OSNABRÜCK
Our guards had mostly been selected from different regiments, on
account of their being due for leave in Germany. The officer in charge
travelled separately. He had recently been wounded, and had seen
rather more of the British than he cared; in consequence he was almost
human! Not yet being dry and now having no overcoat, I felt decidedly
cold. We arrived late at St. Quentin and settled down for a long wait,
but our good spirits were infectious and, besides, some of our number
had with them a surplus of turnip jam, and we were allowed to sing.
This we did with a vengeance, and it was indeed curious to hear the
desolate waiting-room echoing the popular strains of: "Pack up your
troubles in your old kit bag, and smile, smile, smile." This impromptu
concert delighted the French, who joined in as best they could. Soon
we had quite a little audience of solitary Huns, who peeped through
the open door and listened to the "Mad English," open-mouthed. At
last the express steamed in from the south-east and in quite an
exhausted condition we were graciously shown in to second-class
compartments in a way which clearly said "Second class is much too
good for you."
After a tedious journey, during which we received something to eat, we
arrived at Cologne about eleven o'clock the next morning. The station
contained almost every variety of Hun. These people represented the
cowards who in 1914 had flung stones at and otherwise insulted those
brave men of our old regular army, who stopped at this station, packed
in cattle trucks like animals, mostly wounded and dying. Nearly two
years of war have passed since then, bringing with them suffering and
a certain refining influence which had not altogether been without its
effect. Now, though most of them stared rudely, few showed signs of
open hostility. Following our officer down some steps and winding
subways, we were approaching a large restaurant, when a rather senior
Hun officer ran after us, cursing us in German for not saluting him
when we had passed him on the platform! One of the British replied,
"_Nix verstand_" (_No compris_). Whereupon he went away thoroughly
disgusted.
One of our party, a major of the 9th Zouaves, who spoke German very
well, asked if we might have some refreshments, to which the officer
acquiesced. We entered a large and almost unoccupied room separated
from the main dining-hall by a glass screen, and took up our positions
at a table by the window. Immediately outside towered the famous
cathedral, shutting out most of the sky, the spires and countless
pinnacles showing up to great advantage in the sunshine. Soon a waiter
appeared with a menu containing a list of weird dishes, the most
popular of which was a very thin slice of sausage reposing on a very
large slice of black bread. This cost one mark (but perhaps they saw
us coming!). Great excitement was caused when some one found it was
possible to obtain goose, but as our very limited supply of money was
almost exhausted this had to be ruled out. The fish salad when it
arrived was _peculiarly_ nasty. It was almost raw and had an
overpowering flavour of mud! Beer did not seem to be allowed, but a
tip soon settled that, and we all received large glasses of light
lager. The people in the hall were a funny-looking crowd but quite
amusing to watch, mostly drinking quantities of beer and regarding us
with sullen curiosity through the glass screen. The majority of the
men were ugly and square-headed, with closely-cropped hair, reminding
one of a group of convicts. Some of the girls, however, gave us
encouraging smiles.
When the bills were being settled up, there strode in an angry German
major, complete with helmet and sword, who entered into a violent
conversation with our unfortunate officer, who stood at the salute
most of the time. After making a noise like a dog fight he departed
with a final gesticulation in our direction. We did not know what the
row was about, but suppose that the officer in charge had been thus
strafed in public, either for bringing us there or allowing us to have
beer. At any rate, we were hurried out to await our train on the
platform. A small circle soon formed round us, largely made up of
sailors, whom we concluded must be on indefinite leave. As our train
was steaming up a civilian gave vent to his feelings by fixing his
evil eyes upon us and at the same time moving his lips with a deadly
purpose, cursing us inaudibly. I should never have thought a face
could express such condensed hatred. He must have been conversing with
his Satanic Master. However, as we only smiled sweetly in return, he
cannot have felt much satisfaction. Before getting into our train we
spent our last few _pfennigs_ buying sweets at an automatic slot
machine. The acquired sweets were wrapped in a paper covering, on
which different notices were printed, the majority were to this
effect: "Remember the shameful _Baralong_ outrage, in punishment for
which our airships shall devastate the Eastern Counties of England and
destroy London." We showed this to our guards, who firmly believed
that it would shortly come to pass, and could not understand our
amusement. A few minutes out from Cologne, as we went rushing over a
long iron bridge, we celebrated our crossing the Rhine by winding up
our watches and singing the popular song: "When we've wound up the
watch on the Rhine."
In the late afternoon the train passed through Essen, the blast
furnaces casting a lurid light on the surrounding country. Travelling
northwards we ran into snow, which, when we alighted was quite deep.
This was our destination, Osnabrück. At first it looked as if we
should have to walk to the camp, but the German officer was, luckily,
able to hire two brakes, and away we went. Osnabrück is an old town
with a population of about 60,000. We drove past numbers of children
and dogs revelling in the first winter sports, utterly regardless of
their country's serious condition. On our arrival an officer and
several N.C.O.'s took all particulars and descriptions. It was only
then that I discovered, to my astonishment, that my eyes were blue.
Next we found a hot shower-bath in store for us, during which
procedure all our clothes were taken away on the excuse that they were
to be disinfected. We enjoyed the bath very much and were longing for
a clean change, but were disgusted to find that this was not
forthcoming, and that we had to put on the same torn and muddy clothes
once more, which the Huns had only removed to search. We were then
locked in a room for ten days and told that we were in quarantine, no
account being taken of the three weeks or a month that some of us had
already spent in the German lines. The whole thing was a farce. We
could then buy a change of underclothing, and daily consumed
prodigious quantities of Dutch chocolate, also procurable from the
canteen (which I afterwards bought in Holland for one-tenth of the
price). Some of the British who had been in the camp for some time
managed to get books and a little food in to us. A great deal of our
time was occupied in making out orders for things we wanted from home,
edibles taking by far the most important part. Every evening after
supper we always drank the King's health in tea. Though the quality of
the beverage was weak, our loyalty had never been stronger. When extra
dull our home-made band played some rousing selection; my special
instrument required much skill, and consisted of the dustbin lid and a
poker. The climax was reached one day when the sentry entered with a
paper from the canteen, announcing that the British claimed to have
shot down two Zeppelins in flames over London.
Eventually the tenth day passed and we were free to go in with the
others, who at once made us welcome. Owing to the monotony of camp
life it is very difficult to write a consecutive account of the daily
routine, which would be of any interest to the reader. I shall
therefore only outline certain points under various headings, which I
venture to hope may not prove a source of boredom, judging from the
numerous questions contained in letters of enquiry directed to me.
ACCOMMODATION.--The main three-storey building was a converted German
artillery barracks, with the gravelled courtyards used for exercising
divided by a disused riding-school. The prisoners consisted of about
seventy-five French, living on the ground floor, and eighty-five
British, mostly R.F.C., taken at the Somme, living on the second
floor, and from one hundred and fifty to two hundred Russians on the
third. The rooms each contained from four to ten beds, according to
the size, which we usually stacked two deep so that they should take
up as little space as possible. With the aid of wall paper, deck
chairs, tablecloths and the like, obtainable at the canteen, together
with pictures from home, some of the rooms looked very cosy indeed.
Each one contained a stove, which at first we were able to keep well
supplied, as it was possible to buy coal in addition to the ration,
though latterly there was a considerable shortage. Mattresses were
either spring or made of old straw, and sometimes contained little
creepy-crawlies. My record evening catch numbered twenty-five, and
this little collection afforded some exciting races. By the way, I
might add that if one puts a match to them they go off "pop." The
Germans rendered slight assistance, but the Keating's contained in our
parcels soon got them under way. The sanitary conditions were not
good, but I must admit to having seen a little disinfectant. Part of
the time we were allowed a common room of our own, but latterly had to
share one with the Russians. Washing was sent to the town weekly. A
medical orderly was on the premises during the day, and a doctor came
two or three times a week. Before leaving we were inoculated against
smallpox, typhoid and cholera. This was a most obnoxious proceeding
which took place every six or seven days, until the doctor had jabbed
us all six times in the chest with his confounded needle. French and
Russian orderlies were provided, each detailed to look after one or
two rooms.
RECREATION.--At first it was possible to play football, but that was
soon stopped. Rackets, boxing and a sort of cricket were played in the
riding-school; once or twice a week we organised a concert or a dance,
theatrical costumes being hired from the town on parole. The Russians
had a really first-class mandoline and balalaika band, with which they
played many of their waltzes and curiously attractive folk-songs.
During these concerts a certain Englishman solemnly sang some new
Russian songs, learnt by heart, of which he did not understand a word.
A young Russian used to make up into a delightful girl, who, with a
partner, danced a cake-walk, accompanied by the blare of their new
brass band. Mandolines were soon in vogue and most rooms could boast
of several. As we were mostly beginners the resulting noise is best
left to the imagination. Whist drives, bridge tournaments, etc.,
helped to pass the time, and a good many of us improved the shining
hour by learning French, Russian or German in exchange for lessons in
our own language.
The winter brought with it many snow fights, and a successful slide
which I started, though popular, resulted in many bumps and bruises.
The bottom of the slide led into some barbed wire--which was decidedly
dangerous. One fatal day I finished the course with three Russians and
a fat Australian on the top of me, unintentionally making a
first-class broom; first I passed over a sharp stone, and then came to
a stop on the barbed wire fence. (Some of the marks caused by this
episode remain with me to this day.) We had one or two nice walks
weekly, on parole, escorted by a German officer. One day, during a
long walk through some pine woods, we had reached the top of a hill
when we came upon a large slab of rock, about four feet thick, resting
on two smaller ones, with a broad crack right through it near the
centre. The German officer told us a legend about this, which affirms
that at this spot somewhere about the eighth century Emperor
Charlemagne met some heathen chieftain, who having already heard of
his feats of strength promised to become a Christian should he be able
to split this rock. The emperor took up a sledge hammer and with one
tremendous blow broke the rock in two. (He must have been _some_ man!)
TREATMENT.--When I first arrived the commandant, who was a major, was
quite popular, granting all reasonable requests and not bothering us
the whole time, consequently we did our best to avoid trouble; but we
were in Hunland, therefore this state of affairs could not last long.
The commandant was soon replaced by a colonel with a white beard and a
benevolent aspect, though in reality he was inclined to be vicious and
most unreasonable. He was soon followed by two junior officers,
Lieutenants Briggs and Rosenthal. The former was an officer of the
Reserve, one of the nicest Germans I have ever met, and I can almost
safely say a gentleman. He did all that he could to avoid friction and
make things run smoothly. Rosenthal was a Regular officer and a
typical Hun, who was sent round the various camps to make things
generally uncomfortable for the inmates, in which capacity he was a
great success. He made promises but very rarely fulfilled any, smiling
to your face and at the same time arranging to have you punished. He
crept along the passages in thick carpet shoes after lights out,
spying on our movements, and was twice discovered listening at a
keyhole to the conversation. After having been there a month I spent a
fortnight in solitary confinement for my Cambrai escape, at which I
cannot complain, and came out on Christmas Day. Later on, while at
this camp, I carried out two sentences, each of three days, for
slight offences.
PARCELS AND MONEY.--We received parcels of food and clothing from six
to eight weeks after first writing for them. For the most part these
came regularly, only a few being lost. This was a good thing for us,
the camp authorities often providing for a meal only some raw fish and
garlic or uneatable gherkins and dry black bread! Trunks, suit cases,
and other heavy articles came by the American Express and were longer
on their way. Parcels of food were opened, and the tins taken intact
to one's individual locker, where it could be obtained most mornings
at a given hour. As required the tins were then opened by the Huns and
the contents placed in jars or dishes, which one must provide before
it can be taken away. Sometimes whole rooms decided to mess together,
sharing all their parcels, but more often two or three friends
arranged their own little mess.
Letters at first came quickly, but were often delayed by the German
censors at this camp, who, I believe, dealt with almost all British
communications to prisoners in Germany. Money is obtained by signing a
cheque, which is cashed in a week or two by the American Express. Even
after America's entry into the war money could still be obtained
through this company (which is, I believe, German owned). German daily
papers are procurable at most camps, and usually contain a more or
less intact British official communique, which is translated by some
German scholar and posted up. A map of the front is usually kept by
the prisoners and corrected from time to time. Christmas was
celebrated by every one and the canteen _Weisswein_ soon bought up.
The Germans put an illuminated Christmas tree in the dining-hall, but
unfortunately counteracted their display of good feeling by decorating
the large portraits of the Kaiser and Hindenburg, who stared down at
us from the walls and quite spoilt our already nasty food. On New
Year's Night we collected on the stairs, and joining hands with a few
French and Russians, sang "Auld Lang Syne," and scampered back to bed
before the wily Huns appeared on the scene.
One day when drawing our parcels we received some little cardboard
packets of compressed dates as usual, but this time a small white
strip of paper was pasted on the outside of each bearing the words,
"Produce of Mesopotamia under British occupation." This must have been
pleasant reading for the Huns. At last, one morning we were informed
that in three days' time we were to proceed to an "All British" camp
at Clausthal. Before our departure our Allies gave two farewell
concerts in our honour, which were a great success, for when we left
they knew that they were losing most of the "life" of the camp.
Living on our floor with a room to himself was a French captain of
extremely doubtful character; he was a heavily built, bearded man of
middle age whom nobody liked. I was told that in civil life he was a
professional agitator! Now he confined his energies to making trouble
between the different nationalities. He was always hanging about where
he wasn't wanted, poking his nose into other people's business, and
what was even more suspicious, he appeared to be on the best of terms
with the Germans. He wore a long row of medals, which were inclined to
change from day to day. Some senior French officers inquired if he had
the right to wear them, but he refused to recognise their authority.
Some Britishers had also been caught in a mysterious way just before
attempting to escape. The last night before our departure we thought
we would at least show him that he was not popular. Over a dozen of us
burst into his room, armed to the teeth, and holding him on to his bed
covered him from head to foot with treacle, jam, coffee grounds, ashes
and water, at the same time doing him no bodily injury. I expect he
thought his plight more serious than it really was, for the whole
place echoed with his shouts for help. Unfortunately for him the
French on the floor above, being greatly pleased at the proceedings,
only turned over and went to sleep again. When, after a few seconds,
we bolted to our rooms he rushed down to the orderly's quarters,
exclaiming, "I am dying--I am covered with blood!" This sounded
terrible, but when a match was struck revealing nothing but treacle
and jam they could scarcely conceal their merriment. Later on the Huns
arrived and succeeded in obtaining most of our names, but even they
thought the affair quite a good joke. The next morning most of the
French collected quietly near the gate to give us a "send off," but
the commandant, after screaming and being very rude to every one had
them locked in their rooms. He turned his back on us when we left,
only Lieutenant Briggs having the decency to salute.