HOMES
—VISITS OF RELATIVES
—RECREATIONS AND SPORTS OF THE BRITISH INTERNED
As soon as the first contingent of officers and men were installed at
Château d'Oex, there arose the need of some place where the men could
meet in their leisure hours instead of finding attraction in the local
cafés, and in July, 1916, the Rev. A. Sutherland, in association with a
lady interested in the scheme, succeeded in finding suitable quarters
where the men might foregather, much to my own and Colonel G.
Vansittart's ("S.B.O.") satisfaction. Within a few days, with the
assistance of the "World's Alliance of the Y.M.C.A." at Geneva, the
"B.L.R.C.O." at Berne, the "Patriotic League" at Lausanne, and private
friends, the necessary funds for installation, rent, etc., were
provided. In this Home, generally known as the "Foyer," the men were
able to write, read newspapers and books, listen to music, join in
debates, and smoke. It was, moreover, strictly non-sectarian, and
welcomed Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Presbyterians alike to join in
the comfort and enjoyment offered. In the long run the very popularity
of the Home was its undoing, the accommodation being unequal to the
strain put upon it. When, therefore, in October, 1916, Sir Starr
Jameson, on behalf of the "B.R.C.S.," London, offered to establish a
large hut in the camp, to be staffed by a section of V.A.Ds., I gladly
accepted the offer. I afterwards learned that we were indebted for the
gift to Mr. (now Sir William) Cresswell Gray, of West Hartlepool.
The "Gray" Hut was built during the winter 1916-17 under the supervision
of Mr. Middleton Jameson (brother of Sir Starr), who came out to
Switzerland expressly for the purpose, and was opened by Lady Rumbold in
January, 1917.
In the opening speech by Lady Rumbold there occurred the following
words: "Now that this Red Cross Hut has been built, it will replace the
Foyer which has been found too small for the needs of the increasing
numbers of British Interned at Château d'Oex. I cannot let this occasion
pass without paying a tribute to the initiative of Mr. Sutherland and
his friends who inaugurated the Foyer and carried it on for the benefit
of the men. Now that the Foyer has ceased to exist as such, Mr.
Sutherland is resuming his work at Lausanne. I am convinced that his
departure will be greatly regretted by many."
With the closure of the Foyer, and the imminent arrival of Military
Chaplains to take up duty at the camps, Mr. Sutherland decided to return
to his congregation at Lausanne, carrying with him the warm regard and
affection of large numbers of the men.
The "Gray" Hut had a prosperous and useful career; and as canteen, club,
and social centre, fulfilled, I would fain believe, the intentions of
its generous donor. On the termination of the Internment, in December,
1918, the hut, I understand, was formally presented by the Commandant,
Miss Murray, to the "Conseil Communal"—a brass tablet recording the fact
that it was handed over by the "B.R.C.S.," London, in accordance with
the wishes of the donor. It is to be used by the Swiss for their
"Colonie des Vacances."
We were indebted to two English ladies, Miss Annan and Miss Metcalfe,
for the establishment of Homes for the men at Rougemont and Rossinières.
These ladies provided for the initial outlay, rent, and running
expenses, and must have drawn largely on their own financial resources,
besides carrying out all executive work connected with the Homes, and,
to use an Eastern hyperbole, they both "fathered and mothered" the men.
Miss Annan organized basket-making and fancy work classes, which, _pro
tem._, gave the men occupation, and put money into their pockets. I
cannot lay too much stress on the practical and idealistic nature of the
work accomplished by these two ladies and their friends.
At the same time the National Council of the "Y.M.C.A.," realizing that
the benefits they could provide would be particularly acceptable to
British soldiers arriving from Germany, made proposals to me for the
establishment of their work at Mürren, and so it came to pass that, when
the second contingent of Interned arrived at that mountain resort, in
August, 1916, they were greeted by two representatives of the "Y.M.C.A."
National Council, in the persons of Mr. Alfred Brauen and Mr. R. I.
Whitwell, who had already secured and opened comfortable quarters in the
Hôtel Jungfrau for the use of the men. Here the usual refreshments and
pastimes were provided, and made available to all.
These gentlemen now made a tour of the camps, and, at my request, turned
their attention to Leysin, where the need of a social centre for the men
had made itself greatly felt. As a result of this tour and the
recommendations made by Mr. Whitwell, Lord Tavistock very generously
offered to build a hut to meet requirements there. The hut was
constructed on Mr. Whitwell's designs, and was opened by him in
February, 1917. It was well equipped with workshop, billiard table,
library, etc., and under the leadership of Mr. J. G. Griffiths, and
later of Mr. S. K. Morrison, proved most successful. The influence,
disciplinary and moral, of the "Y.M.C.A." work at Leysin was a
revelation to me, and was beyond praise.
A lady to whom the British at Leysin owe a debt of gratitude was Mrs.
Anderton, of Vevey. All schemes for the welfare of the Interned received
her support, but the sick at Leysin were the object of her predilection,
and her generosity was unbounded. In recognition of her numerous
charities the Holy See conferred on her in April, 1919, the Pontifical
Cross, _pro Ecclesia et Pontifice_, which was transmitted to her by Mgr.
Maglione, the successor of Mgr. Marchetti at Berne.
Mr. Whitwell subsequently laid plans for work on a more comprehensive
scale at Mürren, to give effect to which the National Council of the
"Y.M.C.A." erected a splendid hut, the finest of the kind ever seen in
Switzerland, and the highest in the world, it being at an altitude of
1,630 metres.
The inauguration ceremony occasioned considerable interest in the
Bernese Oberland, and attracted visitors from all parts of the country.
Lady Rumbold, in opening the hut, mentioned it as having been erected
for the British Interned as a mark of gratitude for their services, and
I had the pleasure of thanking the "Y.M.C.A." for their warm-hearted
regard for our soldiers.
This "Y.M.C.A." hut, equipped with canteen, cinema, billiard and
bagatelle tables, stage, library, "quiet" room, lantern for lectures,
etc., was of the most up-to-date kind, and round it revolved the social
life of Mürren. An Entertainment Committee was organized, and weekly
concerts were held. The theatrical company, composed of officers and
men, had a successful career both at Mürren and Interlaken, and drew
large houses, in which figured many visitors from Berne and elsewhere.
Popular lectures, mock trials, and a General Election, roused great
interest; and various classes for fretwork, basket-making, embroidery,
and languages, were established. Agriculture was not forgotten, a large
piece of land being leased for market gardening. Here scores of men
found agreeable occupation, and produce was raised which assisted in
supplying the garrison during the winter months.
In January, 1917, Mr. J. W. Hobday was appointed Secretary of the
"Y.M.C.A." in Switzerland, and co-operated with Mr. Whitwell, whose
place he filled at a later date, when that gentleman returned to England.
When Interlaken was opened as a British Camp, Mr. Hobday installed a
canteen, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. R. Hughes, in one of the
best hotels of the place, to which was adjoined a concert hall, with the
finest decorated interior within a large radius. Here, as elsewhere in
all "Y.M.C.A." centres, the daily arrival of British and Colonial
newspapers kept the men in touch with the outside world, and concerts,
sing-songs, lectures, tennis, and billiards, gave them plenty of
amusement and recreation.
At Meiringen the "Y.M.C.A." acquired the local "Casino," which was
admirably adapted for its purpose, and to it Mr. John Mahler, J.P., and
the Rev. D. Dowling devoted much of their time and energies. The winter
of 1917-18 was very severe, but the "Y.M.C.A." made a point of keeping
their quarters well warmed, thus adding to the comfort and health of the
men.
By the courtesy of the "Châlet" authorities, and of Mrs. Mitchell of
Seebourg, near Lucerne, a large hall was placed at the service of the
men, where, likewise, the "Y.M.C.A." opened a "Home" under the
experienced leadership of Miss Leckie. Thanks to her sympathetic
efforts, and the assistance given by Mr. and Mrs. W. Cecil Stronge, the
local clergy, and Mrs. Hauser, of the Schweizerhof Hotel, a fine piece
of work was performed here.
Previous to the opening of this hall, Mrs. Hauser (English by birth, and
the wife of the proprietor of the Schweizerhof Hotel of Lucerne) had,
together with her husband, placed at the disposal of British Interned a
room in their hotel, which served all the purposes of a club. This lady
also acted as visitor to those in hospital, and supplied them with
hospital comforts, both on her own behalf and, later, on that of the
"B.L.R.C.O.," whose representative she became. Her generosity and
untiring service were of great value.
At Couvet in the Canton of Neuchâtel, our men were indebted to Monsieur
Pierre Dubied, a Swiss gentleman, for a fine hall, where the "Y.M.C.A."
were installed in the interests of a British working party who were
employed in cutting fuel during the summer of 1918. Mme Dubied and her
friends gave unstinted help, and endeared themselves to the men.
In connection with the Motor Classes at Vevey, Colonel A. K. Gillespie
founded the "Soldiers' Club," which, later on, was amalgamated with the
"Y.M.C.A.," who had taken up their quarters in the excellent premises of
the Swiss "Y.M.C.A." (Union Chrétienne des Jeunes Gens), on the
Boulevard St. Martin, and proved a happy meeting place for social
intercourse, concerts, and sports. I may mention that Colonel
Gillespie's name has become a household word to the British Interned in
Switzerland, owing to his association with the "B.L.R.C.O.," the
"Soldiers' Club," and the "Bureau de Secours aux Prisonniers de Guerre."
At Gunten, on the Lake of Thoune, and in connection with the Carpet
Workshops, Miss Martin and the late Mrs. Cooke Daniels opened a much
appreciated club for the use of the British, French, and Belgian
Interned; and Miss Simpkin, of Manor Farm, also established a tea-room
at Interlaken, which proved of great service to the men passing to and
from Mürren.
I think I have said enough to show how active was the part taken by the
"Y.M.C.A." and others in Switzerland, and how beneficent were their
labours. The Association appears to me more than well served by its
staff, and evidently has the happy faculty of choosing the right man for
the right place. Nothing could have been better, for instance, than
their choice of Mr. Whitwell and Mr. Hobday,—the former for his
large-heartedness, the latter for his administrative and executive
abilities.
In anticipation of the arrival of the first contingent of "Ps. of W." in
May, 1916, the wives of several of the officers had found their way to
Switzerland, and many others followed as soon as they heard of the
arrival of their husbands at Château d'Oex. It struck me as eminently
desirable that N.C.Os. and men should also, if feasible, have an
opportunity of seeing their wives or members of their families, and I
accordingly addressed myself to the War Office, in the hope that
arrangements in this sense might be made. My hopes were realized later
through the kind initiative of Lord Northcliffe, who had seen the camp
at Mürren, and much approved of the idea. Thanks to his lively interest
in the question, Lord Northcliffe, by means of _The Times_, collected
sufficient funds, and caused steps to be taken for providing the
necessary machinery for the care of the women whilst in transit and
during their visit to Switzerland.
The arrangements in England were entrusted to Mr. Harold Wilkins, on
behalf of the "C.P. of W.C.," and after examination of local conditions
by Mr. (now Sir Ellis) Hume-Williams, preparations were made for the
despatch of parties of sixteen to twenty women under the guardianship of
"chaperones," for a fortnight's visit at the camps. The Young Women's
Christian Association very kindly cooperated with the "C.P. of W.C." by
leasing a house in Bedford Square as a hostel where the women were
assembled and lodged before departure. On arrival at the camps, they
were taken charge of by an Interned officer, by whom all arrangements
regarding finance, accommodation, and catering were made.
The first conducted party of women reached Château d'Oex in September,
1916, and their reception by the Swiss was as thoughtful and considerate
as in the case of the men themselves. It was a comfort to hear a wife,
when sympathized with for having only a fourteen days' visit, reply:
"Yes, but I would have come if only for an hour"; and another: "The
bairns think that I have gone to fetch their daddy home. I just let them
think it."
The arrival of the first party at Mürren was memorable as symbolizing a
return to home life, and the men, one and all, turned out to demonstrate
in honour of the event. An excited crowd of soldiers, armed with every
conceivable instrument of noise, amongst which figured numberless cattle
bells requisitioned from the peasants far and near, met the women at the
railway station, and escorted them by the light of torches to their
hotels. The visit must have passed like a dream, for Mürren remained _en
fête_ during the whole fortnight, and our countrywomen had the time of
their lives.
From time to time, and not infrequently, the movement to and from
Switzerland was interrupted owing to the exigencies of the military
situation in France, but in all not less than 600 wives and mothers were
privileged to visit their husbands and sons in Switzerland. I have often
been asked by people who evidently bore in mind the cost of the
operation, whether the visits were a success. The financial records of
the "B.R.C.S.," London, for the year ending October, 1917, show that
£12,187 were received from the public as donations to the fund for
"relatives' visits." The records for 1918 are not yet published, but I
am given to understand that the total expenditure will amount
approximately to £15,000, thus averaging £25 per visitor, a reasonable
figure when war-time conditions are envisaged.
I think we have only to place ourselves in the position of the Interned
to realize what such visits must have been to them. To my mind public
sentiment did not err in responding so graciously to the special appeal
made by Lord Northcliffe for funds to enable him to deal with this
question, and in doing so struck a note which vibrated in sympathy with
the hearts and souls of their Interned countrymen in Switzerland. Major
Edouard Favre, in his official publication, "L'Internement en Suisse,
1917," gives the Swiss view of these visits. He writes: "We cannot
sufficiently insist on the happy influence exercised by the visits of
relatives. By this means a living contact with the family, that basis of
social life, is re-established."
In the field of sport, the men soon realized that they were in the midst
of a sporting community, and football, lawn tennis, boxing, skating,
ski-ing, and ice-hockey, were freely indulged in according to the
season. Football was especially popular, many matches being played
against Swiss and Allied clubs. The former were generally too strong for
our men, who were never really fit enough to compete with the best Swiss
teams. Boxing also was popular, the Swiss sending some of their best
amateurs to take part in the tournaments held at Château d'Oex. The
spirit was willing—for our men were ever ready to meet the Swiss—but the
flesh was weak, and here again the condition of our men told against
them.
As regards ice-hockey, the Canadians showed excellent form, and
practically carried everything before them. They appeared to me to be
the equal of the best teams the Swiss could put into the field. In the
realm of lawn tennis, some of the best players were handicapped by
wounds and other disabilities, and therefore unable to make a mark in
the championship games. It is of interest to record, however, that one
of the members of the British Legation at Berne (not an Interned
officer), who played under the name of "Marcel," won the International
Swiss Championship for the third year in succession, and in so doing
became entitled to a handsome cup, which bore on the shield the names of
Wilding, Decugis, and others who had won the championship in previous
years.
Some of our Interned gymnasts took part at a Swiss Military Tournament
at Neuchâtel, at which officers and men of the Swiss Army and our Allied
comrades competed. Our success was practically limited to the bayonet
competition, where we beat all comers in the team matches, and took the
first and many other prizes for individual fighting. Our Belgian and
French Allies distinguished themselves with foil and sabre, and, as some
of them had been fencing professors before the war, they held their own
with success against the best Swiss exponents of the art.
As regards subjects theatrical and musical, the men at Château d'Oex
formed a Variety Company to give concerts, with the laudable ambition of
building a châlet as an annexe to the Children's Convalescent Home of
the region, as a remembrance of the time spent there by British
soldiers. How far they were successful in their purpose I have not
heard, but I doubt whether they were able to achieve their full
intention. Château d'Oex also boasted an amateur theatrical company,
recruited from amongst officers and men. As a side show, they were able
to count on a foursome of Scottish dancers, whose services were in great
request for charity bazaars at Geneva, Montreux, Bâle, Lausanne, etc.
They invariably brought down the house, and made themselves the life and
soul of any entertainment at which they assisted. Their kilts, sporrans,
etc., and bearing, were a never-ending joy to the spectators.
A small orchestra, with brass and stringed instruments, and which played
twice a week, was started by Mr. Sutherland at the Foyer. This formed
the nucleus of a band afterwards organized by the "S.B.O."
Mürren developed on similar lines. In one respect, however, it was more
fortunate than Château d'Oex in having available a larger proportion of
musicians, and was able, therefore, to create a very useful band, which
added notably to the amenities of its social life. I remember well the
astonishment of Colonel Hauser and his Staff on the occasion of a visit
of inspection, when he was entertained by the officers, to find an
orchestra of stringed instruments discoursing music during dinner, the
procedure followed being identical with that of a Line Regiment at home.
I must not omit to mention that the Mürren foursome of Scottish dancers
met with the same success in the Bernese Oberland as that of Château
d'Oex in the Cantons of Vaud and Geneva. I recall with special pleasure
the furore they created amongst the Bernese public on the occasion of a
bazaar for the disposal of the work of the Interned (_vide_ Chapter XIV).
Under the heading of "Pastimes," I may mention the publication by the
Interned of a paper called the "B.I.M." (British Interned, Mürren).
Major Charley started this paper in June, 1917, in connection with a
printing press installed at Mürren, with the financial assistance of the
"B.L.R.C.O." The management and editorship was undertaken by Lieut.
Hubbs, 4th C.M.R., and later by Lieut. Evans. It concerned itself almost
entirely with the doings of the Mürren garrison until January, 1918,
when it was converted into a magazine for the Interned in general, and
was then printed at Vevey, under the supervision of Captain Button,
Oxford L.I. The paper appeared monthly until September, 1918, and
bi-monthly up to October 29, 1918—its last issue. Major Charley, writing
to me on the subject, states that, compared with the magazine published
by French Interned, "it was rather a poor effort." It was, however, of
interest to our men, and the effort was not wasted.
Thus were spent the leisure hours of the men in camp life in Switzerland.