to work, but nothing much could be produced, a very few seed potatoes
left over from the previous year which did not come to much and gave us about
one potato per man, a very small amount of spring onions and but very little of
anything else, that was all in the market garden line. From the contractor 3
pigs or shall I say piglets were obtained, they were fed on the swill from the
mess for a time, one unfortunately got killed by a gate falling on it during
the night. We made some soap from it; mind you there were 500 officers. We were
therefore left with 2, these thrived for a time and grew, but as times got
harder there was but little swill from the mess and so they had to go without.
It was a funny sight daily to see these 2 pigs when let out of their sty run
straight across the quad to the cookhouse. Owing to the shortage of food it was
decided to kill them off, early one morning Pte Feist
killed them in the presence of the agriculture class. The pigs were not very
big but there was high excitement in the camp at the prospect of a bit of pork.
But alas there was trouble ahead, we had slaughtered a pig without the
authority of the Italian Government and so contravened the law of the land, the
police therefore removed the carcasses. Everyone in camp was highly indignant,
several meetings were held between the Italian Commandant and the SBO,
eventually they came to an agreement, we had to hand over a certain amount of
pig fat to the Italians and we could have the rest. The evening that they were
consumed the pigs heads were paraded round the mess with musical honours; we
each got a minute portion of pork. That was the last of the pigs.
Chickens were also obtained, I had 12 hens and 2 cockerels in the kitchen yard,
eggs were very few, they all died of Gapes and went about yawning, I used to
watch the roosters doing their stuff, very interesting. But the rabbits were
the funniest of all, we started off with a very few and intended to breed, it
was calculated by the ones that knew that by Christmas there would be sufficient
rabbits for each officer to have one and we all looked forward to the future
rabbit stew. The PMC made announcements in the mess periodically as to their
welfare, but we never got above a 100, the announcements would be something
like this “Gentlemen since my last report our rabbits have increased by 12 but
as one doe has eaten her young the total is not so much as last week” the lack
of food was affecting them as well. Little Jimmy Wrench was OC Rabbits, he was
an Air Gunner not much bigger man a rabbit himself but a jolly fine fellow he
slept a few beds away from me. I used to go and watch him feed them, they were
kept in a garden behind one of the quarters and there were rabbits of all
shapes, sizes and colours, he used to put in a lot of time tending them and it
was a pity that he didn’t get better results for all his hard work. The
Italians kept some rabbits as well in a nearby garden, one day one of them
found its way into our pen so we had a ‘buckshee’ rabbit in our run. Mick
spotted it, everybody had played the game with our rabbits and none had been
taken for private purposes but with a rabbit belonging to the Italians, it was
different. Mick very soon grabbed it and that night he and I sat down to one of
the best meals that we have had in the mess, it was done to a turn, I scrounged
the vegetables to go with it. There eventually came the day when all of the
rabbits had to come to an end, this was a great day; we had a grand rabbit
stew. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it as previously the only way to get a feed
on rabbit was to go into hospital or as it was known the infirmary, when the
doctor might order a rabbit for the patients as a change.
Chapter 15
I did not look forward to Christmas 1942 at all, for one thing, I was far too
homesick and wanted to be at home to enjoy it, but it so happened that I was
far too busy to think about anything else other than my work in the kitchen,
the day was a great success as far as the kitchen was concerned, I never got my
Christmas meal until 5pm and then in true cooks fashion I couldn’t eat it all.
The crowning glory was, though, at I2 o’clock when I was just drinking the
health of Kit, I received a letter from her, goodness knows, how I blessed Kit
for that letter. Preparations for the day had to be started several days
previous. Mick was responsible for the decorations of the hall and very well it
turned out, at one end of the hall a bandstand was erected and the other end he
painted a huge old fireplace, this was really a masterpiece and looked for all the
world as if it was a real log fire, even down to the flickering, on the far
side of the hall was “Ye Olde Englishe
Bar “ from which the wine was served.
I was responsible with George Marfell for the kitchen
work, it was no light task, we had to make two sittings of the Christmas lunch
owing to the lack of accommodation, and this of course made things more
difficult. The usual Red Cross Christmas parcels had not arrived so we had very
little to work with, but were given 60 Indian parcels, which included some very
useful commodities such as flour, dhal, sardines etc., and by collecting odd
bits from here and there we were able to put on an excellent meal, many could
not eat it at all.
First course was soup, made from split peas and milk; it did not take a lot of
work except grinding the split peas up. Entree was baked bully with onions,
peas and mashed potatoes obtained from the contractor. The bully was very
tasty, we did it by slicing it up and laying it in dishes over a bit of cooking
oil and some cold fried onions and put it into a huge old bread oven that we
got working, a very good sized helping was served. The sweet took quite a lot
of work, it was supposed to be a nut trifle, it was made from custard,
macaroons, walnuts and candied preserved fruit and it was very good. The
savoury was a Canadian biscuit and sardine cooked in the oven and served with a
cheese sauce, this proved to be very tasty, in addition there were nuts and
oranges on the table, Chianti and
Boxing day was the troops Christmas dinner, I did the cooking for them whilst
officers came in and did the serving, my part of the show was a success, but
the officers part was not quite up to standard. In the evening a fancy dress
dance was held, I didn’t go myself because I detest fancy dress but I saw all
those that did dress up, the dresses of some were absolutely marvellous however
they thought of them I do not know. About half of them went as girls, some of
course looked “real old bags” but others looked real good and could have been taken
for girls, after the show they all paraded around the wings, I was in bed,
several of the “bloody girls” coming along and kissed me goodnight. Wherever
they got the stuff to make up their dresses I do not know but there were all
shapes and sizes. For New Year we put on another big meal, which was much
appreciated, this one included a Christmas pudding we concocted and turned out
well.
Chapter 16
Towards the end of June 1943 things were going very well in
Orders were issued for us to move at 0700 hours on the 25th July
1943, in my usual silly way I was ready far too early, I made a cup of tea and
had breakfast, it had been arranged for reveille to sound at 0530 hours, but
that hour came and nothing happened, so we all laid about, soon everyone was
saying whets happened there was no sign of an Italian in the quad, no movement
whatsoever, the dormitories were just one buzz, we were of course hoping for a
delay, every days delay meant a better chance of getting back, by 7 o’clock
everyone was keyed up. At that time I was looking out of my window when I saw
the RC Padre running into his quarter and then another fellow running as fast
as he could go across the quad, face was as red as a beetroot, this fellow was Bungy Williams, I had never seen him move so very fast
before so I knew something important had happened, then an Italian officer came
in and told us that Mussolini had been sacked, in 2 minutes the quad was full
of chattering officers, just like monkeys, I never heard such a noise. Would
there be an Armistice was the first thoughts - the move was off for the day
anyway - the war was to go on and we were under 24 hour notice to move.
The next few days of nothing else but rumours, prisoners were watching trains
arriving and quickly the news would spread around camp - Train in! Train
departed! An officer was at the station looking after our heavy baggage and he
kept sending messages up - Station Master knows nothing about special trains!
Etc, A blackboard was set up in the middle of the quad with the latest news
relating to the move such as - No train expected today - Station Master knows
nothing! In this state of unsettledness we lived for a couple of days when a
General arrived, he was shocked to think that the first party had not left, he
promptly returned to Naples or somewhere and got things moving, mind you we
were quite happy about things, as was the Italian Commandant, he knew which
side his bread was buttered and I still believe that he would have done nothing
had not this blasted General arrived. Anyway on 30th July 1943 we
got orders to move the following day and a ‘Fred Carno’s’
army it was that moved. Our heavy baggage had been taken down to the station,
the rest we had to carry, some had nothing to carry their baggage in and one
saw shirts sewn up at the bottom and kit put into the sleeves being tied around
the neck, really one could not help laughing. The march to the station was
about 2 miles; I was carrying a kitbag, suitcase, haversack, water bottle, a
blanket, and a box with my food in it, a Red Cross parcel complete and unopened
and my greatcoat. It was a test of strength, I soon realised that I was not as
fit as I thought I was but somehow or other I managed it but it took me a long
time to get over it. Afterwards I had a good laugh about it, it all looked so
very funny 250 British officers struggling along the road loaded with baggage
and about 100 Italian soldiers escorting them, by the time we station was
reached they were in as bad a state as we were, the column was stretched out
for a least a mile.
At the station we were counted and checked and the number did not come correct,
so we were all shifted right away from the train and individual names called,
this was done amid a lot of catcalls etc., we were told to be quiet as this was
a very serious business. Eventually it was all correct; there was a sentry to
each compartment, one to six officers and an Italian officer to each coach. It
took a lot of settling in with all the baggage; in addition we were issued with
another Red Cross parcel so we were all right for food. At each end of the
train was tied a piddling little Red Cross flag, I am sure no one could have
noticed it. Being July the weather was very hot and before the train started
most of us had peeled off our clothing and had a drink of water, when I went to
refill my bottle from the lavatory I found that there was a very limited
supply. None of us knew where we were going, except that it was up North or how
long it would take us. By 10 o’clock we were on the way, very shortly after we
got our first shock, the officer in charge of our coach insisted on all windows
being closed and blinds drawn and the sliding doors shut, soon the compartments
became like ovens. I got more and more ‘browned off* and we all had to keep
drinking water, to make matters worse the sentries were posted inside the
compartments so we couldn’t do anything but bear it. Eventually trouble brewed,
we opened the windows, but the Italian officer kept looking out the side of the
train and spotting the window open created a fuss, the damned little squirt,
and as a last resort and to set an example he placed an officer in the next
compartment to ours in irons. That rather shook us, so we complained to the OC
train but got no satisfaction. Finally we booted the Italian sentry out of the
compartment because in the heat he began to smell and while he was out of the
compartment we smashed the window and cut the fastenings of the blind. This
caused a helluva row but we just didn’t care. At
first we thought we were going through Naples, at least we started off in that
direction, but for obvious reasons that had to be changed, thanks to the RAF.
In consequence we changed direction at a junction of which I cannot remember
the name. What I can remember is the cries for water “Aqua, Aqua” was the shout,
but there was nothing doing.
All the afternoon we proceeded in the direction of
During the morning we moved off again in the same direction that we had come
from, late that evening we arrived at
The 2nd party from Padula did not arrive
until a fortnight later, we kept saying lucky buggers they will get away with
it, but eventually they did arrive, they had an even rougher time than we did
because it was their intention to get away. Excitement apparently after we
left, the Italians had a roll call at which a lot were absent, in their
hideouts, but they were all rounded up after a lot of time and trouble. They
were made to live in the quad behind barbed wire, they also had a much worse
trip than we did, the Italians realising the plans that had been made they took
all their boots away which was a drawback. In addition they were attacked from
the air and had to spend a night in a field, only one got away.
Chapter 17
Campo 19, this camp, a new one for POWs was originally an Italian barracks as
far as we were concerned it consisted of 7 buildings, one for a hospital, 5 for
housing the prisoners, each holding 300, and one for the kitchen and canteen.
The building in which we were built in the shape of three sides of a square,
the front side of each was split up into small rooms holding about 10 each and
the wings into bigger compartments, I shall call them that because one could
walk right through them, each held 20 officers. For space we were rather
cramped, the beds were not so comfortable as at Padula
being of canvas pattern. We each had a stool but no table, the washrooms were
very elaborate and there was a good water supply but often cut off owing to the
visits of the RAF. The lavatories were awful, being of (he squat fashion like
those used by the Arabs in Egypt, although the flushing system was very modern
when the water was on, all one had to do was to press a button and jump for it
otherwise you risk a wet bottom. The bathroom, I didn’t know too much about
although it was allotted to us once a week, I only ever got one hot shower.
The canteen was very good we were able to get more cakes and bars of chocolate
and nearly every day we were able to obtain wine but no beer. Facilities were
not extraordinarily good, one could walk around and around the barrack square,
but in the heat of the day it was a bit too much. Outside walks were very good;
they took place at 7 o’clock in the morning and were quite pleasant, the countryside
was very interesting we were able to note things that would be very useful to
us later on. I went on several of these walks, but it was a shame that we were
accompanied by a large number of sentries that took the gilt off the
gingerbread. The cooking facilities here were excellent, the cookhouse itself
being very modern. The messing was much better owing to the fact that Red Cross
parcels went into the mess or at least such of it as required. We got out
parcels weekly, they consisted of biscuits, margarine, jam, sugar, chocolate
and milk, the rest went into the mess. This with the items issued and bought
from the Italians we were able to live reasonably well, plenty of green stuff
but no potatoes, the bread issue was much better here. Nearly every morning we
were supplied with coffee, porridge and an apple for breakfast, lunch used to
consist of a soup and salad and about twice a week a sweet and an issue of
wine. Supper was soup and something from the Red Cross parcel. We were able to
get plenty of hot drinks, hot water being supplied from the cookhouse, we used
to take our dry tea along and add the water at 10, 2, 4 and 8. All this time
the news was extremely good and we were optimistic how long would it last. Mail
was very bad but that was only to be expected although I did very well. Private
parcels came through and I hoped for my long lost next-of-kin, but was unlucky,
however we soon all settled down and were reasonably comfortable and we were
not troubled much by the Italians. The end came suddenly, we were not caught
unprepared but were certainly let down but that is another tale.
Chapter 18
We got news of the Italian Armistice at about
At 4 o’clock they came, the Italians had opened the front gate but no others,
the Germans came in the front gate, Mick and I managed to get to another gate
which had just been opened when I suddenly remembered that I had left my water
bottle behind, I went back for it, then a lot of firing broke out, what
happened was that as soon as they got out of the gate the Germans fired down
the road, the first lot caught it, some managed to cross the road into the
woods but the Germans were prepared for it and the Italians had let us down
without a fight because the Germans were all over the camp. Had I not gone back
for my water bottle I would have been in the first rush, when I returned I was
met by a German officer with a tommy gun who said “Go
back British officer” I went back and met Mick. We could see the others being
rounded up and put in between the barbed wire fences. We managed to keep clear
for an hour but were eventually put in with the rest. When dawn broke we were
prisoners of the Germans, we were herded in between the barbed wire as tightly
as sardines with machine guns all around us, it looked very much as if we were
all going to be shot where we stood, which was not a very pleasant thing, to
say the least. It was Rod’s birthday one that I am never likely to forget and
all my thoughts were with Kit, what a way to go out.
It rather pleased us to see the little ‘shits’ of Italians being rounded up and
taken away as prisoners, In the meantime those who managed to get out were
being brought back, one had been killed and 3 wounded, a German officer
afterwards told us that he had been told that we were all armed, which was
entirely untrue. After the Germans had searched the whole camp we were counted
and let back in, but were put under 24 hour warning to move, actually we
remained in the camp until 14.30 hours on the 11th September 1943,
in the meantime we just lived in a state of unsettledness hoping against hope,
I felt perfectly bloody because I had a roaring cold. We had no news but plenty
of rumours, which were all untrue. When we received our orders we were told
that we could only carry a very amount of kit, as we had to march 25 miles to a
place that was outside the fighting area, consequently we had to destroy a lot
of stuff. Food was the main thing knowing that it was most unlikely we should
get any. A lot of officers were still very optimistic and of the opinion that
they would not get us away, I felt too bad to worry, however motor lorries
eventually turned up and we were piled into them, they had covers over them and
were grossly overcrowded, I do not remember much about it because I fainted and
didn’t come round for an hour or two. We were taken to
Whilst at
Chapter 19
We arrived at Moosburg in the early hours of
We were then marched off to a bungalow, a hell of a way off, it was the biggest
camp that I have yet come across, there were 30,000 prisoners held in the camp
who consisted of 22 nationalities, and miles and miles of barbed wire. The
bungalows came as a shock, 200 of us were in one, the beds were made of wood
and 3 tiers high, and so if you had a restless sleeper above you were unlucky.
To sleep upon we had bags of hay and we were issued with one damp blanket, 4
French prisoners were in charge of each bungalow and seemed to have made
themselves quite comfortable, the latrines were the same as previously
described. For exercise there was a bit of a compound, in the next compound to
us were Serbians on one side and Russians on the other and eventually British
troops on the last. Tables were in each bungalow but only sufficient for about
50 to eat off; so what food we got we used to eat on the grass outside. Shortly
after we arrived in the bungalow we were issued with the rations that were put
on the train at Innsbrucke, never have I enjoyed
anything so much, it was a good chunk of German bread and a piece of pork fat,
but how good it was, lots of people could not eat it but I did, theirs as well.
Later in the evening we got German tea and potatoes, quite a good amount and
how we enjoyed them. Next day we got potatoes and beetroot that was also very good.
It was the conditions under which we were living that were difficult, there
were no plates, knives, forks or spoons, and on the whole we liked the German
rations much better than the Italians. We got margarine, sausage, sugar and
bread issued, but the potato stew we got was the pits, cabbage and potatoes
were just pushed in together and what a slush it made. We received German tea
to drink that was not to my taste, but as we had our Red Cross parcel tea we
got over it. We all considered the German bread ration was bigger and better
than the Italian, I enjoyed it and used to scoop up anybodies that did not
require it, with the aid of the parcels we lived quite well, there was always
the thought that shortly we should move again and what would the next camp be
like. The washing facilities were very bad here; we had to wash under a pump,
one pumped while the other washed. During the whole of this time I managed to
keep Sticky with me and how very good he was too, never shall I be able to
repay him. He was forever willing, would do anything for me, give me anything
and was always in good spirits, you may bet, Kit, that it took some doing to
keep cheerful with me. The day after we arrived a train load of officers also
came, among them were Ernie Cox who was with us at Padula
and John Stanton, a regular of the 2nd Bn
but when captured was adjutant of the 5th, I was forever in his
company after that asking him questions. I had never met him before as he was
commissioned just prior to the war but he knew all the people that I knew, he
was able to tell me about Jock McCully, Bob Whistler
and a hundred and one things. Sticky thenbrought me
in the news that there were 3 of our lads captured in Tunis in camp, L/Cpl Kealy and two others, one I managed to wangle him into our
compound and had a good talk with him about the Battalion and how they got on
after I was put in the bag. Shortly after this some more other ranks arrived
from
Next to our compound were the Russians, they were most amusing and just did not
give damn for anyone, and they used to get out of their compound as easy as
winking and right under the eyes of the sentries. Between each compound was two
fences about 10 feet high and 10 feet apart, in between there was just masses
of loose barbed wire, but it made no difference to them as soon as a sentry
turned his back they were up one fence, jumped into the middle up the next
fence and into our compound before you could say “Jack Robinson”. They were
almost starved, we gave them whatever we could, and they took all our leavings.
Not only did they take our leavings but also anything they could lay their
hands on, one had to keep a very sharp eye on ones kit. We had to start a
system of sentries on every two windows as they used to hop in during the
night, but you couldn’t blame them they were hungry and I had every sympathy.
One night after lock up, we saw a movement in some old blankets that we were
not allowed to use, on investigation we found one hiding under them, we gave
him some food and sent him out. Food for us was short enough but they were kept
even shorter, rations used to be issued out according to the bungalow strength,
on one occasion one of them died, his comrades buried him under the floor of
their bungalow and continued to draw his rations until the smell gave them
away. On another occasion, owing to hunger they refused to go out to work, so
the dogs were sent in to turf them out, the Russians killed the dogs and threw
the bones back. Their working parties used to make me laugh, they were adept at
making jobs last out and just obeying orders and generally annoying the
sentries, for instance, there was a party digging near our compound and we
watched them. The German sentry told them to stop work and fall in, when fell
in he noticed that they hadn’t got their shovels and had to send them back for
them, next they left their picks and lastly the wheelbarrow. Eventually he got
them altogether with their tools, he then said ‘Quick March’ on looking back he
saw his wheelbarrow left behind. And so it went on they did it all so solemnly,
but with a sly look at us, we just had to laugh and give them a cigarette each
much to the annoyance of the German sentry.
There was much glee in camp when we saw the Italian Military Commission from
Berlin arrive, they told us that the Germans would not last another 6 months,
they were very wrong. All the Italians were sick and sorry for themselves and
thought they were hard done by, some even tried to get us to exchange Red Cross
parcels, we might have helped any other nationality but not Italians, we
considered them the lowest of the low. After a few days they started sorting us
out into two parties, one to go to the Senior Officers Camp (known as the old
mans camp) and the rest of us to go elsewhere. I could have gone to the SO Camp
had I so desired owing to my age, but it meant separating from Mick and Phil.
Arthur Woods, Bert Hyde, Fred Hearn and Titch Yeates, all QMs, went and I have
not heard of them since. There was a lot of wangling to get on this party
because it was considered that the camp would be much more comfortable. I had
my doubts and preferred to remain with the gang, I thought that I would be far
happier with the people I know, although a change is as good as a rest.
Chapter 20
On
Although we were 37 to a truck we were more comfortable because there were
benches on which we could sit, I was fairly comfortable for a while until rain
started coming through but I didn’t get too wet. Phil and I were in a truck
together being parted from Mick and Clem Smith. I cannot remember much about
the trip; one cannot see too much from a truck, I know we went through
For exercise there was a moat 100 yards long, it was continually full of prisoners
walking up and down. One thing helped us here was we were given an advance of
pay, which came in very handy because we were able to buy a bottle of beer each
day, German lager beer is not to be recommended, but there was nothing else. It
was also from here that I was able to send a letter to kit by Air Mail. The
weather during our stay at Fort Bismarck was terribly wet, the moat got
terribly muddy and everything in the building became cold and clammy and being
so dark was very dismal. There were the usual incidents which lead to stricter
roll calls and where more ferocious Alsatian dogs came into play, these used to
frighten me beyond words. One unteroffizier who used
to be very fond of the use of dogs, eventually arrived from another camp we
were in, he first appeared on a roll call and was greeted by all the POWs
barking at him in imitation of dogs. He must have felt the biggest fool on
earth, he looked it anyway. Some officers were moved a few days after our
arrival, going to Offenburg, so the accommodation
situation was eased very slightly, but not the food situation. On the afternoon
of the 8th October 1943, the fort was suddenly invaded by a lot
civilians, later we realised that they were the infamous Gestapo, they promptly
started searching us very thoroughly, it didn’t worry me in the least as I had
nothing to offend, they certainly were very efficient at their duties. German
sentries were outside of rooms in the corridors, so it was practically
impossible to do anything. This was our first taste of these gentlemen, next
day
Chapter 21
While
it was still dark in the early hours of
Phil, Mick, Clem Smith, Ernie Cox, Dick Bettington
and I managed to keep together, we either had to stand or sit on the floor of
the truck, there was no room for seats. During the day we passed though several
places of interest and saw some fine old buildings, at about 4 pm we arrived at
our destination, Weinsberg. There was only one
incident on the trip, to Skipper Palmer, which necessitated the amputation of
his arm and was later repatriated. The camp is only about 5 or at the most 10
minutes from the station so it was not long before we were all again safely
behind wire. The camp at first appearance looked like an ordinary British
hutted camp surrounded by the usual double fence of wire with sentry lookout
boxes all the way round, to the north of the camp was the village of Weinsberg, a very pretty village from what we could see of
it with its castle on top of a hill, to the east a wide expanse of cultivated
countryside mostly grape vines, and in the distance the hills topped by the
Black Forest to the south, a hill which obscured the view, but was very pretty
being covered with grape vine and fruit trees. To the west nothing could be
seen. Before being allotted to our rooms various orders and instructions were
read over to us. The bungalows were more or less uniform in size and shape and
consisted of 12 rooms, some had more. The room I was allotted had 12, 4 of
which were smaller than the other 8, a small room had 8 occupants and the larger
ones 14. This was grossly overcrowding, beds were of iron frame with wooden
boards and in order to accommodate the numbers had to be placed in tiers of
three, once again the top man was unlucky. We were also issued with a mattress,
2 sheets, 2 very small blankets, a towel, knife, fork, spoon, mug and a bowl.
This was the first occasion since I had been a prisoner that I was the proud
possessor of an earthenware-drinking vessel. In addition in each room there
were cupboards, one per man, stools and a table in (he small rooms and two
tables in the large rooms, plus the brooms etc. The conveniences consisted of a
washroom and 6 lavatories of a type that I had never seen before and very cold
to the arse and most uncomfortable.
At the outset I was put into a small room with Mick, in this we remained until
The camp held over 1,100 prisoners, just about a 1,000 of whom were officers
including South Africans, New Zealanders, Australians and British and later on
some Canadians joined us. The occupants of our bungalow, which numbered about
115, were in the majority, British. Nine bungalows were used as living
quarters; one had the usual offices such as the bank, post office, library, RC
and C of E Churches, lecture and study rooms. Two other buildings, one used as
a mess and the other as a theatre and gymnasium constituted the main part of
our camp. There was also a hut allotted as a hospital, but any urgent cases
went into the local hospital. At the outset the only place for exercise was to
walk up and down between the huts, a distance of about 200 yards, later walks
were started which made the facilities for exercise far better. Cooking
facilities in the cookhouse were I believe very good but the best results
couldn’t be obtained owing to the severe rationing of fuel. Meals had to be
served in 2 sittings owing to one building which was really a dining room being
allotted as a theatre. We could obtain a hot shower once a week, but this did
not start for some time, my day was Wednesday but again overcrowding came into
play, sometimes it was 3 or 4 persons under one shower which was not at all
satisfactory. Laundry was sent out of the camp, some items were done free, or
at least at the expense of the German government. It was sent once a fortnight
it came back neither clean or dry, during the summer it was the practice to do
our own.
Outgoing mail, monthly we were allowed 3 letter cards and 4 postcards, the
letter cards I sent off to Kit every Sunday or Monday, on the Sunday on which I
had no letter card I used to send 2 postcards leaving myself with a postcard a
month to send to Aldershot or Eastbourne but later on I altered this, wherever
Kit was I never sent a postcard but used it for Derek and the other home. The
Germans in camp did censoring so that there was no delay like that in Italy.
Incoming mail was delivered on roll call being distributed by duty adjutants,
censoring was again done by the camp authorities so there was not much time
lost I had a long wait for mail in Germany, so did we all come to that, but it
was worse because I was so downhearted. The first batch I received on the 91h
December 1943 redirected from Italy were from Kit written in July and August, although
very interesting they were out of date. How I used to look forward to a letter
and then on the 8th January 1944 I got my first one from Dad, how
pleased I was, but (he news (hat Kit was on her way home was most disconcerting
because I realised that she would expect to find me at home or at least free
and I had disappointed her. It caused me several sleepless nights, however 10
days later I received a letter from her on
I was not far behind the others with my clothing parcels, on the whole I was
not badly off for clothes, my biggest shortage was pyjamas, I had to leave one
pair behind in Italy in the rush, but this was remedied by the ever sure
Sticky, who still had a pair that I had given him early on. But nevertheless
the receipt of a parcel is most exciting the feeling is absolutely grand,
something from home, the impatience with which one stands and itches whilst the
parcel is being undone, the excitement of checking it over, in addition the
slab of chocolate that goes with each parcel absolutely makes it, especially if
any additional has been added, although I know that I shall never get it now, I
am forever looking for the parcel that was sent off from South Africa. I received
2 parcels very close to each other and on each occasion I ate the chocolate
whilst I was checking the contents and putting my stuff away tidily and felt
much better after it. My first cigarette parcel I received on the 5th
April 1944 from the Regiment, they were gratefully received as I was smoking
the horrid French ones, then very quickly I received 600 within three days so
that just about put me on my feet and I have not suffered any shortage until
now when I am down to my last 50, but something will turn up sometime or other.
This same old subject crops up again, one must
realise that hunger comes before everything else, it is for ever on ones mind,
one can think of nothing else or talk of anything else when you continually
have the feeling of being unsatisfied. At first and in
The French had been in occupation of the camp; but it appeared that they in no
way assist in the administration in such things as cooking, it having to be done
by the Germans, who were quite naturally not interested in the job. In
consequence the same procedure was carried on for the first few days that we
were there, it was not at all good. Each morning we received a jug of German
tea, which I might add takes a lot of getting used to, the majority used it as
shaving water. For the
We of course compared the Italian ration with the German, in commodities they
could not be compared, but then the entire system of rationing was different
The German commodities were the better and more solid but nothing else but the
ration could be obtained by purchase or otherwise, although fruit trees
abounded in the district no fruit was ever received by us during the whole time
I was in
However fortune turned in our favour, after a lot of persuasion the Germans
permitted us to take over our own administration duties such as cooking etc.,
this improved matters, although for a period the cooks had only the same
rations to deal with. We were dreading the approach of winter, I was possibly
more man others but thank goodness the Red Cross turned up trumps, we received
an ample supply of food parcels and clothing, just in time we were able to have
a parcel a week until September 1944. In this camp Red Cross food was used in
the same way as at Bologna that is, the parcels were handed over to the mess
who issued us weekly with biscuits, chocolate, jam, margarine or butter, sugar,
soap, milk and a proportion of the tea, the rest was cooked in the mess being
added to the German ration. The messing was thereby improved, but don’t get the
idea that we were able to live like lords, far from it. The powers that be
worked out that with the two rations put together we were all receiving
sufficient food to keep an invalid in bed, that is the exact truth. Take for
example a Canadian parcel, which we generally received, meats contained in
these are 1 tin bully, 1 tin meat roll, 1 tin of salmon, 1 tin of sardines and
a packet of prunes and that has to be made to last over a week. But thank
goodness we had them I dread to think what the situation would have been
without them. The weather was very mild during the summer we were all able to save
a lot of food, hoping of course that before winter we would be out of it all.
A great shock came in September 1944 when a letter was received that we were to
go on ½ a parcel a week, again winter was upon us. Immediately this came into
force we felt the pinch, food once again became the chief topic, it turned out
to be a severe winter, which is not yet finished. I personally dreaded the
thought of it. The parcels were stretched as far as possible, but one could
only honestly say that we had one good meal a week and that was on Sunday and
then only because we only had one meal all day, it was two meals served in one
to give the cooks the Sunday afternoon off, one felt satisfied for a couple of
hours, when the pains would start again and it was a long wait until Monday
midday.
Christmas 1944
I will try and describe Christmas, which I hope will be the last that I shall
have to spend under these circumstances. In order to do this properly I must go
back till the middle of December. About this time there were still the super
optimists who expected to be home for Christmas. At one period practically the
whole camp hoped to be home in time but that dream gradually faded, morale
became very low. Red Cross food parcels were finished, things looked very grim,
we had no reserve, a letter arrived saying that the Christmas food parcels
could not be delivered in time, everybody was in low spirits, food was very
short, mail from England was practically non-existent, coal issued was not
sufficient to keep us warm. Weather was very cold and wet, 12 degrees below on
the 14th. A supply of bulk Argentine food arrived, a good send, 9
weeks issue, but we made it 6 weeks of half issue, so we had at least something
extra for Christmas, the morale of the camp went up considerably. So commenced
the week Sunday 17th, then came the astounding news and things were
going against us down went morale again, things looked black this week before
Christmas. The weather although extremely cold was bright and sunny which we
know was to our advantage, during the week we each received ½ a Red Cross
parcel, which helped out. So arrived Christmas Eve. I had kept a new suit ready
for going home, but decided to clean it up and wear it on Christmas Eve, a
Sunday, so I arrived on roll call parade ‘poshed up’
to the nines even down to wearing my medal and overcoat buttons polished. I had
already been resigned to the fact that there was no mail for Christmas, there
had been none through the week and it never was delivered on a Sunday, but this
morning the postman arrived, should I be lucky, how I would like one from Kit.
The names are being called out, the second one is Pocock,
and I go out to collect. Yes! It is from Kit - good! Before I can get back to
my place - it is called again, this time Mum, I turn to go back to my place it
is called twice more, this time Rod and Bert, this time as I go back to my
place there are cries of ‘mail blocker’ all in good humour, but I am far too
excited to take any notice. I take them back to my room in grand spirits and read
them in solitude; I am in grand form for the rest of the day. It is wonderful
of you all to write and how I bless you. In the afternoon I am invited out to
tea with Mo Rapheal, a very happy event, tea,
biscuits, cheese, jam and margarine were the order of the day, 15 were invited.
Sunday night I wrote Kit’s letter and a card to Mum at
Chapter 22
It is now February 1945 we have sufficient
parcels to last us until May, in the meantime the German portion of ration is
being gradually decreased, for instance the potato ration is only about ½ that
we had this time last year, the bread is of a much more inferior quality. I
hope and pray that we are not here after the parcels run out my weight is low
enough now, I haven’t had sufficient food to keep me warm this winter. Now we
have heard that owing to the RAF there will be no margarine or jam issue but
instead we will receive in lieu meal or barley. Regarding the food we have in
the room, tea is drawn in jugs and we add our own milk and sugar, when we have
got it; by very frugal practice I manage to make mine last out every time. The
bread is a bit of a problem; it could quite easily be eaten for one meal. Again
one had to consider whether it was cut up into thin or thick slices, if cut
thin would there be sufficient butter or jam to cover them, by cutting them
thicker the spreads could be made to last the requisite time. When to eat it
was a problem, I cut my bread ration in two, one half for supper the other I
used as breakfast.
So my feeding day was planned as follows: -
0800 - Tea from mess (Red X.) 6 very thin slices of bread, butter and jam.
1100 - Brew of tea made from old tea leaves
re-boiled and any cold tea left over from breakfast.
1200 -
1400 - Tea from mess (Red X.)
1700 - Evening meal.
2000 - Tea or cocoa made in room from Red X
parcels, bread, butter and jam, 1 biscuit and cheese.
On Sundays it was much the same except that we had no evening meal it all being
served at
The Weather
Although I had been in
Week Commencing
A telegram has been received on Friday 9th
February saying that we may each receive a food parcel a week from the 1st
February, the news was received with cheers, it is grand news, but isn’t the news
I was hoping for, looking at it with a sober mind I would much sooner have
received good war news, all along it has been my opinion that things have got
to get worse before better, and this has thrown a spanner in the works, I was
hoping we were now going through our last bad period, but apparently that has
to come, we have parcels for 5 or 6 weeks. What will happen, then I dread it
although summer will be getting here. The conversation of the camp has changed
today, up to now everyone was food conscious, what subject will take its place;
I do not know probably it will be the reason why the parcels were sent. It is
however a great relief to be above that craving feeling and the temptation to
break into next days allowance of food. This evening I have sat down to my
usual cup of cocoa and bread and butter, but I feel much more satisfied the
cocoa was sweet and milky (two days supply), I could taste the butter and jam
on the bread, so on the whole I feel good, but good war news would really suit
me better.
Week Commencing
A much better week from all points of view, I am
feeling the effects of a parcel a week, the strain of eking ones food out has
gone, the continual thinking of food has disappeared although one still feels
hungry. But how long will it last, our parcels will run out twice as quick and
what then?
Week Commencing
Hunger certainly affects sleep, I find now that
it is better to eat late and I get a good nights sleep. Much the same as last
week but sleeping better, don’t feel like taking exercise yet. This has been a
record breaking ninth night, the disturbances have been quite long. Quite a
good amount of mail this week but I have been unlucky, how I am longing for
news of you Kit, it is nearly 2 months since I heard.
Week Commencing
This week has been governed by the news that Red
Cross parcels are to be cut to ½ a parcel a week. I have been expecting it but
thoughts are nevertheless turning towards food. Letter received from Mum during
week, much appreciated but one from Kit is what I want, maybe before week is
out I shall get one. I never received a letter from Kit after all, felt rather
sad about it. The weather is extraordinary, sunshine one-minute snow the next.
Week Commencing
The thoughts of everyone are towards food, in
addition to Red Cross parcel shortage there is a reduction of German rations,
especially bread and potatoes, 40% in the two main items. Next week it has been
found necessary to have 1 meal a day instead of 2, there has not been enough
for 2 meals.
Week Commencing
A more interesting week, I received letters from
Kit and Derek. The ration cut and one meal a day took effect this week. I felt
very bad at beginning of the week, the Doctor ordered me to hospital, but I
would not go, after a day in bed I felt better. Next week I have to feed at the
hospital because I have lost so much weight.
Week Commencing
A much better week, I have had my food at the
hospital and as a result I feel better, not that one gets more food it is
better prepared. Weather is very good, shorts is the order of the day. The war
is getting much closer and causing excitement daily, in view of recent events
there is much speculation as to what will happen to us, I do hope that we do
not move. Derek’s letter was very cheering, I am afraid that I will have to
destroy all my letters.
Week Commencing
What a week, it started off with great news (American
Army close) and 2 days of intense excitement thinking we were to be liberated.
Then came the order to move, should we be saved, the suspense was terrible. We
were hoping for the train to be smashed, but the clouds were too low for
flying. Then they arrived, how we cheered but unfortunately the damage was
insufficient to stop the train running.
Week Commencing
The queerest Easter Sunday I have ever spent;
although I am a POW, I am writing this to all intents and purposes a free man,
it is simply marvellous. We left camp last night and entrained, the train
leaving at
Week Commencing
I do not know what to make of things. Red Cross
are giving us food but have to cook individually, some game, Mick, Phil and I together
spend our days cooking under the most difficult conditions and terrible
accommodation. I saw Stillwell and Boniface arrive they were a disgusting
sight, I visited the troops compound, our conditions were bad but they were
worse off, I gave a lot of my kit to them, thank goodness the
weather is good.
Week Commencing
Conditions are still very bad especially the
sleeping accommodation that is infested with fleas, water is now the chief difficulty.
We are still cooking for ourselves and Americans have moved into our huts.
Week Commencing
The huts have become crowded, hardly any German
supplied food fortunately Red Cross parcels are regular. We are still cooking
for ourselves, but it is not very good. I am still hoping against hope that all
will be ended soon.
Week Commencing
Rumours of all kinds abound, the SBO sees a SS
General during the night. Aircraft are flying around above the camp. We got a wireless
message for our camp. Guns can be heard but we have heard them so often, I
cannot explain my feelings, I feel quiet, some are excited, we then heard small
arms fire echoing around camp and we spot our tanks. Small arms fire continues
and Yanks get to the gate at 1000. It doesn’t seem true. At 1245 the Stars and
Stripes is raised on a tower in Moosburg, a great
cheer goes up. I wonder how longer before I see Kit, I am still expecting to be
moved to a Troops Battalion with David. Now rumours are flying around it is no
use paying attention not until I put foot in
Tuesday - Now I have a roaring cold just as I did when leaving
Wednesday - A horrible day, raining, I feel very bad but must not visit doctor
or our ‘25’ plan for the plane will be messed up. We receive information that
we have drawn 2nd to move, I cannot believe that. I am going to
see Kit, yet it all seems wrong. We are down to
move at 0730, this is altered to 0900 Thursday.
Thursday - We are actually moving, American lorries take us 40 to a lorry, what
a crush, Landshutte. Flying conditions are bad and so
cannot fly and we are billeted in 28 Regensbergerstrasse
Landshutte, 8 of us in a small bedroom, but we can
put up with it the Germans have been ordered out of the flat, we raided their
larder and found jam, sugar and wine, we had no conscience about it because
they would have done the same to our houses. It is a child’s bedroom. I feel
sorry for them but eat their food. We might fly home tonight or tomorrow.
Friday - Good soft sleep, plenty to eat, American rations. Hoping to move on
today.
Saturday - Still at Landshutte.
At last we land in
MOVES AFTER CAPTURE
1942 1
Feb Caught at Tocra-taken
back to
4
Feb Left
Benghazi arrived Chemins
5 Feb Left Chemins
arrived El Agalia
6 Feb Left El Agalia
arrived Baurat
7 Feb Left Baurat
arrived Tarhuna
23
Feb Left
Tarhuna pm
24
Feb Arrived
Tripoli left
26
Feb Arrived
27
Feb Left
28 Feb Arrived
1 Mar Left
Naples arrived
25 Mar Left
Capua arrived Padula
1943 1
Jul eft
Padula
3 Aug Arrived
11
Sep Left
Bologna arrived
14
Sep Arrived
Moosburg
20 Sep Left Moosburg
21
Sep Arrived
9 Oct Left Strasbourg arrived Weinsberg
This story was compiled and edited by Rodney Pocock
from diaries written during the time his father was in captivity.
The parts of the diary referring to Quentin
Reynolds and the action when he was captured on the 1st February
1942 are described in detail at Part 4 in the book by G D Martineau:
History of the Royal Sussex Regiment