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diff --git a/18134.txt b/18134.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..82e0f72 --- /dev/null +++ b/18134.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10941 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Sixteen Months in Four German Prisons, by +Henry Charles Mahoney, Edited by Frederick Arthur Ambrose Talbot + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Sixteen Months in Four German Prisons + Wesel, Sennelager, Klingelputz, Ruhleben + + +Author: Henry Charles Mahoney + +Editor: Frederick Arthur Ambrose Talbot + +Release Date: April 9, 2006 [eBook #18134] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SIXTEEN MONTHS IN FOUR GERMAN +PRISONS*** + + +E-text prepared by David Clarke, Cori Samuel, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) from page +images generously made available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/toronto) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 18131-h.htm or 18131-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/1/3/18131/18131-h/18131-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/1/3/18131/18131-h.zip) + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/germanprison00mahouoft + + +Transcriber's note: + + The original printing contained gaps in the text, varying in + size from a few words up to several lines. This appears to have + been a deliberate act by the author, editor, or printer. These + gaps are indicated in this version with [*gap] or [*large gap].] + + + + + +SIXTEEN MONTHS IN FOUR GERMAN PRISONS + + WESEL + SENNELAGER + KLINGELPUTZ + RUHLEBEN + +Narrated by +HENRY C. MAHONEY + +Chronicled by +FREDERICK A. TALBOT +Author of "The New Garden of Canada," +"Conquests of Science," Etc. + + + + + + + +London and Edinburgh +Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. +1917 + + + + +[Illustration: THE AUTHOR AS HE APPEARED ON THE DAY OF HIS RELEASE FROM +RUHLEBEN. + +From an official photograph taken by the German Government for +attachment to the passport. The embossed imprint of the stamp of the +Kommandantur of Berlin may be seen. + +_Frontispiece_] + + + + + TO + MY WIFE AND CHILDREN + + WHO WAITED PATIENTLY AND ANXIOUSLY + FOR "DADDY," AND TO + + A FRIEND, + + STILL LANGUISHING IN RUHLEBEN, TO + WHOM I OWE MY LIFE + + + + +PRISONER'S NOTE + + +It was whilst suffering the agonies of solitary confinement in the +military prison of Wesel that I first decided to record my experiences +so that readers might be able to glean some idea of the inner workings +and the treatment meted out to our unfortunate compatriots who were +travelling in Germany at the outbreak of war and who have since been +interned. + +From the moment of my decision I gathered all the information possible, +determining at the first opportunity to escape to the Old Country. As +will be seen I have to a degree been successful. + +Owing to the grossly inaccurate and highly coloured reports which have +been circulated from time to time regarding the life and treatment of +prisoners of war, the story has been set out in a plain unvarnished +form. There are no exaggerations whatever. Much of the most revolting +detail has been eliminated for the simple reason that they are +unprintable. + +In nearly every instance names have been suppressed. Only initials have +been indicated, but sufficient description is attached to enable +personal friends of those who are still so unfortunate as to be +incarcerated to identify them and their present situation. Likewise, in +the cases where I received kind treatment from Germans, initials only +have been introduced, since the publication of their names would only +serve to bring punishment upon them. + +H.C.M. + +[Illustration: Statutory Declaration] + + + + +CHRONICLER'S NOTE + + +On Friday afternoon, July 31, 1914, I shook hands in farewell with my +friend Henry C. Mahoney. He was going to Warsaw and was full of +enthusiasm concerning the new task which was to occupy him for at least +three months. Owing to his exceptional skill and knowledge, practical as +well as theoretical, of photography in all its varied branches, he had +been offered, and had accepted an important appointment abroad in +connection with this craft--one which made a profound appeal to him. +Despite the stormy outlook in the diplomatic world he felt convinced +that he would be able to squeeze through in the nick of time. + +Although he promised to keep me well informed of his movements months +passed in silence. Then some ugly and ominous rumours came to hand to +the effect that he had been arrested as a spy in Germany, had been +secretly tried and had been shot. I did not attach any credence to these +vague, wild stories. I knew he had never been to Germany before, and was +_au courant_ with the harmless nature of his mission. + +A year elapsed before I had any definite news. Then to my surprise I +received a letter from him dispatched from the Interned British +Prisoners Camp at Ruhleben. As a matter of fact I learned subsequently +that he had previously written six letters and post-cards to me, but +none had reached me; most likely they had been intercepted and +suppressed by the German authorities. + +The letter intimated that he had prepared a voluminous account of his +experiences. Two or three days later I learned from another source that +he had been "having a hard, rough, and exciting time," and that he +could relate one of the most fascinating and sensational stories +concerning the treatment meted out to our compatriots by the German +authorities. I also learned that a closely written diary and a mass of +other papers were on their way to me; that they were in safe keeping +just over the frontier, the bearer waiting patiently for the most +favourable moments to smuggle them into safety. This diary and other +documents contained material which he desired me to make public with all +speed in order to bring home to the British public a vivid impression of +what our fellow-countrymen were suffering in the German prison camps. + +The papers never reached me. Why, is related in the following pages. In +prosecuting discreet enquiries to discover their whereabouts I learned, +early in October 1915, that "Mahoney will be home before Christmas." My +informant declined to vouchsafe any further particulars beyond the +cryptic remark, "He's got something smart up his sleeve." + +Knowing full well that my friend was a man of infinite resource and +initiative I was not surprised to learn a week or two later that +"Ruhleben knew Mahoney no longer." He had got away. His plans had proved +so successful as to exceed the sanguine anticipations which he had +formed. + +On December 9, 1915, the day after his return to his wife and children, +who had been keyed up to the highest pitch of excitement by the welcome +news, we met again. His appearance offered convincing testimony as to +the privations he had suffered, but I was completely surprised by the +terrible tale he unfolded. + +When the story narrated in the following pages was submitted to the +publishers they received it with incredulity. After making enquiries +concerning Mr. Mahoney's credentials they accepted his statements as +being accurate, but my friend, to set the matter beyond all dispute, +insisted upon making a statutory declaration as to their accuracy in +every detail. + +People in these islands were stirred to profound depths of horror by the +cold-blooded murders of Nurse Cavell and Captain Fryatt, of whose trials +nothing was heard until the sentences had been executed. A certain +amount of curiosity has been aroused concerning the Teuton methods of +conducting these secret trials. Henry C. Mahoney passed through a +similar experience, although he escaped the extreme penalty. Still, the +story of his trial will serve to bring home to the public some idea of +the manner in which Germany strives to pursue her campaign of +frightfulness behind closed doors. + + FREDERICK A. TALBOT. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PRISON ONE--WESEL + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. ARRESTED AS A SPY 11 + + II. COMMITTED TO WESEL PRISON 29 + + III. HOW GERMANY DRIVES HER PRISONERS MAD 44 + + IV. MY SECRET MIDNIGHT TRIAL 60 + + V. WAITING TO BE SHOT 74 + + + PRISON TWO--SENNELAGER + + THE BLACK HOLE OF GERMANY + + VI. OUR "LUXURIOUS HOTEL" 91 + + VII. BREAKING US IN AT SENNELAGER 105 + + VIII. BADGERING THE BRITISH HEROES AT MONS 119 + + IX. THE PERSECUTION OF THE PRIESTS 136 + + X. TYING PRISONERS TO THE STAKE--THE FAVOURITE PUNISHMENT 148 + + XI. THE REIGN OF TERROR 165 + + XII. THE REIGN OF TERROR--CONTINUED 180 + + XIII. "THE BLOODY NIGHT OF SEPT. 11" 196 + + XIV. THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAMP 209 + + XV. THE AFTERMATH OF THE 11TH 225 + + + PRISON THREE--KLINGELPUTZ + + XVI. FREE ON "PASS" IN COLOGNE 237 + + XVII. RE-IMPRISONED AT KLINGELPUTZ 253 + + + PRISON FOUR--RUHLEBEN + + XVIII. THE CAMP OF ABANDONED HOPE 266 + + XIX. ORGANISING THE COMMUNAL CITY OF RUHLEBEN 280 + + XX. HOW I MADE MONEY IN RUHLEBEN CAMP 301 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + The Author as he appeared on the Day of his Release from Ruhleben + _Frontispiece_ + FACE PAGE + + "The Bloody Night of September 11, 1914" 198 + + The Aftermath of the "Bloody Night" 226 + + Facsimile of the Pass issued by the German authorities to the + Author on his leaving Sennelager for Coeln-on-Rhein 238 + + + + +PRISON ONE--WESEL + + + + +CHAPTER I + +ARRESTED AS A SPY + + +"_Start August First. Book tickets immediately._" + +Such were the instructions I received at Brighton early in July, 1914, +from Prince ----. A few days previously I had spent considerable time +with this scion of the Russian nobility discussing the final +arrangements concerning my departure to his palace in Russia, where I +was to devote two months to a special matter in which he was deeply +interested, and which involved the use of special and elaborate +photographic apparatus, microscopes, optical lantern and other +accessories. I may mention that the mission in question was purely of +scientific import. + +During the discussion of these final arrangements a telegram was handed +to the Prince. He scanned it hurriedly, jumped up from his seat, and +apologising for his abruptness, explained that he had been suddenly +called home. He expressed the hope that he would shortly see me in +Russia, where I was promised a fine time, but that he would instruct me +the precise date when to start. Meanwhile I was urged to complete my +purchases of the paraphernalia which we had decided to be imperative for +our purpose, and he handed me sufficient funds to settle all the +accounts in connection therewith. That night the Prince bade me farewell +and hurried off to catch the boat train. My next communication from him +was the brief instruction urging me to start on August 1.[1] + + [Footnote 1: I have never heard since from the Prince. A day or + two after the outbreak of war, upon joining the Russian forces, + he, with an observer, ascended in an aeroplane--he was an + enthusiastic and skilled aviator--to conduct a reconnaissance + over the German lines. He was never seen nor heard of again. + Searching enquiries have been made without result, and now it is + presumed that he was lost or killed.--H.C.M.] + +Shortly after his departure there were ominous political rumblings, but +I, in common with the great majority, concluded that the storm would +blow over as it had done many times before. Moreover, I was so +pre-occupied with my coming task as to pay scanty attention to the +political barometer. I completed the purchase of the apparatuses, packed +them securely, and arranged for their dispatch to meet me at the train. +Then I remained at home to await developments. I was ready to start at a +moment's notice, having secured my passport, on which I was described, +for want of a better term, as a "Tutor of Photography," and it was duly +vised by the Russian Embassy. + +Although the political sky grew more and more ominous I paid but little +attention to the black clouds. The receipt of instructions to start at +once galvanised me into activity to the exclusion of all other thoughts. +I booked my passage right through to destination--Warsaw--and upon +making enquiries on July 31st was assured that I should get through all +right. + +I left Brighton by the 5.10 train on Saturday afternoon, August 1st. +There was one incident at the station which, although it appeared to be +trivial, proved subsequently of far reaching significance. In addition +to many cameras of different types and sizes stowed in my baggage I +carried three small instruments in my pockets, one being particularly +small. I had always regarded this instrument with a strange affection +because, though exceedingly small and slipping into a tiny space, it was +capable of excellent work. As the train was moving from the station I +took two parting snapshots of my wife and family waving me farewell. It +was an insignificant incident over which I merely smiled at the time, +but five days later I had every cause to bless those parting snaps. One +often hears about life hanging by the proverbial thread, but not many +lives have hung upon two snapshot photographs of all that is dearest to +one, and a few inches of photographic film. Yet it was so in my case. +But for those two tiny parting pictures and the unexposed fraction of +film I should have been propped against the wall of a German prison to +serve as a target for Prussian rifles! + +Upon reaching Victoria I found the evening boat-train being awaited by a +large crowd of enthusiastic and war-fever stricken Germans anxious to +get back to their homeland. The fiat had gone forth that all Germans of +military age were to return at once and they had rolled up _en masse_, +many accompanied by their wives, while there was a fair sprinkling of +Russian ladies also bent upon hurrying home. An hour before the train +was due the platform was packed with a dense chattering, gesticulating, +singing, and dancing crowd. Many pictures have been painted of the +British exodus from Berlin upon the eve of war but few, if any, have +ever been drawn of the wild stampede from Britain to Berlin which it was +my lot to experience. + +As the train backed into the station there was a wild rush for seats. +The excited Teutons grabbed at handles--in fact at anything protruding +from the carriages--in a desperate endeavour to be first on the +footboard. Many were carried struggling and kicking along the platform. +Women were bowled over pell-mell and their shrieks and cries mingled +with the hoarse, exuberant howls of the war-fever stricken maniacs +already tasting the smell of powder and blood. + +More by luck than judgment I obtained admission to a saloon carriage to +find myself the only Englishman among a hysterical crowd of forty +Germans. They danced, whistled, sang and joked as if bound on a +wayzegoose. Badinage was exchanged freely with friends standing on the +platform. Anticipating that things would probably grow lively during the +journey, I preserved a discreet silence, and my presence was ignored. + +The whistle blew, the locomotive screeched, and the next moment we were +gliding out of the station to the accompaniment of wild cheering, good +wishes for a safe journey and speedy return, and the strains of music +which presently swelled into a roar about "Wacht am Rhein." The melody +was yelled out with such gusto and so repeatedly that I hoped I might +ever be spared from hearing its strains again. But at last Nature +asserted herself. The throats of the singers grew hoarse and tired, the +song came to a welcome end, and music gave way to vigorous and keen +discussion upon the trend of events, which was maintained, not only +during the train journey, but throughout the cross-Channel passage to +Flushing, which we reached at six o'clock the following morning. + +At the Dutch port the wild excitement and hubbub broke out with +increased virulence. The report was circulated that the train now +awaiting us would be the last through express to Berlin. There was a +frantic rush for seats. Men, women, and children participated in the +wild melee. The brutal shouts of the men contrasted vividly with the +high-pitched adjurations of the women and the wails and cries of the +terrified children. Within a few minutes the train was packed to +suffocation, not an inch of standing-room being left, while the +corridors were barricaded with the overflow of baggage from the guards' +vans. + +For two hours we stood there scarcely able to breathe. The heat of the +waxing summer's day began to assert itself, with the result that it was +not long before the women commenced to show signs of distress. Their +spirits revived, however, as the train commenced to move. There was one +solace--one and all were advancing towards home and the discomfort would +not last for long. + +So keen was the desire to get to Berlin that the great majority of the +passengers had neglected to provide themselves with any food, lest they +should lose their seats or miss the train. But they confidently expected +that the train would pull up at some station to enable refreshments to +be obtained. They were supported in this belief by the withdrawal of the +usual dining car from the train. Those who trusted in luck, however, +were rudely disappointed. The train refused to stop at any station. +Instead, it evinced a decided preference for intermediate signal posts. +It was described as an express, but a tortoise's crawl would be a gallop +in comparison. It travelled at only a little more than a walking pace +and the stops were maddeningly frequent. + +The women and children speedily betrayed painful evidences of the +suffering they were experiencing, which became accentuated as we +advanced. The close confinement rendered the atmosphere within the +carriages extremely oppressive. The weaker men and the women commenced +to faint but no assistance could be extended to them. One could move +barely an arm or leg. The afflicted passengers simply went off where +they were, sitting or standing, as the case might be, and prevented from +falling by the closely packed passengers around them, to come round as +best they could when Nature felt so disposed. The wails of the children +were pitiful. Many were crying from cramp and hunger, but nothing could +be done to satisfy them, and indeed the men took little notice of them. + +The arrival--in time--at the frontier station at Goch somewhat revived +the distressed and drooping. Everyone seized the opportunity to stretch +the limbs, to inhale some fresh air, and to obtain some slight +refreshment. The Customs officials were unusually alert, harrying, and +inflexible. There was the eternal wrangling between the passengers and +the officials over articles liable to duty and it was somewhat amusing +to me, even with war beating the air, to follow the frantic and useless +efforts of old and experienced travellers to smuggle this, that, or +something else through the fiscal barrier. + +The Customs were so far from being in a conciliatory mood as to be +absolutely deaf to entreaty, cajolery, argument, explanation or threat. +They cut the operations summarily short by confiscating everything +liable to duty. As may be imagined a rich harvest was garnered at the +expense of the luckless returning patriot. While the Customs were busy +the military officials, who appeared to be swarming everywhere, were +equally exacting. They boarded the train and literally turned it inside +out. Every man and woman and child was subjected to a close personal +investigation and cross-examination. Foreigners were handled with even +greater stress and with less ceremony. I saw four fellow passengers +sorted out and rushed under a military escort into the waiting room. + +At last it was my turn for military inquisition. I presented all my +credentials, which were scanned from end to end, turned over, and even +held up to the light, lest there should be something interwoven with the +watermark. I followed the operations with a quiet amusement, confident +in my security, but could not resist remarking upon the thoroughness of +the search and the determination to leave nothing to chance. My passport +created the greatest interest. It was dated July 7th, 1914. The official +looked at me queerly in silent interrogation as he placed his finger +beneath the date. I nodded and made no comment. + +With a slight smile of self-satisfaction the officer turned on his heel +and beckoned me to follow him. At the same moment two soldiers clicked +their heels behind me and I saw that I was already under severe military +suspicion. I was taken to a long-bearded individual sitting in state on +a pedestal. The officer handed to him the papers he had found upon me. +There was a hurried whispering, the superior individual eyeing me +narrowly meanwhile. They compared the date of the passport with August +2nd, Sunday, the day on which I was travelling, and also examined the +vise of the Russian Embassy in the corner. + +Suddenly the long-bearded officer hurled a torrent of questions at me +and at such a velocity that I was quite unable to follow him. Observing +that his volcanic interrogative eruption was non-productive he slowed +down and repeated the questions. + +"Why are you travelling at this time?" + +"To take up an appointment in Russia. There is the name--Prince ----" + +"Ah!" and his eyebrows were elevated so much as to mingle almost with +his hair. + +"But why have you so much photographic apparatus?" + +"It is necessary for the work I am taking up." + +"Ah!" once again the eyebrows vanished scalp-wards. + +"Have you a camera upon you?" + +"No!" + +"Ah!" another dance of the eyebrows. + +He rapped out a short command and before I was aware of the circumstance +two pairs of hands were running rapidly over my body and in and out of +my pockets with the dexterity of men who had served a long +apprenticeship under an Artful Dodger. It proved a blank search. I gave +a sigh of relief, because had the searchers run their hands over the +lower part of my person they would have come across two cameras, and my +treasured little companion, wrapped in his leather jacket, alert and +ready for silent service, but concealed in a most unexpected corner. I +could scarcely repress a smile when I recognised that I was immune from +further search. Evidently the Pooh-bah was somewhat disconcerted at the +negative results achieved, because, after firing one or two other +desultory questions at me, he handed back my passport and other papers, +and told me I could continue my journey. + +Desiring to disarm suspicion completely I did not hurry away but +lingered around the little court and even indulged in a short idle +conversation with my interlocutor, who, however, somewhat resented my +familiarity. I lounged back to the train, hugely delighted with myself, +more particularly as, quite unbeknown to the fussy individual with the +beard, I had snapped a picture of his informal court with my little +camera. + +The frontier formalities at last concluded, the train resumed its crawl, +ambling leisurely along for some two hours, stopping now and then to +draw into a siding. On such occasions troop train after troop train +crowded with soldiers thundered by us _en route_ to Berlin. The sight of +a troop train roused our passengers to frenzy. They cheered madly, +throwing their hats into the air. The huzzas were returned by the +soldiers hanging out of the windows with all the exuberant enthusiasm of +school boys returning home at the end of the term. + +But we were not destined to make a through run to the capital. Suddenly +the train was pulled up by a military guard upon the line. We were +turned out pell-mell and our baggage was thrown on to the embankment. +This proceeding caused considerable uneasiness. What had happened? Where +were we going? and other questions of a similar character were hurled at +the soldiers. But they merely shook their heads in a non-committal +manner. They either did not or would not know. Our feelings were not +improved when the empty carriages were backed down the line, the engine +changed ends, and we saw the train steam off in another direction. The +hold-up of the train had taken place at a depressing spot. We were +completely stranded, without provisions or any other necessities, and at +an isolated spot where it was impossible to obtain any supplies. The +passengers pestered the guard for information, and at last the officers, +to still any further enquiry, declared that they were going to do +something, to carry us "somewhere." + +Some two-and-a-half hours slipped by when a loud cheer rang out at the +appearance of a train of crazy carriages which backed towards us. The +passengers scrambled in and made themselves as comfortable as they +could. But where was the baggage to go? The soldiery had overlooked this +item and they surveyed the straggling mass of bags and trunks littering +the embankment ruefully. But they solved the problem in their own way. +What could not be stacked within the trucks would have to go on top. + +We forged ahead once more to pull up at a small station. Here there was +a mad scramble for supplies and the refreshment room was soon cleared +out of its small stock. On the platform an extortionate German drove a +brisk trade selling small bottles of lemonade at sixpence a bottle. More +excitement was caused by a newsvendor mounting a box and holding aloft a +single copy of the latest newspaper which he would sell to the highest +bidder. + +Being ignorant of what had transpired since I had left London I resolved +to have that copy. I scrambled over a pile of baggage and came within +arm's length of the newsvendor. I threw down coins to the value of 2s. +8d., grabbed his paper and vanished before he could voice a protest. I +scrambled back to my car. Here the paper was snatched from me to be read +aloud to the expectant crowd thirsting for news. There was a tense +silence as the reader ran through the items until he gravely announced +the latest intelligence--Russia and Germany had declared war. The news +was official. For a second a profound silence reigned. Then there broke +out a further outburst of wild, maniacal cheering, above which, however, +could be heard hysterical screams and shrieks from women, especially +from those bound for Russia, which they now realised they would never +reach. + +I saw at once that it was hopeless to get to my destination, as the +Russo-German frontier was now closed. But as it was quite as impossible +to turn back I decided to push on to Berlin there to await events. So +far Britain was not involved and might even keep clear of the tangle. +This I might say was the general opinion on the train. The remainder of +the journey to the capital was now far more exciting, and the animated +conversation served to while away the tedium of the slow travelling, +although the latter part was completed in darkness, the train running +into Berlin at 1.30 in the morning of August 3rd, the journey from +Flushing having taken about 18 hours. + +The platform at Berlin was overrun with officials of all sorts and +descriptions, ranging from puny collectors to big burly fellows +smothered with sufficient braid and decorations to pass as +field-marshals. But one and all seemed to be entrusted with swords too +big for them which clanked and clattered in the most nerve-racking +manner. They strutted up and down the platform with true Prussian +arrogance, jostling the fatigued, cursing the helpless who lounged in +their path, ignoring the distress of the children, sneering at the +pitiful pleadings of the women--in fact caring about nothing beyond +their own importance. They disdained to reply to any question, and said +nothing beyond the terse statement that no more trains were going East +to Russia. At this intelligence the travellers bound for the latter +country collapsed, the majority, women, flopping upon their baggage and +dropping their heads in their hands in grief and utter despair. + +Yet, although the authorities were fully aware that no more trains were +going East they made no attempt to cope with the influx of arriving and +stranded passengers. They were left to their own devices. The majority +of the women and children were famished, thirsty, and tired, but the +officials resolutely refused to open the waiting rooms and buffets +before the usual hour. Accordingly the travel-tired, grief-stricken +women either threw themselves prone upon the platforms, or crawled into +corridors, sub-ways, and corners to seek a little repose, using their +luggage as head-rests, or being content with the cold hard steps. The +few seats upon the platform were speedily occupied but the occupants +were denied more than a brief repose. At the end of 15 minutes officials +came round and emptied the seats of those in possession to allow other +parties to have a quarter of an hour's rest. + +While the worn-out passengers slept the light-fingered German gentry +passed swiftly from bag to bag, the conditions offering favourable +opportunities for the light-fingered gentry. They appeared to suffer no +molestation from the officials, who could plainly see what was going on, +but possibly officialdom regarded the belongings of tired and exhausted +foreigners as legitimate loot to those who were prepared to take it. +Outside the station the heavier baggage was stacked in barricades in a +wildly haphazard manner with the heavier articles at the top. These, +crushing the lighter and more fragile packages beneath, spread the +contents of the latter in the roadway to serve as sport for gamins and +other loungers who prowled around. + +The utter chaos was aggravated by the rain which pelted down with +torrential fury. Mothers with their little children drew closely into +corners or sat upon doorsteps seeking the slightest shelter. As I turned +out of the station my attention was attracted by a woman--she had come +up on our train--who was sitting on the kerb, her feet in the gutter, +the rushing water coursing over her ankles, feeding her child at the +breast, and vainly striving to shelter the little mite from the +elements. The woman was crying bitterly. I went up to her. She spoke +English perfectly. She was Russian and had set out from England to meet +her husband at Kalish. But she could not get through, she had very +little money, could not speak German, and knew not what to do, or what +would become of her. I soothed her as well as I could. There were +hundreds of similar cases around. Notwithstanding their terrible plight +not a hand was moved by the authorities on their behalf. They were even +spurned and roughly moved out of the way by the swaggering officials. It +was not until the British colony got busy the next day that they +received the slightest alleviation, and the majority, being strangers +in a strange land, were sent back to England, the Germans mutely +concurring in the task. The wild rush from the Continent may have +precipitated congestion at our ports and railway stations, but there +never could have been that absolute chaos which reigned at Berlin on the +fateful night of the 2nd of August. Humanity was thrown to the four +winds. The much-vaunted Teuton organisation, system, and scientific +control had broken down completely under the first test to which it was +subjected. + +The terrific downpour caused me to decide to spend a few hours in the +comfort of an hotel. I hailed a taxi and jumped in. The car was just +moving when the door was flung open, I was grabbed by the coat-collar +and the next moment found myself skating across the roadway on my back. +I jumped up, somewhat ruffled at this rude handling, to learn that it +was an officer who had treated me so unceremoniously. I had no redress. +Berlin was under martial law. The uniform of the military came before +the mufti of the civilian. + +Unable to find another vehicle I turned into the first place I found +open. It was an all-night cafe. It was packed to suffocation with German +soldiers and the feminine underworld of Berlin. There was a glorious +orgy of drunkenness, nauseating and debasing amusement, and the +incoherent singing of patriotic songs. The other sex appeared to have +thrown all discretion and womanliness to the winds. A soldier too drunk +to stand was assisted to a chair which he mounted with difficulty. Here +he was supported on either side by two flushed, hilariously-shouting, +partially-dressed harpies. He drew off his belt--his helmet had already +gone somewhere--and pointing to the badge he shouted thickly and +coarsely, "Deutschland, Deutschland, Gott mit uns"--(Germany, Germany, +God is with us). Metaphorically he was correct, because the words are +printed upon the belt of every German soldier, but if the Almighty was +with that drunken, debased crowd that night, then Old Nick must have +been wearing out his shoes looking for a job. + +When the crowd caught sight of me, which was some time after my entrance +because I had dropped unseen into a convenient corner, they rushed +forward and urged me to participate in their revels. I declined. They +had been hurling distinctly uncomplimentary and obscene epithets +concerning Britain through the room. My decision was construed into an +affront to the All-Highest. A big, burly, drunken soldier wanted to +fight me. The crowd pressed round keenly anticipating some fun. We +indulged in a spirited altercation, but as neither understood what the +other said, words did not lead to blows. However, the upshot was the +intimation that my room was preferred to my company. This was received +with enthusiasm, the result being that I made the sudden acquaintance of +the pavement outside once more, being assisted in my hurried departure +by fisticuffs and heavy boots. + +I picked myself up and walked until I caught sight of an hotel. I +entered, booked a room, and indulged in an elaborate wash and brush-up +of which I was sorely in need, following this with a substantial +breakfast. Then I sauntered into the vestibule for a smoke. Three German +officers and a squad of soldiers came clanking in. There was a short +sharp order. One officer remained at the door while the others +disappeared into the depths of the building. + +I went over to the officer and entered into conversation with him. He +spoke English fluently and was fairly affable. We discussed things in +general and also the political situation, from which I gathered that +matters were rapidly approaching a climax, and that there was no telling +what would happen next. This was the first time I had been brought face +to face with the situation and my outlook was serious. The officer at +last turned to me, and with a friendly smile, remarked-- + +"Look here, my English friend, I would advise you to make for your +country at once. Don't stop for anything!" + +"Why?" + +"Don't ask questions. Do as I say! Can't you take a friendly warning? +Take to-day's train home! If you don't--well, you may be detained!" + +His advice was expressed in such significant tones that I looked at him +sharply. He answered with another smile and a shrug which intimated only +too plainly that he had said as much as he dared. + +I was debarred from prosecuting the conversation farther by the return +of his comrades with a crowd of waiters. They were all Russians and they +had been rounded up by the military. No opportunity was given them to +pack a few necessities. They were arrested at their tables, while +performing their duties, were corralled and now were off to prison. No +one possessed any more than he stood up in. + +I followed them down the street, intending to proceed to the British +Consulate. The streets were full of soldiers and the air rang with +martial music. While proceeding to the Consulate I became aware that I +was being shadowed. An individual resolutely dogged me. I had seen him +previously but had taken no serious notice of his presence. Now he began +to get a bit irksome. I bought some picture post-cards and addressed +them to friends at home, announcing my immediate return, also +introducing brief comments on the condition of things in Berlin as they +appeared to me. A few hours later I regretted writing those +post-cards.[2] + + [Footnote 2: Upon my return to England I made enquiries and + discovered that not a single one had been received. Undoubtedly + they were stopped by the German military authorities and + contributed somewhat materially to my subsequent + troubles.--H.C.M.] + +The Consulate was besieged by hundreds of compatriots thirsting for +guidance as to what to do. After waiting an hour-and-a-half I secured an +audience. I briefly explained my position. + +"Get home at once. The train leaves 1.13 mid-day." + +"But I've got luggage worth L400 at the station!" + +"Get home!" + +"But--" + +"Leave your luggage where it is!" + +"Do you think--?" + +"You take the 1.13 train. Good morning." + +Further enquiries convinced me that the 1.13 was very likely to be the +last train which would leave Berlin for Britain, so I scurried off to +the station to recover my luggage. Many of the photographic instruments +were exceedingly valuable because they had been made specially. I was +bandied from one official to another. At last I alighted upon one who +knew something. He led me to a huge building and flung open the door. It +was stacked from floor to roof with baggage, which had been packed in +without any semblance of order. I surveyed the pile ruefully. I asked +him if he could trace my luggage but he shook his head. I held out a +tempting pourboire. It was of no avail. If I wanted the luggage I could +look for it myself. Reflecting that some six weeks at least would be +required to complete the search I concluded that I should have to leave +it behind willy-nilly. So somewhat depressed I prepared to leave by the +1.13 train. + +The express was heavily laden and to it was attached a carriage reserved +for the military, who were accompanying the departing Britishers to the +frontier. Curiously enough, not one of us knew definitely what had +happened. Rumour was busy, but it was inconclusive. The general feeling +was that Britain had taken some drastic action which must have serious +results, otherwise we should not have been bundled home so hurriedly. + +We had been travelling some time when I noticed a lady sauntering along +the corridor vainly searching for a seat. I was comfortable, but I +instantly surrendered my place to assume a standing position in the +corridor where I chatted with several fellow-travellers. I may say that +slung over my shoulder was a black leather strap carrying a small camera +case in the manner frequently affected by tourists. Ever after I have +cursed that innocent looking camera case, and certainly when travelling +in the future will favour some other means of carrying photographic +apparatus. + +About half-an-hour passed in this way. Then I observed a young German +ambling along the corridor. He came up to us and entered into an idle +conversation. One by one the others dropped away from him, not caring to +talk with a German. I would have done the same but the strange youth +would not let me. He pinned me to the spot with his conversation. At +first his questions were extremely innocent, but they soon became +somewhat inquisitive and searching, and were purposely directed to +discover why I was travelling, where I had been, how long I had been in +Germany, and so forth. As the conversation assumed this turn I came to +the alert. He was a typical German with all the inexperience of youth, +though he doubtless prided himself upon his powers of observation, +deduction, and cross-examination by apparently idle questions. But to +one and all of his interrogations I gave the retort courteous. His +pressing attentions did not escape the notice of my fellow-travellers +within earshot. Looking out of the corner of my eye I saw that they did +not regard this questioning of myself as being so innocent as it +appeared. Many were apparently familiar with German methods of +inter-espionage and they extended me silent warning, by sign, frown, and +wink. + +The raw youth disappeared and I forgot all about him. But to my surprise +five minutes later I saw him returning along the corridor accompanied by +a military official whom he had evidently brought from the military +carriage attached to the train. They came straight up to me. The youth +pointing directly at me remarked, + +"Here he is. See! There's the camera on his back!" + +The officer looked at the strap and turning me round caught sight of the +camera case. He nodded in acquiescence. + +"And I saw him using it," went on the youth triumphantly. "He has been +taking photographs of the bridges and sentries along the line!" + +I was distinctly amused at this charge because it was absolutely untrue. +But I was somewhat impressed by the strange silence which had settled +upon my fellow-travellers and the inscrutable look upon the officer's +face. Something serious was evidently amiss. I turned to the officer. + +"The accusation is absurd. Why! Look at the windows! They have been kept +closed all the time according to the military orders. And you could not +take a photograph through the closed windows even if you wanted to. They +are too begrimed with dirt." + +The officer did not say a word but continued to eye me narrowly. + +I began to feel uncomfortable before that piercing gaze, so I decided to +floor the aspiring detective working so zealously for the Fatherland and +to point out the danger of jumping at conclusions. I turned to him: + +"You say you saw me taking photographs?" + +"Yes, with that camera on your back." + +"You are quite sure?" + +"Yes!" + +I swung the case which had been so offensive to his eyes round to the +front of me. + +"Now I'll ask you again. You are quite certain you saw me taking +photographs?" + +"Ach! I distinctly saw you take the camera out of the case, take the +pictures, and then put it back again!" was his rejoinder given with +great emphasis. + +I did not attempt to argue any further. I clicked the catch of the case. +The lid flew open. Both the officer and the youth craned forward +expectantly, to draw back, the officer giving vent to a smothered +ejaculation. + +_The camera case was full of cigarettes._ + +Being a heavy smoker I had stocked myself with cigarettes with which I +had filled the camera case. I turned them out into my hands leaving the +case empty. + +The youth's face was a study. He was so completely trapped in his lying +that he went all colours, while his jaw dropped. My fellow passengers +who had been watching and listening in profound silence gave expression +to uproarious mirth at the complete manner in which the immature +detective had been bowled out. But their mirth was misplaced. A German +resents discomfiture. The officer, too, was not disposed to throw over +his subordinate, who undoubtedly had been acting in accordance with +orders. Looking me steadily in the face the officer placed his hand on +my shoulder and in cold tones said, + +"_I formally charge you with being a spy in the pay of the British +Government!_" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +COMMITTED TO WESEL PRISON + + +To say that I was completely dumbfounded by this accusation is to +express my feelings very mildly. But, with an effort, I succeeded in +keeping my _sang-froid_, which I am afraid only served to convince the +officer that he was correct in his charge. + +He assailed me with interrogations, demanded my passport, and after +perusing it closely, enquired why I was travelling to Russia at such a +time. "Why!" he pointed out, "you only left England on August 1st, when +Russia and Germany were on the eve of war!" + +I gave a detailed explanation of my mission, but I failed to shake his +suspicions. I had to surrender my ticket for inspection and this caused +him to frown more heavily than ever. + +"Where is your camera?" + +I produced two which were in my pockets, keeping my tiny companion in +its secret resting place. + +At the sight of the two cameras he gave a smile of complete +self-satisfaction. He handed them to the guard together with my ticket. +Turning on his heel he remarked: + +"You'll ask for these articles when you reach Wesel!" + +As he strode down the corridor the serious character of my situation +dawned upon me. My companions had already formed their opinions +concerning my immediate future. All thoughts of the war vanished before +a discussion of my awkward predicament. I saw that the injunction to +make enquiry for my cameras and ticket at Wesel, which is an important +military centre, was merely a ruse to prevent my escape. My arrest at +Wesel was inevitable. + +I was carrying one or two other articles, such as a revolver, about me. +I saw that although they were apparently harmless, and could be fully +explained, they would incriminate me only still more. I promptly got rid +of them. I had half-a-mind to discard my little camera also, but somehow +or other I could not bring myself to part with this. I thought it might +come in useful. Moreover there was very little likelihood of it being +discovered unless I was stripped. So I left it where it was. Afterwards +I was thankful I acted upon second thoughts on that occasion. + +The outlook was certainly discouraging and when the train stopped at +Wesel--outside the station I afterwards discovered--I acted on the +impulse for self-preservation, darted along the corridor, found a place +of concealment and tucked myself in. Now I realise that this was the +worst thing I could have done, but then my thoughts were centred upon +effecting my escape, in the half-hope that the Germans, unable to find +me, would assume that I had surreptitiously left the train. + +But I misjudged German thoroughness, especially when a suspected spy is +the quarry. Fifteen, thirty, fifty minutes slipped by and still the +train did not move. The other passengers were not being regarded kindly +at my non-appearance. So, stealing out of my hiding place I sauntered as +composedly as I could along the corridor to come face to face with the +officer, who with his guard was diligently searching every nook and +cranny and cross-questioning the other passengers. Directly he caught +sight of me he sprang forward, uttering a command. The next instant I +was surrounded by soldiers. I was under arrest. + +The officer gave a signal from a window and the train pulled into the +station. I was hustled unceremoniously on to the platform, where eight +soldiers closed around me to form an escort and I was marched forward. +As we crossed the platform the locomotive whistle shrieked, and about +9.30 p.m. the last train to leave Berlin on the outbreak of war bore my +companions homewards. + +Personally I was disposed to regard the whole episode as a joke, and an +instance of Teuton blind blundering. The gravity of the situation never +struck me for an instant. I argued with myself that I should speedily +prove that I was the victim of circumstances and would be able to +convince the military of my _bona fides_ without any great effort. + +But as I reflected it dawned upon me that my arrest had been skilfully +planned. The youth on the train, whom I never saw again, had played but +a minor part in the drama of which I was the central figure. My +departure must have been communicated from Berlin. Otherwise how should +Wesel have learned that a spy had been arrested? The station was +besieged with a wildly shouting excited crowd who bawled: + +"English spy! English spy! Lynch him! Lynch him!" + +I was bundled into a military office which had evidently been hurriedly +extemporised from a lumber room. The crowd outside increased in +denseness and hostility. They were shouting and raving with all the +power of their lungs. These vocal measures proving inadequate, stones +and other missiles commenced to fly. They could not see through the +windows of the room so an accurately thrown brick shivered the pane of +glass. Through the open space I caught glimpses of the most ferocious +and fiendish faces it has ever been my lot to witness. Men and women +vied with one another in the bawling and ground their teeth when they +caught sight of me. + +The excitement was intense and the chant "Bring him out! Give him to us! +Let us lynch him! Down with the English spy!" even began to grate upon +me. At the time it appeared to me to be somewhat extraordinary, seeing +that we were not at war with Germany, but it conveyed a graphic +illustration of the anti-British sentiment prevailing in the military +centre. Indeed, the crowd became so menacing that my guard became +apprehensive of my safety, and I was hurriedly thrust into an inner +room. My removal there was more abrupt than dignified. I was hustled to +the door. Then a German soldier, by an adroit movement of his rifle +which he held reversed, pricked my leg with the bayonet and at the same +time brought the butt against my head with a resounding thwack! +Simultaneously he let drive with his heavily-booted foot in the small of +my back. I discovered afterwards, from actual experience, that this is a +very favourite movement of the rifle by the Germans, and is used on +every possible occasion. + +The outcome of this action was to send me sprawling headlong into the +room to pull up with a crash against the floor. The entrance was +rendered additionally dangerous to myself because I stumbled over the +legs of several sleeping soldiers. I felt inclined to remonstrate with +the officer-in-charge of the escort at the treatment I was receiving, +but the uninviting armed sentry at the door frustrated my efforts very +effectively. + +It was an improvised guard-room. The soldiers sprawled upon the straw +littering the floor, striving to snatch a brief rest before going on +duty, sleepily raised themselves to ascertain the cause of the +disturbance. The sentry told them excitedly the charge upon which I had +been arrested, at which the men turned to blink wonderingly upon the +"Englandische Spion!" I was not sorry when they at last wearied of +gazing upon me as if I were a freak side-show, and sank down to finish +their two hours' rest before going on guard once more. + +I had barely recovered my senses when the door again flew open and two +further prisoners were injected into the room in a manner comparable +with my own entrance. They were Hindoo students--young fellows returning +to England after a continental holiday, who had been detained. Both were +somewhat alarmed, but I speedily composed them. Later there was a +repetition of the performance to admit three more Indian students. We +all agreed that the German methods of introduction were decidedly novel +and forceful if informal and unpleasant. The latest arrivals, however, +were detained for only a short while. They were rich in funds and were +equally astute in their distribution of largesse to advantage. Money +talked in their instance to distinct effect. The three of us who were +left maintained a conversation in whispers and finally came to the +conclusion that the best thing we could do was to seek sleep so as to be +fit for the enquiry which was certain to take place. + +I was dog-tired, but the authorities, as represented by the sentries, +were not disposed to let us enjoy what they were denied. The guard was +constantly changing and the clattering and rasping of orders and +commands repeatedly woke us up. Then again, at frequent intervals, the +sentry would enter. Seeing me asleep he would either give me a prod with +his bayonet or a smart rap with the butt-end of his rifle to wake me up, +the idea no doubt being to impress upon me the serious nature of my +position and to inflict upon me the utmost discomfort. + +Being prevented from sleeping and commencing to feel the pangs of +hunger, having eaten nothing since lunch upon the train, I asked for +something to eat. The sentry was very sorry but related that food was +quite out of the question because none of the officers in charge of me +from whom he could obtain the necessary instructions were available. + +[*large gap] + +The absence of the officers was explained a little later. They had been +searching for an interpreter, so that I might be put through another +inquisition. This interpreter was about the most incompetent of his +class that one could wish to meet. His English was execrable--far worse +than Chinese pidgin--and he had an unhappy and disconcerting manner of +intermingling German and English words, while either through a physical +defect or from some other cause, he could not pronounce his consonants +correctly. + +I was taken through the usual rigmarole such as I had at first +experienced at Goch. The evidence also, as usual, was committed to +paper. It was a perfunctory enquiry, however, and was soon completed. +Naturally upon its conclusion I considered that I would be free to +resume my journey. I turned to my interpreter. + +"Now this is all over I suppose I can go?" + +"Ach! nein zoo tant doh!" + +His English was so vile that I thought he said and meant "ah! at nine +you can go!" + +Seeing that it was about eleven o'clock at the time, I thought I had +better hurry in case there was another Flushing-bound train. So I +scuttled towards the door only to receive another heavy clout from the +sentry's rifle. What the interpreter really said was "Ah! No, you can't +go!" As I rubbed my bruised head I treated that interpreter to a candid +opinion of his English speaking qualifications, but he did not +understand half what I said. + +As I realised nothing further could be done that night I lay down to +snatch another rest. But after midnight my trials and troubles +increased. Every few minutes the door would rattle and be clanked open +to admit an officer who had brought a number of friends to see the +latest sensation--the English spies. The friends, who were +brother-officers, regarded us with a strange interest, while the officer +who had charge of me strutted to and fro like a peacock drawn to his +full height, at the unique greatness thrust upon him, and dwelling at +great length upon the enormity of our offence related a weird story +about my capture. + +Upon such occasions I and my two Hindoo companions were compelled to +stand at attention. At first I regarded the incident with amusement, +but after we had been through the circus-like performance about a dozen +times, it became distinctly irksome, especially as I was dog-tired. It +was with the greatest difficulty I maintained my self-control. + +About four o'clock in the morning I heard voices in the adjoining room. +Evidently someone in authority had arrived. I decided to seize the +opportunity to secure an interview with one who at least would be able +to give me some satisfaction. I moved smartly towards the door. The +sentry lowered his rifle, but I evaded the bayonet, I saw a flash and +then all was darkness. + +Some time later I woke up. I was lying at full length upon the floor and +my head was singing like a kettle, while it ached fearfully. I opened my +eyes but for some minutes could descry nothing but stars. As I came +round I made out the dim forms of the two Hindoo students bending over +me. They were extremely agitated, but their peace of mind became +restored somewhat when I at last sat up. Then they explained what had +happened. After I had dodged the bayonet the soldier had swung his rifle +round bringing the butt end smartly down upon my head and had knocked me +silly. From the pain I suffered and the size of the lump which I could +feel I tacitly agreed that I had received a pretty smart rap. + +I felt round for the tin of cigarettes which I had extemporised to form +a pillow before the incident, but was suddenly reminded that smoking was +very much _verboten_. Regarding the tin longingly I absent-mindedly +opened it. To my surprise I found that the fifty cigarettes which it had +originally contained had dwindled down to one! I looked at the sentry +and smiled quietly to myself. Rising to my feet I held out the open tin +to him. + +"You've been helping yourself while I have been asleep and I think you +might as well take the last one," I muttered sarcastically. + +The phlegmatic sentry looked at me cunningly. His face lapsed into a +broad grin. Growling "danker!" (thank you!) he calmly took it and +lighted up. From this incident I discovered that even a thick-skulled, +dull-witted German infantryman has a bump of humour. + +The din which still reigned around the station told me that the crowd +was impatient to see me. In fact Bedlam appeared to have been let loose. +The news of my capture had spread through Wesel like wildfire, and +public animosity and hostility towards me had risen to fever-heat. +During the night the crowd had swollen considerably, and it clung +tenaciously to the station in the hope of having some glorious fun at my +expense. + +At six o'clock an officer entered with one or two subordinates and a +squad of soldiers. Certain formalities had to be gone through in which I +played a prominent part. These completed the officer stood before me +with all the pomposity he could command and delivered a harangue at high +speed in a worrying monotone. To me it was gibberish, but one of the men +who could speak English informed me that the gist of his wail was the +intimation that "if I moved a pace to the right, or a pace to the left, +or fell back a pace, or hurried a pace during the march to the Wesel +Arresthaus--Wesel Prison--I would be shot down immediately." I mentally +decided to obey the injunction to the absolute letter, and must admit +that never before or since during my life have I walked such a straight +line. + +With four soldiers behind with lowered bayonets, four in front and two +on either side we moved out of the station. The clock was chiming seven, +but the droning of the clock was drowned by the howls of rage, +snarlings, screeches, shrieks and groans of fury which went up from the +mob the moment they caught sight of us. Despite my self-control I +winced. Directly we gained the roadway an ugly rush was made. I thought +I was doomed to be torn limb from limb, for I was overwhelmed by a sea +of itching hands, shaking fists, and gnashing teeth. The escort wavered +and was all but overwhelmed. Although it quivered ominously before the +mob assault it stood its ground. Swinging their rifles over their heads +the soldiers lashed out with the butt-ends. A sharp order rang out. We +turned about and hastily returned to the station. Here the officer +demanded a double escort, which was granted, and we made another attempt +to reach the Arresthaus. + +But the increased parade of military power only served to infuriate the +crowd still more. They surged, swayed, and pressed, and howled, groaned, +and shrieked as if bereft. Baulked in their desire to snatch us from the +soldiers they began to fling missiles of all descriptions. Fortunately +they were too excited to throw with pronounced accuracy, although my two +Hindoo companions and I were struck several times with vegetables. Then +a bottle came singing through the air. I ducked, but it struck the +soldier beside me full on the side of the face to shatter into a score +of pieces. The blow was so terrific as to cause a gaping wound in the +soldier's face, extending from his temple to his chin. The blood spurted +out. The wounded man saluted, and requested the officer to permit him to +drop out to have his wound dressed. But the officer curtly refused, and +so the unfortunate soldier was compelled to walk, or rather to stumble, +beside me, the blood pouring from his lacerated face. + +As we turned into the square immediately facing the entrance to the +prison I blanched. The mob which had gathered here was so dense, and was +lashed to such a high pitch of vicious fury, that I felt convinced we +should have to succumb to overwhelming numbers. The air was thick with +missiles, and the soldiers suffered severely, although we three +prisoners were not often struck. The soldiers tolerated the fusillade +with the best grace they could command for some time, but even their +endurance had its limits, and at last they turned. But the crowd was by +no means daunted. By hook or by crook they intended to prevent us +reaching the prison, and, they having closed behind us, we were +completely hemmed in. + +"Our last chance! Give them to us! English spies! Seize them, comrades! +Lynch them! Lynch them!" were the coarse cries which rang out without +ceasing. + +It was a thrilling and critical moment. The mass of screaming men and +women was now so dense that we could not move. The soldiers could no +longer even swing their rifles. The outstretched hands of the mob were +snapping and tearing within an inch or two of my coat. Had I swayed a +trifle they must have grasped me. + +A shrill whistle rang out. The prison door was flung open and a number +of soldiers came out at the double with arms lowered, while the officers +were waving their swords. The crowd around the entrance fell back, and +the next moment a passage was being cleaved through the mass of raving +humanity. This sudden appearance of extra force created a diversion of +which our escort took advantage. We slipped through the gap which had +been cut in the crowd, and the next moment were in the prison. As the +gate closed with a resounding bang I gave a sigh of relief. We were safe +from mob violence whatever other fate might be in store for us. +Personally, although I passed through many exciting experiences +subsequently, and was often a victim of Prussian brutality, I regard +that march from the station to the prison at Wesel as the most dangerous +few minutes which I have ever encountered. + +We were promptly taken into an office and subjected to another +inquisition. The questions were merely repetitions of those I had +already answered half-a-dozen times previously. Then I was submitted to +my second search. I was ordered to throw my hands above my head, a +bayonet point being held at my stomach to enforce the command. Searchers +went adroitly through my pockets, taking everything which they +contained. These included a batch of letters which I had received just +before starting from home, and which I had thrust into my pocket to read +at leisure during the journey. + +These letters provoked a considerable amount of whispering, +head-shaking, wise smiles, and significant noddings. No one could read a +word of English--but that was immaterial. In the wisdom of their conceit +these inquisitors considered the communications to be fully +incriminating, and the frequent recurrence of the word "Russia" in the +letters convinced them that my guilt was now fully and truly established +beyond a shadow of a doubt. The various articles were carefully wrapped +up and tied with blue ribbon. Knowing the significance of red-tape at +home, I concluded that this was the Prussian analogue of our official +preference. Afterwards, however, I was told that "blue" ribbon was +employed for a specific purpose--the sealing of articles and goods +belonging to one arrested on the charge of espionage. How far this is +true I do not know, but I did observe that in every instance blue ribbon +was employed to secure the parcels belonging to spies. + +My two cameras were regarded with reverent awe. As they were being +examined I urged them to be careful. I suggested that they should allow +me to develop the films, but this proposal was regarded with +consternation and emphatic negative head-shakings. The authorities would +see to that. + +Suddenly there was intense excitement. One of the searchers had drawn a +watch-like contrivance from my waistcoat pocket. It was not a watch, +because it had no dial or works, but something which was quite foreign +to them. First they dropped it as if fearing it might explode. Then +finding that the fall brought about no ill-effects they approached it +warily, picked it up gingerly, and held it to their ears. It did not +tick. Then they shook it, banged it on the desk, studied it closely with +a wise, old-owlish look, and at last, shaking their heads quizzically, +consigned it to wrapping paper and sealed it with the blue ribbon. + +Despite my serious predicament I could not refrain from indulging in an +outburst of laughter which only served to annoy them still further. The +mystery was not a new type of infernal machine as they imagined but +merely a home-made actinometer! It was contrived from an old cheap +watch-case, while the strange contents were merely strips of paper which +had been soaked in a solution of potassium bichromate! + +These preliminaries completed, my two companions and I were paraded +before another pompous official who, like the majority of his ilk, was +smothered with decorations. Drawing himself to his full height he fired +a tirade at us for several minutes without taking the slightest pause +for breath. What it was all about I do not know. He spoke so rapidly, +and so in the style of a gramophone, that I came to the conclusion he +was in the habit of holding forth in this strain at intervals of every +few minutes. But his manner was so menacing as to lead me to apprehend +that no feelings of affection or hospitality were to be extended towards +us. + +His speech completed, he shouted an order. Soldiers hurried in, and at +the word of command they commenced to load their rifles. I was quite at +a loss to understand this action, but my heart thumped and a queer, +indescribable feeling came over me. I felt sick and faint, especially +when I saw the men, upon completing loading, form up in two lines. Like +a flash it dawned upon me that according to German military form I had +been found guilty of the charge levelled against me, and that the +harangue of the pompous individual was no more or less than the +promulgation of my death sentence! For what else could these men have +loaded their rifles so ostentatiously? And why were there so many +soldiers? Their numbers plainly indicated the firing party. + +My eyes grew dim with tears in spite of myself. Visions of my wife and +family at home, waiting and momentarily expecting "Daddy," who had +notified them of his return, flitted through my brain. A lump rose in my +throat and for the first time I was within an ace of breaking-down. But +smothering my thoughts, I pulled myself together. Assuming a bravado I +was far from feeling, I demanded to see the Commandant. To my surprise +the request was granted. This functionary was seated at his desk in a +corner of the room, and I was escorted to him. Seeing me he curtly +demanded what I wanted. + +"Can I write to my wife?" + +The officer who accompanied me explained the situation, and although I +did not understand what transpired I caught the words "Englische Spion!" +The Commandant glared at me. + +"Where is she?" he roared. + +"In England!" + +"England!" and the word, full of venom and hate, burst out like the cork +from a pop-gun. "Nein! Certainly not! It is impossible! Get out!" + +Assisted by a vigorous prod I was brought alongside my two companions. + +The soldiers lined up to march. My head was swimming, but all thoughts +of my own plight were dispelled by an incident which was as unexpected +as it was sudden. At the command "March" one of the two Indian students, +positive that he was now going to his doom, staggered. I caught him as +he fell. He dropped limply to the ground, half-dead with fright, and +with his face a sickly green. + +"Are we going to be shot? Are we going to be shot?" he wailed +agonisedly. + +He clutched the sleeve of a soldier, who, looking down and evidently +understanding English, motioned negatively. Then he added as an +afterthought, "Not now!" + +While his negative head-shake revived my drooping spirits, his words +afterwards sent them to zero once more. I hardly knew whether to feel +relieved or otherwise. It would have been far better had the soldier +curbed his tongue, because his final words kept us on the rack of +suspense. + +We were hustled out of the room. As we passed out I glanced at the +clock. It was just nine o'clock--Tuesday morning, August 4. I shall +never forget the day nor the hour. Like sheep we were driven and rushed +downstairs, the guards assisting our faltering steps with sundry rifle +prods and knocks. We tramped corridors, which seemed to be interminable, +and at last came to a ponderous iron gate. Here we were halted, and the +military guard handed us over to the gaolers. We passed through the +gates, which closed with a soul-smashing, reverberating bang. + +Over the top of this gate I had noticed one of those mottoes to which +the German is so partial. I do not recall the actual words, but I was +told that it was something to do with crime and punishment. It would +have been far more appropriate had it been inscribed "Main entrance to +Hell. No pass-out checks!" According to many accounts which reached my +ears during the succeeding few days, many entered those gates, but few +passed out alive. I can substantiate this from my own observations, +which are duly narrated, while my experience was sufficient to vouch for +its similarity to Hades. + +This gate gave approach to a long corridor, flanked on either side by +cells. This corridor is facetiously nick-named by the prisoners as +"Avenue of the Damned," because it is in these cells that the tenants +await their doom. I was separated from my two companions, who were +already being treated more leniently than myself, the case against them +being obviously very thin, and was brought to a stop before cell "No. +11." + +The massive door swung open, and accompanied by four soldiers I entered. +The door closed, there was a grating in the lock, and we were alone. +Even now I could not keep back a smile. Although I had been thrust into +the cell, together with four armed soldiers, and the door had been +bolted and barred, I turned at the sound of a slight click. The head +gaoler, who had ushered us in and had locked the door upon us, according +to the regulations of the prison, had opened the peep-hole to satisfy +himself that I was safely inside! + + + + +CHAPTER III + +HOW GERMANY DRIVES HER PRISONERS MAD + + +The soldiers had accompanied me into the cell to complete the +preliminaries which comprised the final search. This involved my +transition to a state of nature. My frock coat was removed and all +pockets further examined. The seams and lining were closely investigated +while even the buttons were probed to make certain they concealed +nothing of a dangerous nature. In a few minutes they discovered my +silent companion, the tiny camera, which I had deftly removed from its +secret hiding-place to a tail pocket in my coat, as I did not wish to +have it found in its hiding-place, which would have been far more +incriminating. I had done this while coming down the steps to the cells. +Also I had extracted the exposed film and had placed this in a spot +where it was absolutely safe from discovery. + +When the soldiers alighted upon the instrument they were sorely puzzled. +All my pockets had been turned inside out in the room upstairs and now +this camera had been brought to light. They shook their heads completely +baffled, and looked at me meaningly. But my face was inscrutable. + +Every garment was subjected to a rigorous search. Yet beyond the camera +they found nothing. Certainly no papers were brought to light. There was +no mistaking their bitter disappointment; this was plainly written upon +their faces. My watch was prized open, and the works were turned out, +while a photograph of my wife and children was torn from the back case +to make certain there was nothing concealed behind it. My shirt was +turned over and over and held up to the light to be examined inch by +inch for any traces of secret writing. But all to no purpose. From their +mortification and behaviour I surmised that they had been promised a +monetary reward if they succeeded in finding anything in writing. And +now they were destined to go empty-handed. Thereupon, after laying their +heads together for a few seconds, they drew pencil and paper from their +pockets and commenced writing. + +I was suspicious of this action. To me it was palpable that, animated by +the lure of money and foiled in their efforts, they were prepared to go +the length of concocting evidence against me. At least I thought so, and +summarily frustrated their action. I went to them and by the aid of +signs demonstrated that I wanted the paper torn up, or I would ring the +emergency bell and summon the head gaoler to explain matters. They +apparently did not relish my threat, because they instantly tore the +paper to shreds. + +By the time their search was completed I was stripped to the skin. But I +was not permitted to re-dress. Evidently they concluded that I might +have pockets in my epidermis because they went over me, inch by inch, +resorting to actions which were wholly unnecessary and which were +revolting, degrading, and demoralising to the last degree--such actions +as one would hardly expect even from the lowest animals. During the +process they joked and gibed freely at my expense. + +Although it was with the utmost difficulty I controlled my feelings, my +blood soon began to boil, rapidly rising to fever heat, when they +descended to familiarities and personalities which flesh and blood could +not stand. I suffered their indignities as long as I could. Then unable +to contain my rage any longer I threw myself at the leader of the party, +pitching into him with all the strength I could command. I pommelled him +unmercifully with my fists and he began to howl somewhat vociferously. +His comrades were too surprised at my unexpected rebellion to extend +assistance, until at last their dull wits took in the situation. I +caught a glimpse of one of the soldiers grasping his rifle. I saw it +flash in the air--I remembered no more. + +When I awoke I was lying stark naked upon the floor of my cell. My head +was racking and throbbing like a hammer. Raising my hand to my forehead +I sharply withdrew it. It was quite wet, and as I looked more closely, I +saw that it was blood. I felt again and found my face clotted and my +hair reeking wet from a ragged wound on the head. Evidently the soldier +whose rifle I had seen swinging through the air, had brought it down +heavily upon my skull, felling me like an ox. How long I had lain +unconscious I never knew, but it must have been for some time, judging +from the quantity of blood I had lost, which was partially congealed on +my face, neck and shoulders. I shivered with the cold and collecting my +senses I commenced to dress my wound. For bandages I had to tear my +shirt to ribbons. I swabbed the ragged wound as well as I could, and +then bound it up. Weary and faint from loss of blood I dressed myself +with extreme difficulty and then proceeded to examine my present abode. + +We are familiar with the cramped quarters at the Tower of London into +which our mediaeval sovereigns were wont to thrust our ancestors who fell +foul of authority. Wesel Prison is the German counterpart of our famous +quondam fortress-prison. The cells are little, if any, larger than those +in the Tower, and are used to this day. My residence measured about nine +feet in length by about four and a half feet in width, and was +approximately ten feet in height--about the size of the entrance hall in +an average small suburban residence. High up in the wall was a window +some two feet square. But it admitted little or no daylight. It was +heavily barred, while outside was a sloping hood which descended to a +point well below the sill, so that all the light which penetrated into +the cell was reflected from below against the black interior of the +hood. In addition there was a glazed window, filthy dirty, while even +the slight volume of light which it permitted to pass was obstructed +further by small-mesh wire netting. Consequently the interior was +wrapped in a dismal gloom throughout the greater part of the day, +through which one could scarcely discern the floor when standing +upright. After daylight waned the cell was enveloped in Cimmerian +blackness until daybreak, no lights being permitted. + +The bed comprised three rough wooden planks, void of all covering and +mattress, and raised a few inches above the floor. The other +appointments were exceedingly meagre, consisting of a small jug and +basin as well as a small sanitary pan. High on the wall was a broken +shelf. That was all. The wall itself was about two feet in thickness and +wrought of masonry. + +The walls themselves were covered with inscriptions written and +scratched by those who had been doomed to this depressing domicile. Some +of the drawings were beautifully executed, but the majority of the +inscriptions testified, far more eloquently than words can describe, to +the utter depravity of many of those who had preceded me, and who had +passed their last span of life on this earth within these confines. + +A few minutes sufficed to take in these general features. Then my +attention was riveted upon the floor, and this told a silent, poignant +story which it would be difficult to parallel. The promenade was less +than nine feet--in fact, it was only two full paces--and barely twelve +inches in width. Consequently the occupant, as he paced to and fro, trod +always upon the same spots. And the patterings of the feet in that short +walk had worn the board into hollows at the treads. I felt those hollows +with my hands, traced their formation, and despite my unhappy plight +could not refrain from musing upon the stories which those hollows could +relate--stories of abandoned hope, frenzy, madness, resignation, +suppressed fury, and pathetic awaiting of the doom which could not be +averted. + +Those hollows exercised an irresistible fascination for me, and when I +started to walk they drew my feet as certainly as the magnet attracts +the iron filings. I would strive to avoid the hollows and for a few +seconds would succeed, but within a short time my feet fell into them. +Later I learned from one of my wardens that the pacings of the criminals +condemned to this and the other cells is so persistent and ceaseless as +to demand the renewal of the boards at frequent intervals. + +In the United States the third degree has attained a revolting ill-fame. +But the American third degree must be paradise in comparison with what +can only be described as its equivalent in Germany. The Teuton method is +far more effective and brutal. The man is not badgered, coaxed, and +threatened in the hope of extorting a signed confession, but he is +condemned to loneliness, silence and solitude amid a gloom which can be +felt, and which within a short time eats into your very soul. Add to +this complete deprivation of exercise and insufficient, un-nourishing, +food, and one can gather some faint idea of the effect which is wrought +upon the human body. The German idea is to wear down a man physically as +well as mentally, until at last he is brought to the verge of insanity +and collapse. By breaking the bodily strength and undermining the mind +he is reduced to such a deplorable condition as to render him as pliable +as putty in the hands of his accusers. He is rendered absolutely +incapable of defending himself. He fails to realise what is said against +him or the significance of his own words. + +His brain is the first to succumb to the strain, utter loneliness +speedily conducing to this result, aggravated by a sensation which is +produced by walking the cell, and which I will describe later. +Consequently he invariably achieves with his own mouth what his +persecutors desire--his own condemnation. To make their devilry +complete German justice resorts to a final phase which seals the fate of +the poor wretch irrevocably, as I will narrate. + +I had been deprived of every belonging. I was denied paper, pencil and +reading material. Solitary confinement in Germany is carried out in +strict accordance with the interpretation of the term. One is left alone +with one's thoughts. At intervals of ten minutes the gaoler opens the +peep-hole and peers within. Consequently you are under constant +surveillance, and this contributes towards the unhinging of the mind. +Night and day, without a break, the peep-hole opens with mechanical +regularity. Not only is all mental exercise denied but physical exercise +as well. All that one can do towards stretching one's limbs is to pace +the tiny cell. The method is typically Prussian, and is complete in its +Prussian thoroughness and devilishness. + +I sat down upon my bed with my bleeding, aching head in my hands, an +object of abject misery. Not a sound beyond the clanging of doors was to +be heard, punctuated at frequent intervals by the dull thud of blows, as +some hapless wretch was being clubbed, the shrieks and howls of +prisoners, and the groans of those on the verge of insanity. It was just +as if all the demons of the Nether Regions were at work worrying and +harrying their victims. While rocking myself to and fro I heard the +turning of the key. The gaoler entered with a bowl containing some +evil-looking and worse smelling soup. I ventured to speak, but he merely +glowered threateningly and departed without uttering a sound. The dinner +was revolting, but recognising that I was considered to be a criminal, +and as such was condemned to prison fare I ventured to taste the +nauseous skilly. I took one mouthful. My nose rebelled at the smell and +my stomach rose into my throat at the taste. One sip was more than +adequate, so I pushed the basin to one side. I threw myself upon the +plank bed. Ten minutes later the peep-hole opened. I took no notice but +started when a gruff voice roared "Get up!" + +I ignored the command. The door opened and the guard came in. He gave me +a savage prod with his rifle. I sat up. + +"Get up! Pace!" he roared. + +I relapsed on to my bed without a murmur only to receive a resounding +clout which set my head throbbing once more with accentuated intensity. + +"Get up! Pace!" came the roar again. + +The guard pointed to the floor. + +I saw what was expected of me. I was to walk to and fro up and down the +cell. I was not to be allowed to sit down. Wearily I got up and started +to "pace!" One--two--steps forward: one--two--steps back! Only that and +no more. The guard watched me for a few seconds and then went out. + +I continued to do his bidding for a short while, but walking two paces, +then swinging round on the heels, taking two more strides, turning round +again, to make another two steps, soon brought on violent giddiness. But +that doesn't matter to the German. Within a few minutes I felt as if I +had been spun round like a top and stumbled rather than paced. But to +stumble was to court disaster because my ankles came into violent +contact with the plank bed. Again I had to keep my thoughts centred upon +the pacing. To allow them to stray was to essay a third step +inadvertently which brought my face into violent collision with the +wall. More than once I made my nose bleed copiously from this cause. + +Within a few minutes my brain was whirling madly, my head throbbed from +my wound, while my face was bruised from colliding with the wall. I was +so giddy that I could not stand erect, while my eyes burned and ached as +if they had been seared with a red-hot iron. I fell upon the plank bed, +but open flew the peep-hole and again rang out the ominous growl, +"Pace!" + +And this is what I was condemned to do hour after hour through the +livelong day. The only respite comes when meals are brought in and +during the night, when the prisoner is left alone. But throughout the +day, from 6.30 in the morning to about 7 at night one must pursue the +eternal round--two paces forward, right about, two paces back, right +about, and so on. The punishment cannot be escaped; it is not suspended +for illness until collapse comes to the relief of the hapless wretch. It +is a refinement of cruelty which probably is not to be found in any +other country. Little wonder that the continued dizziness and lack of +ability to stretch the limbs bring about a complete nervous prostration +and reduce the strongest man to a physical wreck within a very short +time. And if the hapless prisoner declines to answer the stern command +"Pace!" then bayonet prodding, clubbing and head-cuffing are brought +into action as a stimulant. + +Ages seemed to have passed before the door opened again, although as a +matter of fact, there is only about 4-1/2 hours between the mid-day and +the afternoon meals. I lost all account of time, even during the first +day of my incarceration. An hour's pacing seemed like weeks. This time +the gaoler brought me another basin containing a greenish liquid, very +much like the water in which cabbages are cooked, accompanied by a hunk +of black bread. + +The method of serving the meals is distinctly German. The gaoler opens +the door. He places the food on the ground at the entrance and pushes it +along the floor into the cell as if the inmate were a leper. I tasted +this repast, but it was even more noisome than the dinner, so I placed +it beside the bowl which I had first received, and which with its spoon +was left with me. Even if one could have swallowed it I should not have +received a very sustaining meal, seeing that it had to suffice until +5.30 the next morning--13 hours without food. Moreover the food is +served out sparingly. It is not designed to nourish the frame, but is +just sufficient to keep it going though with depreciating strength. + +Daylight waned to give way to the blackness of night and in my cell I +could not see my hand before my face. Yet darkness was not an +unmitigated evil. It did bring relief from the enforced pacing for which +I was devoutly thankful. Although torn with hunger I was so exhausted as +to jump at the opportunity to lie down. But the planks were hard, and +being somewhat slender in build my thighs speedily became sore. My brain +from the fiendish exercise refused to stop spinning. I was like a +drunken man and to lie down was to provoke a feeling of nausea which was +worse than pacing. Then as the night wore on I began to shiver with the +cold because I was denied any covering. How I passed the first night I +cannot recall, but I am certain that a greater part of the time passed +in delirium, and I almost cried with delight when I saw the first rays +of the breaking day filter through the window. They at least did modify +the terrible darkness. + +At 5.30 in the morning along came the gaoler. The cell was opened and a +broom was thrust into my hands. To me that domestic utensil was as a new +toy to a child. I grasped it with delight: it at least would give me +some occupation. I set to sweeping the cell furiously. I could have +enjoyed the company of that broom for hours, but a prisoner is only +allowed two minutes to sweep his cell. Then the broom was snatched out +of my hands and to the droning of "Pace!" which rang out continually +like the tolling of a funeral bell, I knew the next day had begun. + +I fell back on to my bed almost broken at heart at being deprived of the +humble broom. But by now the significance of German solitary confinement +had been brought home to me fully. I would not be broken. I would ward +off the terrible results at all hazards. So when the gaoler came with my +breakfast he found me in high spirits--assumed for the occasion I may +say. When he pushed in the basin of skilly I picked it up and set it +beside the others. Pointing to the row of untouched food I turned to him +cynically and remarked, "Don't you think you're making too much fuss of +me?" + +"Ach!" he growled in reply. + +"If you persist in going on like this I shall think I am in a nursing +home!" + +"Ach!" he retorted sharply, "If you think you are in a nursing home +you'll soon change your mind," saying which he slammed the door with +extra vigour. + +The only interlude to the daily round is shortly after sweeping cells. +The doors are thrown open and each prisoner, armed with his water jug +and sanitary pan, forms up in line in the corridor. They are spaced two +paces apart and this distance must be rigorously maintained. If you vary +it a fraction a smart rap over the head with the rifle brings you back +again to the correct position. The German warders never attempt to +correct by words. The rifle is a handy weapon and a smart knock +therewith is always forceful. Consequently, if you are dull of +comprehension, your body speedily assumes a zebra appearance with its +patches of black and blue. + +We were marched off to a huge yard flanked by a towering wall studded +with hundreds of heavily barred windows--cells. Only those resident in +the "Avenue of the Damned" experience this limited latitude, the +ordinary prisoners being extended the privilege of ordinary exercise. +Not a word must be spoken; to do so is to invite a crash over the head, +insensibility being an effective protection against communication +between prisoners. + +Reaching the yard we were lined up, still two paces apart and under the +hawk-eyes of the guard. Then the first man from one end advanced to the +pump, alongside which stood two soldiers with fixed bayonets with which +the man was prodded if he evinced signs of lingering or dwelling unduly +over his work. The duty involved cleaning out the sanitary pan, in which +by the way dependence had to be placed upon the hands alone, no mop or +cloth being allowed. Then the jug had to be refilled from the pump, +which was a crazy old appliance worked by hand. I may say that so far as +we prisoners residing in the ill-famed avenue were concerned we had to +depend upon water entirely for washing purposes--soap was an unheard-of +luxury--while a towel was unknown. Under these circumstances it was +impossible to keep clean. Shaving was another pleasure which we were +denied, and I may say that the prisoners residing in the salubrious +neighbourhood of the condemned cells had the most unkempt and ragged +appearance it is possible to conceive. When the man had finished his +task he marched to the opposite end of the line, his place being +immediately taken by the next man, and so on until the work was +completed, which usually involved about ten minutes. + +Although intercourse was rendered impossible by the vigilance and number +of the guards yet I was able to take stock of my neighbours. We were a +small but cosmopolitan family, the French predominating. For some +inscrutable reason the Germans appear to have been unusually successful +in their haul of French spies, although doubtless the great majority +were as innocent of the charge of espionage as I was. Yet we were a +motley throng and I do not think any self-respecting tramps would have +chummed up with us. Many of my fellow prisoners bore unmistakable +evidences of premature old age--the fruits of solitary confinement, lack +of exercise, and insufficient food. Others seemed half-witted and dazed +as a result of the brutal treatment which they had received. Some were +so weak that they could scarcely manipulate the crazy pump. Many were +garbed only in trousers, being void of boots, socks, shirts and vest. +Unkempt beards concealed thin, worn and haggard faces studded with red +bloodshot eyes. + +While I was waiting in the line my attention was arrested by one man, +who formed a member of our party. He was a German, but he did not +appear as if he had been guilty of any heinous crime--at least not one +of sufficient calibre to bring him into our Avenue. He was well built, +of attractive personality, and was well dressed in a blue suit complete +with clean collar, tie and other details. + +Who was he? What was he doing with us? Was he a spy? My curiosity was +thoroughly aroused. I became interested in him, and strange to say the +sentiment was mutual because he could not take his eyes from me. I +keenly wanted to speak to him but this was frankly out of the question. +Yet we seemed to be drawing together. + +I did not attempt to speak but contrived by sundry movements and +shuffling on one pretext or another to get closer to him. Then I +resorted to subterfuge. Standing with my hands in front of me I began to +twiddle my fingers rapidly. The action appeared to be natural and did +not arouse the slightest suspicion. Within the limitations available I +was forming some of the letters of the deaf and dumb alphabet with which +I am fully acquainted and dexterous. Did he understand the language? I +watched him closely. Presently I saw his fingers begin to move with +apparent equal aimlessness. I watched intently. He was answering me and +to my joy I discovered that he understood English. + +Our fingers were now working briskly and we carried on a brief +monosyllabic conversation while the other prisoners were completing +their work. From him I learned that I was certainly in great danger. But +he urged me to cheer up. Then he asked me the number of my cell, which I +gave. He replied that he was directly opposite me, and he told me to +look out for him whenever I got a chance, which, needless to say, under +the stringency of my life, was not likely to be often. He had such a +frank open face that I felt as if I could trust him, although I had come +to regard every German, no matter how apparently innocent his +conversation might be, with the gravest suspicion. But a quaint, quiet, +suppressed smile which he gave restored my confidence completely. + +The hours dragged along as during the previous day. It was wearying and +exhausting. I refused all my food and was making an imposing collection +of bowls of foodstuff. None was taken away. The gaoler merely observed +that I had not touched anything, but he made no comment. When night fell +I essayed to lie down, but this was impossible. The sores on my +projecting thigh bones had broken into large wounds which were now +bleeding and suppurating and were so painful as to render lying down +impossible. As a matter of fact more than two months passed before those +wounds healed and the scars are still visible. + +I was lying as best I could upon my bed vainly striving to woo sleep. It +was about midnight. The key grated in the lock and a young officer +entered. He was gruff of manner, but according to the German standard +was not unkind. I found that his manner was merely a mask to dissipate +any suspicion among others who might be prowling round, such is the +distrust of one German of another. After he had shut the door his manner +changed completely and he was disposed to be affable. But I resented his +intrusion. Had he come to fathom me? Was he an emissary seeking to +induce me to commit myself inadvertently? Frankly I thought so. He spoke +softly and his voice was intentionally kind, while he spoke English +perfectly. + +"I would like to help you," he began. + +"Would you?" I retorted cynically. + +"Yes, I am very fond of the English. I have lived in London several +years and have many friends over there." + +"Well, it's a thousand pities we don't serve some of your blighted +countrymen the same as they are serving me," I shot back. + +"Yes, I know. I am very sorry for you. But it is our way. Now I, +myself, don't think you are a spy. I think your story is honest and +straightforward." + +"Then why in the name of Heaven don't they treat me so until they have +tried me?" + +"Ah! That is the English way. Here, in Germany, a man is guilty until he +is found innocent!" + +"Oh! So that's your much-vaunted German 'Kultur,' is it?" I laughed +sarcastically. + +Seeing that I was a bit overwrought he sought to pacify me. + +"Would you like a cigarette?" + +At the thought of a smoke I nearly jumped for joy. There was nothing for +which I had been yearning so much as the solace of a cigarette. I took +one from his proffered case. + +"H'sh! I cannot stay any longer now. The guard might get suspicious. But +I will do all I can for you. I will come to see you every night at this +time. I will make you as comfortable as I can as a return for the many +courtesies and kindnesses I received while in London. Now light up and +jump up to the ventilator to puff the smoke out. If they smell tobacco +in the cell you will get into serious trouble." + +He bade me good-night and the next instant I was at the window to enjoy +the only peaceful few minutes of pleasure which had come my way since my +arrest. My smoke completed I settled down to sleep with additional +comfort. + +At 2.30 in the morning I was once more awakened. The door flew open and +in rushed my friend the young officer. He was terribly agitated. He +grasped both my hands and I felt that he was trembling like a leaf. His +voice was so broken that he could scarcely speak. + +"Good God! Do you know what has happened? Great Britain has declared war +on Germany!" Like a child he burst out crying. As for myself I knew +hardly what to think. I had been hoping against hope that the +circumstance of our still keeping friendly relations would facilitate my +speedy release. This hope was fairly blasted now, and I was certain to +meet with far shorter shrift and harsher treatment than had already been +meted out to me. I may say that this was the first intelligence I had +received about the outbreak of war with Great Britain. + +Stifling his emotion the officer went on. + +"I am very sorry it has happened. I shall not be able to see you again!" + +"Why?" + +"I have to leave for the front. I have ten minutes to say farewell to my +poor old mother." Here he broke down once more. "My poor mother," he +wailed. "It will kill her. She does not know a soul in Wesel. We are +utter strangers. I was summoned back from London only a week or two +ago." He gave vent to another outburst of sobbing. + +"Cheer up!" I said soothingly, "you'll see her when you come back!" + +"Come back?" he echoed bitterly. "No! I shall never come back. I shall +never see her again! Good-bye! Remember that I always thought kindly of +the English. But I won't forget you before I go!" + +His fatalistic resignation somewhat moved me. He was inwardly convinced +that he was going to his death. But I appreciated his sparing a little +of his bare ten minutes to give me a parting visit. I also thank him for +remembering me as he had promised. Shortly after he had gone the gaoler +came to my cell with a sack of fresh straw to serve as a mattress. The +young officer had paid him to extend me this slight privilege. To me it +was like a Heaven-sent blessing, because it enabled me to seek a little +repose without subjecting my bleeding hips to further damage. + +During the following day, Wednesday, I was enabled to snatch a peep of +the corridor without, owing to the gaoler paying me a visit in response +to my summons. To my utter astonishment, looking across the corridor, I +saw the mysterious prisoner with whom I had been talking by aid of the +mute alphabet, lounging at the door of his open cell smoking a cigar. +This discovery startled me, and I decided to be more than ever on my +guard. To my mind, which was becoming distracted, everyone appeared to +be spying upon my actions. The mysterious prisoner looked across the +corridor and saw me. Instantly his fingers commenced to move rapidly. I +was talking to the gaoler, but was looking beyond him at the prisoner +opposite, greedily taking in the signs. I almost jumped as I read off +the letters. "Be alert! Something is going to happen!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +MY SECRET MIDNIGHT TRIAL + + +It was Wednesday evening. I should judge the hour was about eight, +although to me it appeared to be nearer midnight. I was lying upon my +planks thinking and wondering what the end of it would be. My head was +whirling with giddiness from the eternal pacing, and from the wound +which I had received, while I was faint from hunger, having eaten +nothing since the lunch on the train on Monday, save for the two small +rolls upon Wesel station. I had not refused the prison fare from +feelings of obstinacy, but simply because my stomach revolted at it. The +untouched basins were still standing beside me in a row, the one which +had been served first now commencing to emit distinct signs of its +staleness. + +The door opened, but I ignored it. In fact I was in a semi-comatose +condition. + +"Rouse! Get up!" growled the head gaoler. + +I struggled to a sitting posture and looked up. Standing beside me was a +military officer. I could not repress a start. But the absence of +arrogance somewhat reassured me, and I struggled to my feet. + +"Herr Mahoney," he commenced, "a serious view has been taken of your +case. However, as you have money the authorities are prepared to give +you every chance to prove your innocence. You can have counsel if you +choose. I can arrange it at once!" + +I reflected for a moment. The crisis had been reached at last, and the +moment for which I had been longing for bracing myself up to meet the +supreme ordeal had arrived. I decided to maintain a stiff upper lip. +Yet, in all fairness I must admit that the authorities were treating me +justly. Here was I, an absolute stranger in their country, ignorant of +the language beyond a few colloquialisms, and in the most dangerous +situation in which a man could possibly find himself. + +Yet I did not regard the offer favourably. I feared that it was a move +to trap me decisively. I should be at the mercy of counsel. This was the +thought which harassed me. However, subsequently, I discovered that +throughout that Wednesday the trials of other spies had been held, and +that in no other instance, so far as I could ascertain, had the +privilege of representation by counsel been extended. But I swiftly made +up my mind as to my course of action. + +"Thank you for the offer," I retorted at last, "but I prefer to +undertake my own defence. Besides I am absolutely innocent and it will +not be a difficult matter for me to convince the Court." + +"As you will," and the officer shrugged his shoulders. + +He went to the door, and at his command four soldiers came up with +loaded rifles. They closed around me, their bayonets levelled, to run me +through should I make an attempt to escape. We marched out of the cell. +Up, up, up, we went, the steps appearing to be interminable. I walked as +if in a dream, and being faint and weary I moved somewhat slowly. But, +strange to say, my escort did not hurry me. I was certainly shown every +consideration upon this occasion. During the procession I was thinking +hard and swiftly, and with a superhuman effort pulled myself together +for the coming fight for life. + +We entered a spacious, well-lighted room. At the opposite end was a long +table set transversely, around three sides of which were seated a number +of military dignitaries. That they were of considerable eminence was +evident from their prodigal array of decorations. They glanced at me as +I entered, but instantly resumed their low conversation and perusal of +documents and other material connected with my case. It did not require +a second thought to realise the importance of this court-martial, but I +felt somewhat perturbed at one circumstance. + +_My trial was to be held in secret._ + +I was made to take up a position some distance from the table and +immediately opposite the central figure who was acting as chairman and +inquisitor-in-chief. The soldiers formed a semi-circle around me, the +only open space being immediately before me. + +At this date I often reflect upon the strange and sorry sight I must +have presented. I was dressed in a frock coat which was sadly soiled, a +white waistcoat extremely dirty and blood-stained, and trousers sadly +frayed at the bottom where the searchers had ripped off the turn-ups. I +was without a shirt, having torn this up to bandage my head, which even +now was swathed in a dirty, blood-stained dressing, while the buttons +had become detached from my under-vest so that the soiled ends flapped +over my waistcoat. My face was none too clean, being besmirched with +smudges, since I had been denied the luxuries of soap and towel, and it +was covered with a stubbly growth. Altogether I must have been the most +sorry-looking, if not revolting specimen of a spy ever arraigned before +that immaculate Tribunal. + +It is useless to relate the trial in extenso because there were so many +details which were completely void of interest except to me and my +judges. Although every word, passage, and scene is burned into my brain +I have only committed the most important episodes to paper. The +proceedings opened with the chairman holding forth in monotone German. +Seeing that I took no notice of his tirade he paused. We were soon to +come to grips. He fired at me in English: + +"You understand German?" + +"No!" + +"Well, we think you do!" + +"You are at liberty to think what you like, but the fact remains that I +don't!" + +Seeing that I was not to be over-awed by his arrogance or to be +brow-beaten he modified his attitude. This spirited bout sobered the +tribunal, and the trial proceeded more smoothly, except for a few +outbursts now and again which were sharp and pointed while they lasted. + +"Well, we will provide you with an interpreter," he continued in a more +placid tone, "but we still hold the opinion that you can speak and +understand German!" + +There was delay for a few minutes. Then the door opened and a second +later my interpreter stood beside me. How it was I did not jump into the +air I do not know, because the man summoned to assist me was none other +than the mysterious prisoner with whom I had been talking in the mute +alphabet. + +This _denouement_ almost unnerved me. I was now more positive than ever +that he had been deputed to spy upon me in prison. I looked at him +askance, but received not the slightest sign of recognition. I had +refused to entrust my cause to counsel and now I was placed in the hands +of an interpreter who, if he so desired, could wreak much more damage by +twisting the translations from English to suit his own ends. + +As events proved, however, I could not have been in better hands. He was +highly intelligent, and he interpreted my statements with a fluency and +accuracy which were astonishing. Only now and again did he stumble and +hesitate. This was when he was presented with an unfamiliar expression +or idiomatic sentence. + +As the trial proceeded I gained an interesting side-light upon German +methods and the mutual distrust which exists. Ostensibly, and so I was +led to believe, none of the Tribunal spoke English with any fluency, but +when, on one occasion, my interpreter was floored by a particularly +difficult colloquialism which I uttered, the Clerk of the Court came to +his aid, and in a moment turned the sentence properly to convey my +exact meaning. This revelation placed me on my guard more than ever, +because it was brought home to me very convincingly that if my +interpreter tended to lean unduly towards me, he himself would be in +serious jeopardy. Later, during the trial, I discovered that the Clerk +spoke and understood English as well as I did. It was a telling +illustration of the German practice of spying upon one another. + +The first part of the trial was taken up with a repetition of the +numerous questions I had already answered times out of number, +accompanied by a more searching cross-examination. As the trial +proceeded I saw that the authorities had collected every vestige of +evidence from every official who had questioned me and with whom I had +held any conversation. + +There was one exciting moment. An officer, evidently of high rank, +entered the room. He looked at me in a manner which I resented. With a +sneering grin he enquired, + +"Englander? Ha! Ha! Spion? What are you doing here?" + +"I have come at the pressing invitation of four gentlemen with four +points!" I suavely replied. + +This sly allusion to the four soldiers with their bayonets lashed the +interrupting officer to fury. The whole court indulged in a wild and +loud conversation. The chairman waved his arm wildly. Before I grasped +what had happened the soldiers closed round me, I was roughly turned +round, and to the accompaniment of liberal buffeting was hustled down +the steps to my cell. + +A few minutes later my interpreter came to me. + +"Listen to me, English friend. You must not annoy the Court. I am trying +to do all I can for you. I do not think you guilty. But if you are--what +do you call it--h'm----" and he snapped his fingers perplexedly. + +"Sarcastic?" I ventured. + +"Yes! That's it. If you are sarcastic you make my work very hard!" + +"But that officer had nothing to do with the Court, had he? Why did he +interfere with a gratuitous insult?" + +"Ah! I see. You don't understand. They will do that. But you must +remember the uniform!" + +Further conversation was prevented by the reappearance of the soldiers. +I was to be taken back to the Court. I decided to take my interpreter's +advice, and although I was frequently roused intentionally, I bit my lip +at the insults and choked down sharp retorts. + +"Do you realise the nature of the charge and the gravity of your +position?" asked the chairman, after proceedings had been resumed. There +was no trace of resentment at the recent incident in his voice. + +"I do perfectly." + +"Then do you not think it somewhat strange that a man like you should be +travelling to Berlin, on the way to Warsaw, on the very day when war was +declared against Russia? Is it not strange also that you should be here +after Great Britain has declared war?" + +"When I set out for Berlin war had not been declared between Germany and +Russia. On Monday when I was arrested war had not been declared against +Germany by Great Britain. I was arrested on the flimsiest pretext and +upon the word of a deliberately lying youth before war had been declared +with my country!" + +"Ah! we shall see. You do not think it strange to be travelling through +Germany at such a perilous time with so much photographic apparatus?" + +"No! I was not using it!" + +"So you took no photographs in Germany?" + +"No!" And the lie flew out in spite of myself. But I felt perfectly +secure because I knew exactly where the film, which I had exposed, was. +It was beyond their reach! + +"Then what is this?" And to my surprise he held up somewhat +triumphantly the length of photographic film from the camera with which +I had taken the two farewell pictures of my family. + +Up to this point I had successfully maintained a stiff upper lip and +perfect composure. But at the sight of the film carrying the parting +pictures, my thoughts flew to home and its associations. I broke down. + +The court was jubilant. My spontaneous outburst of weakness at memories +of home was misconstrued into a recognition of the fact that I had been +trapped. + +Amid a silence which was soul-burning and which caused my voice, +quivering at first but rapidly regaining strength and its natural ring, +to echo strangely through the room, I narrated the history of that film. +As I had expected it provoked a fearful wrangle. The fight was sharp and +hot while it lasted, but I thanked my lucky stars that I was not only +well skilled in the technics of photography but the chemistry side as +well. The film in question was sufficient for six exposures. Three had +been made. In addition to the two pictures of my family's farewell which +corresponded to exposures two and three there was another picture, of +archaeological interest, concerning a Sussex church, which was exposure +number one. The rest of the film, which would have corresponded to +pictures 4, 5 and 6, had never been exposed. + +The film which was held up had been developed by order of the court. The +unexposed portion had been passed through the development processes, and +I experienced a thrill of joy. I saw that I was now on solid ground. + +"How did you expose this film?" + +"In the usual way. The church was taken first, followed by the two +pictures of my family. The rest of the film has never been exposed." + +"That is what you say. But the Court thinks differently. Listen, the two +pictures of your family were taken first and this of the church +last--possibly, indeed probably, in Germany?" + +"It was not. No photographer, even the tyro, would pass half a film +through his camera before making an exposure." + +For ten minutes we fought tooth and nail over the way in which that film +had been passed through the camera. Then, seeing that they could not +shake my evidence, and doubtless impressed by my vehemence, they turned +round completely to return to the attack. + +"Well, granted, as you say, that the church was taken first, the second +half of the film was exposed in Germany. But you, seeing the danger of +your position upon arrest, contrived to ruin these last three pictures +before the camera was taken away from you," snapped the Chairman. + +In spite of myself I laughed. + +"The second half of the film has never been exposed at all," I rejoined. + +"How can you prove that?" + +"Very easily. If I had ruined it by exposing it to the light as you +suggest, _the film upon development would have come out black! But it is +quite transparent!_" I replied in triumph. + +My retort floored the Court. We were dipping into matters about which +they were completely ignorant. There was a hurried whispering and then +the Chairman commented: + +"We'll soon prove that you are wrong!" + +Proceedings were suspended. A clerk left the room to return a little +later with a civilian who proved to be a photographer in Wesel. + +The problem was presented to him, but I saw at once that he knew nothing +whatever about the chemistry of photography. He was turned over to me +for cross-examination, and within three minutes I had so pulverised his +statements that he was quite bewildered, and he left the Tribunal with +his photographic reputation sadly shattered. + +Another witness was summoned, the Court being determined to get at the +bottom of the problem which had been raised. They certainly recognised +the significance of my contention. This time it was a military officer. +He was examined by the Court, and then I was given the liberty to +cross-examine. My very first question was adequate to satisfy myself +that he knew even less about the subject than the previous witness. But +he was nervously anxious not to betray his ignorance. He had been called +in as an expert and fervently desired to maintain this reputation. He +did so by acquiescing in every statement which I put to him concerning +the action of light upon nitrate of silver. + +"Now," I asked emphatically, when I had completely caught him, "under +these circumstances, and according to what you have been explaining to +the court, the second half of this film which is transparent has never +been exposed?" + +"It has not." + +His negative was so emphatic as to convince the Court. I had scored the +crucial point and felt, now my supreme difficulty had been subjugated so +conclusively, that all was plain sailing. It was only too evident that +everything had turned upon that short length of unexposed film, and I +felt devoutly thankful to Providence that the light had not accidentally +penetrated to the sensitised surface. Had the unexposed section been +black my fate would have been irrevocably sealed. + +Now I was asked to present my defence. + +"Can you give us a complete and detailed narrative of your journey, say +from the time you left Brighton by the 5.10 p.m. train, on Saturday, +August 1, up to your arrest." + +I nodded affirmatively. + +"Well, go ahead!" + +Forthwith I launched out. I am naturally a rapid speaker and although my +interpreter was confronted with a gigantic task, he performed his work +magnificently. Only once or twice did he falter for a moment or two. But +I was never interrupted nor asked to repeat a statement, so that the +thread of my story remained unbroken. For two hours and a half I spoke +and I think the readiness and clearness with which I proceeded must have +impressed the Court. As I warmed to the subject my head grew clearer and +clearer. I knew I was fighting for my life, but the whole of the +episodes and scenes during the critical fifty odd hours passed through +my mind as if delineated upon a continuous cinematograph ribbon of film. + +Midnight had passed before I had finished. The clerks of the Court had +been steadily writing during the whole period, and I knew that every +word I had uttered had been faithfully recorded. The Tribunal gave a +sigh of relief as I intimated that I had nothing more to say. I was +returned to my cell, accompanied by my interpreter, whom I thanked for +his assistance which I could never repay. The Court might decide what it +liked. I had put up a stiff fight and could do no more. I thought I was +to be left alone for the night. I was sorely in need of rest, and the +nervous tension under which I had been labouring now began to reveal +itself. The reaction commenced to set in. But there was no rest for me +yet. Hardly had I sat down upon my plank bed before I was re-summoned. +By this time I was so weak that I could hardly stand. The perspiration +was pouring out all over my body. Indeed, I had to be assisted up the +stairs. + +To my utter surprise, when I entered the court, I found the record of my +defence completed. There it was in a pile of neatly inscribed sheets, +numbered, and secured together. The Chairman pushed the depositions +before me. + +"Sign here," and he indicated the foot of the last page. + +I picked up the papers. They were in German. I returned them unsigned to +the table. + +"I decline!" I replied emphatically. + +"But you must!" + +"Well, I shall not. I don't understand German. I don't know what it's +about!" + +"It's your defence!" + +"So it may be, but I have only your word for that. I decline to sign +anything I do not understand. It may be my death warrant!" + +"If you don't sign I can tell you that we have means of making you do +so," he continued somewhat menacingly. + +"I don't care. You can do as you like, but I am not going to sign those +papers." + +My determination provoked another animated discussion. Finally another +pile was pushed towards me, I could not curb a start. It was my defence +written throughout in English, and had undoubtedly been written +simultaneously with the German version. I eyed the Clerk of the Court +narrowly and he returned the gaze just as keenly. + +I ran through the depositions. They were perfect. Picking up the pen I +signed my name without hesitation. The signature was inspected, and then +the original German papers were once more presented with the invitation +to sign. Again, I refused. + +"But," expostulated the Chairman, "this is a literal German translation +from the English which you have signed!" + +"So it may be, but the fact remains that I don't understand German," I +retorted. + +Another storm burst, but the Tribunal saw that it was impossible to +shake my resolution. There was another brief discussion. Then the +Chairman turned to one of his colleagues, and in a despairing voice +asked, "Can you suggest a way out of the difficulty?" + +"Yes!" I interrupted. "Give the interpreter the German and me the +English copy. Let him translate from the German and I will compare with +the English version." + +The offer was accepted, but now another hitch arose. The interpreter +said he did not think he could read off the translation from the German +right away--at least, it would take time. + +The Court was in a quandary. Seeing that this unexpected obstacle was +likely to prejudice my position I grabbed the English text and thrust +the German copy into my interpreter's hands. Telling him to go ahead I +remarked that we could make something out of it. We wrestled with the +translation, although it was a slow and tedious operation, but at last +we finished the task. The German depositions being quite in order, and +fairly translated I signed the papers without further ado. + +Now I thought the ordeal was over, but it was not. Picking up my signed +depositions the Chairman proceeded to re-examine me on my defence. He +started from the moment I arrived at Flushing and traced my movements, +minute by minute, to Berlin, followed what I did in the capital between +1.30 a.m. the hour of my arrival and 1.13 p.m. the time of my departure. +The manner in which my movements had been dogged was astonishing and I +recalled the individual whom I had noticed shadowing me in the city. I +saw at once that everything turned upon the instant nature of my +answers, so I replied to every question without the slightest hesitation +and to such effect that I never once contradicted myself. + +Only one interval, and that of ten minutes in Berlin, threatened to +engulf me. I could scarcely fill up this gap. It happened to be one of +those idle intervals which one can never explain away very readily or +satisfactorily. We disputed this ten minutes vigorously for about half +an hour, and by the time we had finished I do not think there was a +single second for which an account had not been rendered. My interview +with the Consul also precipitated a storm, especially as by this time I +was becoming bored and felt dead-tired. Every question, however, +sufficed to prove that I was firmly considered to be a spy, and a +dangerous one at that. But even the re-examination came to a close at +last. + +Now my heart nearly jumped out of my body. The chairman, picking up the +papers which had been taken from my pocket, withdrew a little book. It +was my diary, which was full of notes. The moment I saw its familiar +cover I cursed the inspiration which had prompted me to keep a diary. I +knew what it contained and I knew the cryptic notes therein would bring +about further explosions and protestations. I was not disappointed. +Opening the little book the Chairman enquired innocently: + +"What do you mean by things being 'lively' in Berlin?" + +"It is a British expression," I retorted, my brain working rapidly to +advance a conclusive reply as I recalled the phrase which I had jotted +down. "We term things 'lively' when say, as in my case, one is first +thrown out of a cab by a officer and shortly afterwards is flung out of +a restaurant!" + +"Rather an unusual phrase to use when one recalls the political +situation which prevailed in the capital last Sunday, is it not?" + +"Possibly from the German point of view, in the light of events." + +"Then you had an enlightening chat with an officer? What was it all +about? How did you open conversation with him?" + +"In the usual British manner. We just chatted about things in general." + +"Especially of the war between Germany and England?" + +"No! Because we were not at war!" + +"But the officer advised you to return home! Why?" + +"Because I could not get through to Warsaw!" + +Other incidents of a spirited character raged about other phrases in the +little book, but I was on the alert. The Chairman evidently considered +me to be a match for him in these wrangles because he speedily put the +diary down. + +During the proceedings the Chairman made one frantic endeavour to trap +me, and to prove that I was more fully conversant with the language, as +he confidently believed, than I felt disposed to concede. Something was +being read over to me by the Clerk upon which my thoughts were +concentrated. Suddenly the Chairman roared out a terrifying word in the +vernacular. I never moved a hair. I behaved just as if the Chairman had +merely sneezed. My imperturbability appeared to convince him that I +really did not understand German, because no further reference was made +to the fact. Subsequently my interpreter told me that it was fortunate I +did not understand German or I would certainly have retorted to the +Chairman's sudden interjection. I should not have been human had I not +done so. He refused to tell me what the word was or what it meant, so I +was never a whit the wiser. + +At last I was told the proceedings with reference to myself were closed. +I had been on the rack for several hours, and when the gate of my cell +clicked upon me for the last time that eventful evening the morning +hours were well advanced. As my interpreter left me to go to his cell I +enquired wearily, though with a trace of anxiety, + +"When shall I know the result?" + +He shrugged his shoulders. + +"Perhaps to-morrow. Who knows?" + +Personally I felt confident that a speedy release would be granted. It +seemed to me impossible to convict upon the evidence. But I was ignorant +of German ways and military court procedure. I was destined to receive a +greater surprise than any which had yet befallen me. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +WAITING TO BE SHOT + + +I shall never forget the night of Wednesday, August 5th. After the +excitement of my trial which had left me well nigh exhausted, I threw +myself upon my wooden plank bed to recuperate with a well-earned rest. +But I had just made myself comfortable when a terrible uproar broke out. +The prison trembled and I half feared that it would tumble about our +ears. The emergency bells commenced to clang madly, while the building +was torn with the most terrifying shrieks and howls. + +Then the deafening sounds of explosions burst on our ears. At the time I +wondered what was the cause for this din, but the next morning I was +told that during the night the French had made an aerial raid upon +Wesel. From within it sounded as if the whole Allied Army were pounding +the building. On top of the prison anti-aircraft guns were mounted and +when they were discharged, which was continuously and rapidly, they +shook the building violently. Indeed an earthquake could scarcely have +set up a more agitated oscillation of the fabric. + +Although the bells rang madly they were not answered. Every gaoler had +left his post; gone no one knew whither. The prisoners thought they had +been deserted. They were haunted by the terror of the prison being set +in flames by the bombardment. The shrieks, cries, howls and wails born +of fright made my blood chill. Outside one could hear the muffled shouts +of officers giving orders, curses, and rapid firing by small arms. The +whole place appeared to have been afflicted with panic, as acute among +the soldiers without as among the prisoners within. For about an hour +pandemonium reigned. Even to me, shut up as I was in a narrow cell, it +was easy to appreciate the terrible and far-reaching undermining effect +which an aerial raid has upon the Teuton mind. + +Within the prison next morning it was possible to see the dire effects +which the French aviators had caused. A few cells below me was a +prisoner. When I saw him on the Thursday morning I scarcely recognised +him. As a result of that hour of terror _his hair had gone completely +white!_ Other prisoners were sadly bruised and scarred from frantically +beating their hands and heads against the doors of their cells in the +desperate endeavour to get out. One poor wretch went raving mad. + +Notwithstanding the ordeal of the trial, which had deprived me of my +normal span of rest, I was woke up at 5.30 to sweep out my cell. The +strain of the prolonged inquisition of the previous evening upon an +enfeebled physique and brain now commenced to assert itself in an +emphatic manner. I had eaten nothing, not even a crust of the black +bread, for fifty-four hours. Little wonder that I could scarcely keep my +feet. My gaoler observed my condition, but said nothing, although he +modified his customary boorish attitude towards myself. + +When I had to make my daily visit to the yard to clean my utensils and +to re-charge my water-jug I staggered down the steps. I stepped out of +the line in my turn and grasped the pump-handle. But I was too weak to +move it. A fellow-prisoner, recognising my plight, dashed forward to +work the pump. As he did one of the guard raised his rifle to club the +man across the head, but thinking better of his action, dropped his +weapon, and permitted him to assist me. + +How I crawled back to the cell I can scarcely remember. But I recall +being spurred forward with sundry jabs and prods by the rifle. Reaching +my cell I sank down upon my bed. + +How long I lay there it is impossible to say, but presently I became +conscious of some one standing beside me. I wearily sat up to see an +officer. Had he brought me the verdict of the Court? At the thought I +rose to my feet. But no! He had nothing to do with the Tribunal. He eyed +me closely and then turning to the array of basins containing the +untouched food and hunks of black bread he remarked grimly: + +"Do you know you will die if you don't eat your food?" + +"I shall if I do, so what's the odds? Its smell is sufficient!" + +"Do you know we can make you eat it?" + +"You try, and I promise you that you will get it back in double quick +time," I retorted significantly and defiantly. + +"Well, what would you like to eat?" + +"Like to eat?" I repeated. "Why, I could do with a six-course dinner," +was my sarcastic rejoinder, feeling confident that he had merely asked +the question to tantalise me. But seeing that he really meant what he +said I rattled off a complete menu, not forgetting the cup of black +coffee and an Egyptian cigarette. Feeling that the officer was in +reality the prison doctor I grew reckless and cynical. + +"Well, I'm damned!" was his ejaculatory comment when I had finished. And +he gave a loud, long laugh. + +My temper was rising, and I think my face must have betrayed my wish to +strangle him, because he continued, "You've got money, and you can buy +one meal a day from outside if you like. I'll grant you your gluttonous +feed to-day--except the cigarette--seeing that you've eaten nothing for +three days. The cigarette is impossible: it is quite against the rules +and regulations of the prison. But to-morrow you'll have to rest content +with a plate of meat and vegetables." + +After he had left the cell I came to the conclusion that he had been +merely having a huge joke at my expense. But ten minutes later the +gaoler entered bearing two big trays upon which were arrayed the six +courses. My eyes glittered with a wolfish greed, but I restrained +myself. I sat down to the meal and proceeded with it very leisurely, +getting up now and again to pace a little while to assist my weakened +digestion. Indeed, by the time I had swallowed the last morsel the +gaoler entered with my tea. But that meal put new life into me. +Afterwards I easily subsisted upon the dinner from without; that was +adequate for the twenty-four hours. I think I paid sufficient for the +privilege seeing that the six-course dinner and three subsequent plates +of meat and vegetables cost me twenty-six marks. + +While I was denied all conversation with any of the prisoners I saw them +at least once a day. But if I did not see much of them I heard them +frequently, especially when punishment was being dealt out. Then the +corridor would ring with dull thuds as blows by the rifle were +administered, followed by violent shrieking and wailing. The prison, at +least the precincts of the Avenue of the Damned, was ruled with a rod of +iron, and various brutalities were practised and often upon the +slightest pretext. It is only necessary to relate one revolting episode +which I witnessed with my own eyes. On Friday morning, August 7, my +cell-pacing was rudely interrupted by the appearance of the gaoler who +curtly ordered me to stand outside my cell door. I found that all the +cells--except one--along the corridor were wide open, and with their +occupants similarly standing at the entrances. Between each two cells +stood a soldier with his rifle ready to jab his bayonet to right or left +at an instant's notice. + +I wondered what was the matter, and was told that we were to witness and +to profit from the punishment which was to be dealt out to a prisoner +who had broken one of the prison rules. Lying in the centre of the +corridor was the prone groaning form of a prisoner--a Frenchman, I +believe--who had been dragged from the cell before the open door of +which no one was standing. He was terribly weak and ill. Beside him +stood four hulking, burly and heavily-booted Prussians. + +At the word of command these four men rushed forward and commenced to +kick the hapless prisoner for all they were worth. The man shrieked, +groaned and howled. We all shivered at the sight and at his terrible +cries. It sickened me. But the brutes never relented. The more he +writhed and the louder he howled the harder they kicked, face, body and +head receiving the blows indiscriminately. In a minute or so the man lay +still upon the floor, literally kicked into insensibility. Whatever any +of the prisoners around may have felt none could extend assistance or +interfere. Some strove to shut out the terrible sight by covering their +faces with their hands, but the bayonet point speedily induced them to +look as commanded. If any one of us had moved a step to proceed to the +poor wretch's aid we should certainly have been run through without the +slightest compunction. + +The unconscious prisoner was picked up and thrown into his cell, while +we were likewise rushed in upon the conclusion of the disgusting +exhibition. Subsequently I enquired the reason for such a ferocious +outburst. Then I found that the prisoner, who was so ill that he really +ought to have been in hospital, had rung his bell, to summon the gaoler +for permission to respond to one of the calls of nature, but that he had +been unable to contain himself until the dilatory official arrived. I +might mention that I had heard the bell ringing for fully ten minutes +but without avail. Although scrupulous cleanliness is demanded from each +cell I know from experience that the gaolers are ever reluctant to reply +to a call of the emergency bell, and think nothing of causing the +hapless wretch terrible misery. It serves to bring home to the prisoner +that he is under confinement and not in a hotel to be waited on hand +and foot. Such is the German argument. + +Next morning on our going into the yard the unfortunate prisoner who had +been punished so diabolically was not to be seen. More significant still +his cell was empty, and the door was wide open. I could only surmise +that his worldly troubles were over. If so he would be officially +declared to have "died in prison!" + +Favoured prisoners are granted a sack of straw to serve as a mattress. I +had been denied this luxury but secured it later through the good +offices of the lieutenant who visited me on Tuesday night. I was lucky +enough to get new straw. Apparently the sacks are never renewed during a +prisoner's incarceration. He merely replenishes his stock when another +cell becomes vacant, irrespective of the period the straw therein has +been in use. There is a mad rush for the empty cell, and the prisoners +fight like wolves among themselves for the possession of the derelict +straw, each bearing away triumphantly the small dole he has obtained +from the struggle. + +As may be supposed, under such conditions, the straw is not very +inviting. It soon becomes verminous, and this deplorable state of +affairs becomes worse the longer the straw is in use. In fact it becomes +alive with lice. In one instance I saw a dropped wisp so thickly +encrusted with the parasites that it actually moved along the ground +under the united action of the insects. + +There is one inflexible law in German prisons. Under no pretence +whatever must one prisoner enter the cell of another while it is +occupied. This regulation is not to prevent conversation or +communication between prisoners, but is for reasons which it is not +necessary to describe. When one recalls the utter depravity which +prevails in German military centres the wisdom of the ordination is +obvious. The punishment is severe, the easiest being a spell of +confinement upon a black bread and water diet, but generally and +preferably clubbing into insensibility. + +A few cells above me was a prisoner who had been incarcerated for +fifteen years. Whether the whole of this time had been spent in Wesel or +not I could not say, but when I came face to face with him for the first +time he gave me a severe shock. He was a walking skeleton. Every bone in +his body was visible, while his skin was the colour of faded parchment. +He looked more like an animated mummy than a human being. I stood beside +him one day in the corridor, and a bright ray of sunshine happened to +fall across his face which was to me in profile. I started. His face was +so thin that the cheek and jawbones were limned distinctly against the +light, producing the effect of the X-ray photograph, while the sun shone +clean through his cheeks. You could have read a paper on the off side of +his face by the light which came through. + +This prisoner unnerved me. From morning to night, as he paced his cell, +he groaned dismally: not fitfully but continually. It was like the wail +of a dog suffering excruciating agony, only a thousand times more +irritating and nerve-racking. Even during the night he groaned, +apparently in his sleep. Another day, when similarly paraded beside him, +I asked if he would like a piece of black bread. He made no reply, but +turned such a wolfish look upon me that I hastily told him to dive into +my cell--No. 11. He watched the guard for a second, and while all backs +were turned he was gone and back beside me with the prize which he +clutched in his hand. I have never seen such a rapid movement. He slid +into the cell like a shadow and as stealthily and as quickly returned. +This poor wretch doubtless enjoyed this unexpected addition to his +quantity of food, since he was apparently being given just enough to +keep him alive, and no more. Otherwise he could never have become so +fearfully thin. + +Once again I was to receive another shock from my mysterious prisoner +who had acted as interpreter. On Thursday he came to my cell in the +uniform of a warder. Consequently I saw a good deal of him, and, he +being friendly, we had many brief snatches of surreptitious +conversation. He was highly intelligent, well-educated and sympathetic. +I enquired as to how he happened to be in our unsalubrious avenue. He +informed me that he was awaiting the Kaiser's pardon. His offence was +not heinous. He had not responded to his country's call, upon +mobilisation, with the celerity which the officials declared he should +have shown. As a punishment he was committed to the cells for three +days. Upon the expiration of this sentence he had been made +under-gaoler. His name was M----, and he told me he had a prosperous +business outside Germany. + +I was on the tip-toe of anticipation and suppressed excitement +throughout Thursday and Friday, hoping for news concerning the decision +of the Tribunal. But when Friday passed without my receiving any tidings +I commenced to get fidgety and anxious. My feelings were not assuaged by +hearing volleys ring out every morning, followed by a death-like +stillness. These reports appeared to stifle the cries and groans of the +prisoners a little while. To me the sounds presaged serious news. +Apparently there were several prisoners condemned for spying, and each +volley, I was told, signified the flight of one or more hapless souls. +My spirits were not revived by noticing the cells on either side of me +rapidly emptying, while the little party which went down into the yard +in the morning began to dwindle in numbers very rapidly. + +When the head-gaoler came round on Friday night I decided to tackle him. +The suspense was becoming intolerable. By this time he had become +somewhat more friendly towards me, and if in the mood would talk for a +brief while. + +"Were any other prisoners tried on Wednesday as spies?" I asked +innocently. + +"Jah! All day!" + +"How many?" + +"May-be twenty-three!" + +"How many have been shot?" + +"Ach! I cannot give prisoners news of that kind. But I can tell you that +there are three left, and you are one of them!" + +I smiled to myself at the gaoler's rigid observance of the letter of +German prison law to refuse news to prisoners, yet giving the desired +information in an indirect manner. + +"When shall I hear the result of my trial?" + +"Trial? You have not been tried yet!" + +"What? You must be mistaken. I was tried on Wednesday night!" + +"That wasn't the trial. That was the enquiry!" + +"Then when will the trial come off?" + +"You'll learn the _result_ of the trial soon enough!" and he slammed the +door to prevent further discussion. + +I was completely flabbergasted. I scratched my head and endeavoured to +collect my thoughts. Surely I could not have heard aright. Yet the man +must know what he was talking about. The more I pondered the more +perplexed I became. Then the head-gaoler's stress upon the word +"_result_!" What did that portend? New fears crept into my mind. So when +M----, the under-gaoler, came round next morning, I badgered him, but he +would say no more than that the trial had not yet come off. + +I was completely unnerved and now commenced to fear the worst. If the +ordeal I experienced on the Wednesday night was not the trial, then what +on earth was it? I made up my mind to find out. I rang the bell wildly +and demanded to see the Commandant. He sent down word to say he could +not see me. But I was insistent, and at last, to avoid further worry, he +conceded an audience. + +As I entered the office of the Commandant I was surprised to see him +handling my little camera. At my entrance he slipped it into his desk. +He looked at me curiously, and then grunted, + +"What do you want?" + +"I wish to know when my trial is coming off. I thought I was tried last +Wednesday night." + +"No! That was the enquiry. We'll let you know the _result_ of the trial +pretty quickly," and he grinned complacently, in which little pleasantry +at my expense the officer of the guard joined in. + +"I don't want to know the _result_! I want to be there!" + +"That is impossible. You gave all your evidence before the enquiry!" + +"Then don't I appear at my trial?" + +"Certainly not!" + +I was completely non-plussed at this confirmation of the head-gaoler's +statement. It was a new way, to my mind, of meting out justice to a +prisoner to deny him the right to appear at his own trial. Truly the +ways of Teuton jurisprudence or military court procedure were strange. + +"Then when will my trial be held?" I asked, determined to glean some +definite information. + +"Ach! We cannot be bothered with a single case whilst mobilisation is +going on. We are too busy. You must wait," and with that he dismissed +me. + +"But surely you can give me some idea when it will be held," I +persisted. + +"Ach!" and he fumed somewhat. Seeing that I was not to be turned away +without satisfaction he continued, "Your trial will be on Monday. Get +out!" + +My reflections upon gaining my cell may be imagined. I could not resist +dwelling upon the methods of German justice, and I commenced to conjure +up visions of the trial from which I was to be absent, and to speculate +upon the final result. What would it be? I saw the heavy disadvantage +under which I was labouring, and as may be supposed my thoughts turned +to the blackest side of things. I had another forty-eight hours of +suspense in solitary confinement to bear. + +To take my mind off the subject I set to work sketching an ornate design +upon the prison wall with a safety pin which I had picked up unobserved. +In the perpetual twilight which prevailed during the day in my cell I +drew, or should it be engraved? a huge Union Jack intertwined with the +Royal Standard, surmounted by the crown of Great Britain and the Royal +Arms. It occupied considerable time, but I took a quaint delight in it. +It successfully moved my thoughts from my awkward position, although at +nights I kept awake for hours on end turning over in my mind my chances +of acquittal and condemnation, more particularly the latter. + +On Sunday I applied for permission to attend church, but after a long +official discussion the request was refused. The prison had no +facilities for administering spiritual pabulum to a British prisoner. +This was a mere excuse, because several of the other prisoners attended +church. How I passed that day it is difficult to record. I paced my cell +in a frenzy until I could pace no longer. I completed my design on the +wall, fumbled with my fingers, and dozed. But the hours seemed to drag +as if they were years. By now I was so overwrought that I declined to +send out for my dinner. + +Monday was worse than Sunday. Throughout the day I was keyed to a high +pitch of nervous expectancy. I could scarcely keep a limb still. Every +sound made me jump, and I kept my eyes glued to the door, momentarily +expecting to gain some tidings of how my trial had gone. When the gaoler +entered with my meals and stolidly declined to enter into conversation, +I grew more and more morose, until at last I can only compare my +feelings with those of an animal trapped and at bay, waiting and ready +to land some final, fearful blow before meeting its fate. + +Early in the evening of the Monday I was pacing my cell, a bundle of +twitching nerves, when the door opened to admit an officer. I almost +sprang towards him. I was to learn the truth at last. But he had not +come from the Court. + +"Do you feel hungry?" he asked, not unkindly. + +"No." I answered feebly, my heart heavy within me. As a matter of fact I +was so overwrought with anxiety that I failed to feel the pangs of +hunger. + +"Well," he went on, "you can have what you like." + +Thump went my heart again. The verdict had certainly gone against me. +For what other reason had I been offered what I liked to eat? It sounded +ominous. It recalled our practice in Britain where a condemned man is +given his choice of viands on the morning of his execution. Most +assuredly I was going to be shot on the following morning, and daybreak +was not far distant. + +"I should certainly have something to eat if I were you," suggested the +officer. + +"Oh, very well," I replied resignedly, "I'll have a roll, butter, and a +black coffee." + +Directly the officer had gone I rang the emergency bell. M----, the +under-gaoler, answered it. With a tremendous effort I pulled myself +together. + +"So I'm going to be shot in the morning," I ventured, in the hope of +drawing some comment. + +"Ach! What? Lie down and keep quiet!" was his stolid retort. + +"Look here! I want to write to my wife. Can you get me a pencil and a +sheet of paper?" + +"Impossible!" + +"But I must write. She does not know where I am, and she will not know +what has become of me!" + +[*large gap] + +German military prisons hold their secrets tightly. + +But the time crept on and no guard appeared as I had been dreading. My +drooping spirits revived because the hour of the day when prisoners were +customarily shot had passed. When I went out into the yard on the +Tuesday morning I chanced to meet the two Hindoos who had been arrested +with me. Then I realised that they were two out of the three remaining +spies. I was the third. They were in high spirits. When the guard was +not looking they told me they had been acquitted of the espionage +charge, and expected soon to be taken as far as the frontier to be +released. + +I was the only one left, and I had not been told the result of my trial. +Yet these two Hindoo students who also had been before the Court on the +Wednesday had learned the verdict in their cases. But I had been denied +all communication. I regained my cell in a kind of stupor. To me it +seemed that all was lost, and I fell into the depths of despair. When +the friendly M---- came with my breakfast I pestered him with +questions. + +"Has the court been sitting?" + +"Yes, all day Monday and all last night." + +"Have you heard the result of my trial?" + +"No." + +"But the two Hindoos have been acquitted. Have I?" + +"I cannot say," he replied sullenly. + +The manner in which he avoided my eager look served to confirm my worst +fears. I strove hard to draw something further from him, but he briefly +remarked that he was forbidden to speak to prisoners. + +I scarcely knew what to think. To me it was extraordinarily strange that +the two Hindoos should have heard of their acquittal and yet no one +seemed to know anything about my case. No! There was only one +construction to be placed upon the situation. The Court had gone against +me. My thoughts throughout that day were most unenviable. I fretted and +fumed, wondering when it would all be over. My nerves started to twitch +and jump, and within a short while I could not keep a limb still. The +fearful suspense was certainly driving me mad. + +Later in the day an escort arrived, and to my surprise and intense +relief the officer informed me that I was not going to be shot. I took +this for an acquittal, but I was speedily disillusioned. I was taken to +the office of the Commandant. + +Reaching this official I was surprised to see among a stack of other +baggage my own belongings. The Commandant sharply ordered me to sort my +things out, and to run through them to see that everything was intact. I +could have danced for joy. Like an excited child I fell upon the +baggage, disentangled my belongings, and ran through the contents. Two +purses and a camera were missing. I reported my loss, and there was a +terrific hullaballoo. Who had touched a prisoner's goods? The purses +were brought in by the gaoler, who declared to me that, finding they +contained money, he had put them in his pocket for safety. I smiled at +his ingenuous excuse. Now I worried about the missing camera, but this +defied discovery. Suddenly I remembered where I had seen it last and +kept quiet. + +After I had gathered my luggage together I was marched back to my cell. +Again my spirits drooped upon being asked to give my English address. I +saw it all! In my highly strung condition I took this latest expression +of Teuton methods to mean that my goods were to be sent home, but that I +would have to suffer some dire penalty. I nursed this dark imagining +because the prison treatment was not relaxed one iota. I passed a +restless half-hour. I was heavy-eyed from want of sleep, while my face +had assumed a sickly, revolting pallor from rapidly collapsing health. + +Again I was summoned to the Commandant's office. My goods were exactly +as I had left them thirty minutes before. + +[*large gap] + +I was busily strapping up my goods when the door opened to admit the +Commandant, guard and four other prisoners, whom I had not seen before. +One tall, good-looking, sprucely dressed fellow impressed me. He looked +like a fellow-countryman. I went up to him. + +"Are you English?" I asked. + +"Holy smoke! What a treat to hear an Englishman. 'Put it there,'" and he +extended his hand. I proffered mine which he shook as if it were a pump +handle. He with others had been arrested, not as spies, and had been +detained in Wesel Arresthaus. But being wealthy he had experienced an +easy time. + +"What are they going to do with us?" I enquired. + +"Why, haven't you heard? They're going to send us to a hotel and then it +won't be long before we strike good old England once more!" + +[*large gap] + +The party were in high spirits. But I was not so elated. I had every +occasion to be suspicious of German bluff and inwardly would only +believe we were going home when I was safely out of the country. My +fellow-countryman, F---- K----, who is a well-known figure in City +commercial circles, was wildly excited, and was discussing his future +arrangements very keenly. + +An escort appeared to accompany us to the mysterious "hotel" about which +the Commandant had been talking so glibly. We swung out of the prison. +Glancing at the clock I saw the time was 8.30 p.m. As the main gate +clanged behind me I pulled myself together, a new man. My eight days' +solitary confinement had come to an end. + +We tramped the street, the people taking but little notice of us. +Presently we met a big party of tourists advancing and also under +escort. They proved to be the passengers of the pleasure steamer +_Krimhilde_, who had been detained. When they saw me, unkempt, ragged, +blood-stained, and dirty they immediately drew away. They took me for an +excellent specimen of the genus hobo. Within a few seconds however they +learned something about my experiences and became very chummy. F---- +K---- communicated the fact that we were bound for an hotel, and the +spirits of one and all rose. + +The escort who had accompanied us from the prison here handed us over to +that accompanying the tourists and we marched to the station. A train +was waiting and we stepped aboard at nine o'clock. There appeared to be +as many soldiers as passengers. The members of my party confidently +thought the train was bound for a point near the frontier or a +restricted area by the seashore. But I was not to be lulled into a false +sense of security. I questioned one of the officers and ascertained our +destination. Returning to the party I laughingly asked, "Do you know for +what hotel we're bound?" + +"No! What is it? Where is it?" came the eager request. + +"The military camp at Sennelager!" + + + + +PRISON TWO--SENNELAGER + +THE BLACK HOLE OF GERMANY + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +OUR "LUXURIOUS HOTEL" + + +Although it was 9.25 Tuesday evening when we boarded the train in Wesel +station, _en route_ for the "luxurious hotel where we were to receive +every kindness consistent with the noblest traditions of German honour," +there did not appear to be any anxiety to part with our company. There +were about sixty of us all told, and we were shepherded with as +pronounced a display of German military pomp and circumstance as would +have been manifested if the All-Highest himself, had been travelling. +Wesel station swarmed with officers and men who apparently had nothing +else to do but to perambulate the platforms, the officers swaggering +with typical Teuton arrogance, and the humble soldiers clattering to and +fro in utter servility, merely emphasising their existence by making +plenty of noise with their cumbrous boots and rifles. + +At midnight the train started. The majority of my companions were the +male passengers of military age who had been detained from the pleasure +steamer _Krimhilde_ while travelling up the Rhine. The military +authorities in charge of the train received bulky sheafs of papers, each +of which related to one passenger, and was packed with the most minute +details. I am afraid my record must have been somewhat imposing, +inasmuch as I commanded considerable and unappreciated attention from +the military, while my fellow prisoners regarded me with a keen +curiosity. + +I must admit that my personal appearance was far from being attractive. +I looked even more ragged, un-cared for, and ill than I was when facing +my accusers at the midnight trial some days before. I was shirtless, +collarless, and tie-less. My hair was matted and clotted with congealed +blood freely mixed with dirt. My face, in addition to a week's growth of +hair, was smeared with black marks which I had not been able to remove +owing to my inability to get soap to wash myself with. My frock-coat and +trousers, frayed at the bottoms, were sadly soiled and contrasted +strangely with the fancy pattern tops of my patent boots. In fact, I +admitted to the party, that "I must have looked a 'knut' of the finest +type!" All things considered I am not surprised that at first I was +shunned by one and all, both compatriots and the military guards. + +Although the distance from Wesel to Paderborn--Sennelager is three miles +outside the latter town--is only about 95 miles as the crow flies, the +railway takes a somewhat circuitous route. Owing to the extensive +movement of the troops we suffered considerable delay, the result being +that we did not reach our destination until about mid-day on the +Wednesday, the journey having occupied nearly twelve hours. The heat was +unbearable, and confinement within the carriages, the windows of which +were kept sedulously closed by order of the military, thus rendering the +atmosphere within stifling, speedily commenced to affect some of the +passengers. Each compartment carried seven prisoners, and the eighth +seat, one of the windows beside the door, was occupied by a soldier--the +guard of the compartment--complete with loaded rifle and fixed bayonet. + +Sleep was out of the question, but this did not affect us seriously. We +were somewhat excited, and spent the hours of the night in conversation +and the exchange of experiences. In our party was an English gentleman, +Mr. K----,[3] who held an important position in a large business house +in one of the cities on the Rhine. Somehow he was attracted to me, +moved, no doubt by my general appearance, and because I was now showing +visible signs of my incarceration and experiences in Wesel prison. I may +say that to Mr. K---- I undoubtedly owe my life, and I never can express +my thanks sufficiently for his unremitting attention and kindness during +my subsequent illness, as I narrate in due course. Moreover, during his +sojourn among us he was a tower of strength, having long been resident +in the country, and thoroughly conversant with the language and manners +of the Germans. + + [Footnote 3: The names and occupations of fellow-prisoners who + are still in captivity are purposely disguised, because if the + German authorities should happen to read this narrative, and be + enabled to identify any of my compatriots who participated in + any of the incidents recorded, they would receive treatment + which would be decidedly detrimental to their welfare.--H.C.M.] + +It was during this tedious train journey that he related the experiences +of the passengers upon the unfortunate steamer _Krimhilde_. Many of the +Englishmen who happened to be upon this boat had been held up for a week +in various towns, owing to the stress of mobilisation. But at last +permission was given by the authorities to proceed, and the delayed +travellers were assured of an uninterrupted journey to England. +Unfortunately the passage down the Rhine was impeded by fog, and this +delay proved fatal. When it was possible to resume the journey, and +while the steamer was making a good pace, a river patrol boat dashed up +and ordered the captain of the steamer to stop, the reason being that no +intimation had been received of the vessel's coming. + +The captain protested, but at the point of the revolver he was compelled +to turn round and return to the place which he had left only a few hours +previously. The re-arrival of the _Krimhilde_ at this point aroused +considerable interest, and the authorities demanded the reason. The +captain explained, but receiving a re-assurance that everything was in +order and as originally expressed, he was free to travel down the +river. + +Again the journey was attempted and all went well until the boat was +approaching Wesel. Then another patrol boat fussed up, the officer of +which boarded the steamer. Again the captain presented his permit and +expressed his determination to go ahead. + +"We don't know anything about that," returned the boarding officer, +referring to the permit. "My orders are to stop every vessel carrying +Englishmen!" + +The boarding-officer turned and ordered all the male prisoners to +separate themselves from the ladies. Passports were produced upon demand +and closely scrutinised. Then the officer, stepping back a few paces, +beckoned the nearest man. His name was demanded to identify the passport +and then a brief hurried cross-examination proceeded, culminating in the +question: + +"How old are you?" + +"Thirty-eight!" + +"Step this side!" retorted the officer, who proceeded to examine the +succeeding passenger, to whom the self-same questions were repeated, the +final interrogation being the passenger's age. + +"Fifty-seven!" came the response. + +The officer scanned the passport and finding the answer to be correct +remarked, "Step over there!" indicating his left. + +By the time the officer had completed his interrogations the male +passengers were divided into two groups. Meanwhile the women and +children had gathered round, following the proceedings, which appeared +inexplicable to them, with a strange silence and a fearful dread. + +"All you men of military age," continued the officer speaking to the +group of younger-looking men, "are to go ashore. You will be detained as +prisoners of war. You have ten minutes to pack your trunks and to say +'Good-bye!' So hurry up!" + +At this intelligence a fearful hubbub broke out. The women and children +who were to be separated from their husbands, fathers, and relatives +gave way to lamentation and hysterical raving. While the men packed +their trunks under official supervision their wives and children clung +to them desperately. But the men realising that war is war, accepted the +situation philosophically, even cheerfully. They were buoyed up by the +official assurance that their detention was merely a matter of form, and +that they would soon be released and free to proceed to their homes. + +I may say that this is a favourite ruse followed by the Germans in all +the camps in which I was interned, and I discovered that it was general +throughout the country. It is always expressed whenever the Teutons see +trouble brewing. Undoubtedly it is practised to keep the prisoners keyed +up to a feverish pitch of hopefulness. Certainly it succeeded for a +time, although such announcements at a later date, when we had seen +through the subterfuge, were received with ironical cheering and jeers. + +At such a sudden and summary cleavage between families many distressing +and pathetic scenes were witnessed. On board there happened to be a +wealthy young member of the Russian nobility--Prince L----. He was +travelling with his sister and friends and was far from well. + +The sister approached the officer and pleaded hard for her brother's +release. It was refused. Grief-stricken the Princess fell on her knees +and with tears streaming down her cheeks, kissed the officer's boots and +offered all her jewels--they must have been worth a considerable amount +of money--which she hastily tore off and held in her outstretched hands. + +For the moment even the officer was somewhat moved. Then in a quiet, +determined voice he remarked, + +"I am exceedingly sorry, but I cannot grant your request. I am merely +acting on my orders. But I can assure you that your brother in common +with all the others here, will be looked after. Not a hair of their +heads shall be injured. They will all be treated according to the best +and noblest traditions of German honour,[4] and the regulations which +have been drawn up among the Powers concerning the treatment of +prisoners of war." With these words the Prince was cast aside with the +others. + + [Footnote 4: The traditions of German honour were dinned into + our ears at every turn.--H.C.M.] + +In another instance the wife and child of an Englishman, Mr. C----, +refused to be parted. The wife clung round her husband's neck while the +child held to his coat. She expressed her determination to go with her +husband, no matter what might happen, and was on the verge of hysterics. +Every one was moved and strove to coax her into quietness, while an +officer even accompanied her off the boat with her husband. On the quay +efforts were repeated to placate her and to induce her to allow her +husband to proceed. But all in vain. At last, drawing the lady forcibly +away, though with no greater force than was necessary, the officer +himself attempted to console her. + +"Do not worry. I will do all I can for you, and will see you do not want +during the time your husband is interned." + +What became of Mrs. C---- and her child just then I do not know, because +at that moment the boat sheered off with a sorrowful and crying list of +passengers who waved frantic farewells. Alas! I fear that in some +instances that was the last occasion upon which husband and wife ever +saw one another, and when children were parted from "daddy" for life. + +Such was the story related by Mr. K----. After the boat had left, the +detained prisoners, he explained, were formed up on the quay, and +surrounded by an imposing guard with fixed bayonets, were marched off. +It was a sad party. All that was dearest in life to them had been torn +away at a few minutes' notice through the short-sightedness of Prussian +militarism or the desire of the Road-hog of Europe to display his +officialism and the authority he had enjoyed for but a few days. Many of +these tourists, as one might naturally expect, were sorely worried by +the thoughts as to what would become of their loved ones upon their +arrival in England, many without money or friends to receive them. This +was the discussion that occupied their minds when they were marching +towards Wesel Station, and when the tiny party, of which I was one, +being marched from Wesel prison, met them in the street, as already +related. + +As for ourselves we were soon destined to taste the pleasures of the +best traditions of German honour. No provisions of any kind whatever had +been placed on the train for our requirements. What was more we were +denied the opportunity to purchase any food at any station where we +happened to stop. At one point a number of girls pressed round the +carriages offering glasses of milk at 20 pfennigs. As we were all +famished and parched there was a brisk trade. But the moment the +officers saw what was happening they rushed forward and drove the girls +back by force of arms. + +So far as our compartment was concerned we were more fortunate than many +of our colleagues. Our soldier warden was by no means a bad fellow at +heart. In his pack he carried his daily ration--two thick hunks of black +bread. He took this out and instantly proffered one hunk to us, which we +gladly accepted and divided among ourselves. + +Those being the early days of the war the German soldier was a universal +favourite among the civilians. Directly one was espied he became a +magnet. The women, girls and elder men rushed forward and wildly thrust +all sorts of comestibles into his hands. Unhappily we did not stop at +many stations; our train displayed a galling preference for lonely +signal posts, so that the chances of our guard receiving many such gifts +were distinctly limited. But at one station he did receive an armful of +broedchen--tiny loaves--which he divided amongst us subsequently with the +greatest camaraderie. + +But his comrades in other compartments were not so well-disposed. With +true Prussian fiendishness they refused to permit their prisoners to buy +anything for themselves, and to drive them to exasperation and to make +them feel their position, the guards would ostentatiously devour their +own meals and gifts. While we did not really receive sufficient to stay +us, still our guard did his best for us, an act which we appreciated and +reciprocated by making a collection on his behalf. When we proffered +this slight recognition of his courtesy and sympathetic feeling he +declined to accept it. [*gap] He was one of the very few well-disposed +Germans I ever met. + +Upon arriving at Sennelager Station we were unceremoniously bundled out +of the train. Those who had trunks and bags were roughly bidden to +shoulder them and to fall in for the march to the camp. The noon heat +was terrible. The sun poured down unmercifully, and after twelve hours' +confinement in the stuffy railway carriages few could stretch their +limbs. But the military guards set the marching pace and we had to keep +to it. If we lagged we were prodded into activity by means of the rifle. + +Sennelager camp lies upon a plateau overlooking the railway, and it is +approached by a winding road. The acclivity although somewhat steep is +not long, but we, famished and worn from hunger, thirst, and lack of +sleep, found the struggle with the sand into which our feet sank over +our ankles, almost insuperable. Those burdened with baggage soon showed +signs of distress. Many were now carrying a parcel for the first time in +their lives and the ordeal completely broke them up. Prince L---- had a +heavy bag, and before he had gone far the soft skin of one hand had been +completely chafed away, leaving a gaping, bleeding wound. To make +matters worse the hot sand was drifting sulkily and clogging his wound +set up untold agony. + +Prince L---- made a representation to the officer-in-charge, showing his +bleeding hand, but he was received with a mocking smirk and a curt +command to "Move on!" The weaker burdened prisoners lagged, but the +bayonet revived them. One or two gave out completely, but others, such +as myself, who were not encumbered, extended a helping hand, +half-carrying them up the hill. + +Reaching the camp the Commanding Officer, a friendly old General whose +name I never heard, hurried up. + +"What's the meaning of this?" he blurted out in amazement. + +"Prisoners of war for internment!" replied our officer-in-charge. + +"But I don't know anything about them. I have received no instructions. +There is no accommodation for them here!" protested the General. + +Our officer produced his imposing sheaf of papers and the two +disappeared into the office. + +The feelings of the party at this intelligence may be conceived. The +majority dropped, in a state of semi-collapse in the sand, their +belongings strewn around them, utter dejection written on their faces. + +After what I had experienced at Wesel I was prepared for anything. I had +already learned the futility of giving way. I felt no inclination to sit +or lie in the blistering sand. I caught sight of a stretch of inviting +turf, made my way to it, and threw myself down upon it. But I was not to +enjoy the luxury of Nature's couch. A soldier came bustling up and +before I grasped his intentions I was hustled off, with the intimation +that if I wanted to lie down I must do so in the sand. + +The fact that no arrangements had been made for our reception was only +too obvious. It was about noon when the two officers disappeared into +the official building to discuss the papers referring to our arrival, +and it was six in the evening before they had come to any decision. +Throughout these six hours we were left lying on the scorching sand in +the broiling sun without a bite of food. Seeing that many of us had +eaten little or nothing since the early evening of the previous day it +is not surprising that the greater part were knocked up. One or two of +us caught sight of the canteen provided for the convenience of recruits, +and succeeded in getting a few mouthfuls, but they were not worth +consideration. I myself whiled away the time by enjoying a wash at the +pump and giving myself the luxury of a shave. I bought a small cake of +coarse soap and never enjoyed an ablution so keenly as that _al fresco_ +wash, shave, shampoo, and brush-up at Sennelager. When I came back +thoroughly refreshed I had changed my appearance so completely that I +was scarcely recognised. Even the soldiers looked at me twice to make +sure I was the correct man. + +Later a doctor appeared upon the scene. His name was Dr. Ascher, and as +events proved he was the only friend we ever had in the camp. He +enquired if any one felt ill. Needless to say a goodly number, suffering +from hunger, thirst and fatigue, responded to his enquiry. Realising the +reason for their unfortunate plight he bustled up to the Commanding +Officer and emphasised the urgent necessity to give us a meal. But he +was not entirely successful. Then he inspected us one by one, giving a +cheering word here, and cracking a friendly joke there. The hand of +Prince L---- received instant attention, while other slight injuries +were also sympathetically treated. The hearts of one and all went out to +this ministering angel, to whose work and indefatigable efforts on our +behalf I refer in a subsequent chapter. + +At last we were ordered to the barracks near by. It was a large masonry +building, each room being provided with beds and straw upon the floor. +Subsequently, however, we were moved to less comfortable quarters where +there were three buildings in one, but subdivided by thick masonry +walls, thereby preventing all intercommunication. Here our sleeping +accommodation comprised bunks, disposed in two tiers, made of wood and +with a sack as a mattress. + +Whether it is my natural disposition or ancestral blood I do not know, +but it has ever been my practice in life to emulate Mark Tapley and to +see the humorous aspect of the most depressing situation. The "luxurious +hotel," to which we were consigned according "to the best and most noble +traditions of German honour," moved me to unrestrained mirth, when once +I had taken in our surroundings. My levity fell like a cold water douche +upon my companions, while the guards frowned menacingly. But to me it +was impossible to refrain from an outburst of merriment. It was quite in +accordance with German promises, which are composed of the two +ingredients--uncompromising bluff and unabashed deliberate lying, +leavened with a sprinkling of disarming suavity. I had tasted this +characteristic at Wesel and frankly was not a bit surprised at anything +which loomed up, always resolving at all hazards to make the best of an +uncomfortable position. + +Upon turning into our unattractive suite our first proceeding was to +elect a Captain of our barrack. Selection fell upon Mr. K----, as he was +an ideal intermediary, being fluent in the language. We turned in, the +majority being too tired to growl at their lot, but there was precious +little sleep. During the day, the heat at Sennelager in the summer is +intolerable, but during the night it is freezing. Our arrival not having +been anticipated, we had nothing with which to keep ourselves warm. A +few days passed before the luxury of a blanket was bestowed upon us. + +The morning after our arrival we drew up an imposing list of complaints +for which we demanded immediate redress. We also expressed in detail our +requirements, which we requested to be fulfilled forthwith. Then we +decided to apportion this part of the camp for cricket, that for general +recreation and so forth. By the time we had completed our intentions, +all of which were carried unanimously, several sheets of foolscap had +been filled, or rather would have been filled had we been possessed of +any paper. This duty completed we set out upon an exploring expedition, +intending to inspect all corners of the camp. But if we thought we were +going to wander whither we pleased we were soon disillusioned. We were +huddled in one corner and our boundaries, although undefined in the +concrete were substantial in the abstract, being imaginary lines run +between sentries standing with loaded rifles and fixed bayonets. + +One and all wondered how we should be able to pass away the time. We +could neither write nor read owing to a complete lack of facilities. +Idleness would surely drive us crazy. Our recreations were severely +limited, depending upon our own ingenuity. For the first few days we +could do nothing beyond promenading, discussing the war and our +situation. These two subjects were speedily worn thread-bare since we +knew nothing about the first topic and were only able to speculate +vaguely about the second. The idea of being made to work never entered +our heads for a moment. Were we not civilian prisoners of war: the +victims of circumstances under the shield of the best traditions of +German honour? + +But we were not the first arrivals at Sennelager. We were preceded by a +few hours by a party of French soldiers--captives of war. They were +extremely sullen. Travel and battle-stained they crouched and stretched +themselves upon the ground. Whence they came I was never able to +discover. One or two of our party who were versed in the French tongue +endeavoured to draw them into conversation, but to no purpose. They +either replied in vague monosyllables or deliberately ignored the +questions. There is no doubt the poor fellows felt their early capture +very sorely, and had accordingly sunk into the depths of despair. Sulky +and morose they glared fiercely upon any approach, and when they did +anything it was with an ill-grace impossible to describe. Indeed, they +were so downcast that they refused to pay the slightest attention to +their personal appearance, which accentuated their forbidding aspect. + +Killing time as best we could, doing nothing soon began to reveal its +ill-effects upon those who, like myself, had always led an active life. +I approached Dr. Ascher, explained that idleness would drive me mad, and +petitioned him to permit me to work in the hospital. I did not care what +the job was so long as it effectively kept me employed. He sympathised +with my suggestion and hurried off to the Commanding Officer. But he +came back shaking his head negatively. The authorities would not +entertain the proposal for an instant. + +Suddenly we were paraded. Rakes and brooms were served out to every man +and we were curtly ordered to sweep the roads. We buckled into this +task. But the dust was thick and the day was hot. Soon we were all +perspiring freely. But we were not permitted to rest. Over us was placed +a bull-headed, fierce-looking Prussian soldier armed with a murderous +looking whip. I should think he had been an animal trainer before being +mobilised from the manner in which he cracked that whip. When he saw any +one taking a breather up he came, glaring menacingly and cracking the +whip with the ferocity of a lion-tamer. We evinced a quaint respect for +that whip, and I firmly believe that our guardian inwardly fretted and +fumed because he was denied the opportunity to lay it across our backs. +Several of us nearly got it, however. + +We were sweeping away merrily when, suddenly, we gave way to a wild +outburst of mirth. One couldn't sweep for laughing. The guards around us +looked on in wonder. + +"Christopher! boys!" I at last blurted out, "We were talking just now +about recreation, and were emphatic about what we were, and were not, +going to do. I reckon this wants a lot of beating for recreation!" The +oddity of the situation so tickled us that we had to collapse from +laughter. + +But a warning shout brought us to our feet. Mr. Mobilised Lion Tamer was +bearing down upon us waving his whip. He lashed out. We saw it coming +and dodged. By the time the thong struck the road we were brushing up +dense clouds of dust, singing, whistling, and roaring the words, +"Britons never shall be slaves!" + +The dust screen saved us. It was so efficient that the furious guardian +with the whip had to beat a hurried retreat. + +One morning we were paraded at six o'clock as usual. The adjutant, +another fierce-visaged Prussian, astride his horse, faced us. With +assumed majesty he roared out an order. The guards closed in. What was +going to happen now? + +Amid a tense silence he shouted spluttering with rage:-- + +"You damned English swine! Yes! You English dogs! You are the cause of +this war, and you will have to suffer for it. We could punish you +severely. But that is not the German way. We could make you work. But +the traditions of German honour forbid. Your Government has gouged out +the eyes of German prisoners who have had the misfortune to fall into +their hands. We don't propose to take those measures. While your +Government has stopped at nothing we are going to show you how Germany +fulfils the traditions of her honour, and respects the laws to which all +civilised nations have subscribed. But remember! We are going to bring +England to her knees. Aren't we, men?" + +"Ja! Ja!" (Yes! Yes!) came the wild singing reply from the excited +guards. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +BREAKING US IN AT SENNELAGER + + +No doubt the pompous adjutant plumed himself upon his tirade and the +impression it had created among the guards. But at the time it was as so +much Greek to us. We wondered what it all meant and what had prompted +his strange speech. + +It was not until my return home that I was able to appreciate the +reason. But the bitterness with which he delivered his harangue +certainly proved that he believed the stories which had evidently been +sedulously circulated throughout Germany relative to the alleged +mal-treatment and torture of German military prisoners by the British. +Unfortunately, no steps apparently were taken to disprove these +deliberate lying statements for which we had to pay the penalty. + +But I was not reassured by the Adjutant's honeyed words concerning the +example which Germany proposed to set to the British. I guessed that +something which would not redound to our welfare and comfort was in the +air. It is the German method to preach one thing and to practise +something diametrically opposite. I had already learned this. Nor was I +destined to be mistaken in my surmise. + +A little later there was another parade. The officer roared, + +"All those who are engineers step out!" + +A number, including myself, although absolutely ignorant of the craft, +stepped out, because here was the opportunity to secure some form of +active employment. + +"You are engineers?" he shouted. + +We nodded assent. + +"Can you build a drain?" + +Again we nodded affirmatively. + +We were marshalled, and one of us, Mr. C----, who was a civil engineer, +was selected as leader. We were marched off and set to work to dig a +drain for the camp. + +We built that drain, but it was necessity's labour lost. We were not +provided with proper drain pipes but made an open conduit. We had to go +to the quarry to get the stone, which we broke into small pieces, and +these were set out in concave form at the bottom of the trench we had +excavated after the manner in which cobble stones are laid. I believe it +was considered to be an excellent piece of work, but unfortunately it +was of little use. The first wind and rain that came along dumped the +sand into it with the result that it became filled up. + +A day or two later there was another parade. Once more the officer stood +before us with a long sheet of paper in his hand. + +"All those who can do wire-pulling stand out!" + +Those who knew about what he was talking advanced to form a little +group. + +"All those who are gardeners stand out!" + +More men advanced and another group resulted. + +The officer went right through his list calling out a long string of +trades and callings. The result was our sub-division into a number of +small units, each capable of fulfilling some task. A sentry was +appointed to each group and we were hurried off to the particular toil +for which we considered ourselves to be fitted, and about which I will +say more later. + +If the accommodation at the "luxurious hotel" was wretched the routine +and cuisine were worse. We were under military discipline as it is +practised in Prussia, and it was enforced with the utmost rigour. We +were not permitted to speak to an officer under any pretext whatever. +Any complaints or requests had to be carried to the authorities through +our "Captain," who was also the officially recognised interpreter. If we +met an officer we were commanded to raise our hats. + +[*gap] + +The day started at 6.0 a.m., with parade. If we desired to have a wash +and shave we had to be astir an hour earlier because otherwise we were +not allowed to perform those essential duties until late in the evening. +After parade we had breakfast--a basin of lukewarm "coffee" made from +acorns roasted and ground, which we had to fetch, and with which neither +milk nor sugar was served. + +At seven o'clock we started the day's work, which was continued without +respite until mid-day. At least that was the official order, but one or +two of the guards were far from being harsh towards us. In the middle of +the morning, as in our case, the warder, after a wary look round, would +ask if we would like to rest for ten minutes to snatch something to eat +if we had it. Needless to say the slight respite was greatly +appreciated. But it was by no means the general practice. One or two of +the sentries were so deeply incensed against England that they took the +opportunity to bait and badger the men in their charge without mercy. +They kept the prisoners under them going hard without a break or pause. + +At noon we returned to barracks for dinner. Arming ourselves with our +basins we scrambled down to the cook-house for our rations. It was +red-cabbage soup, and it was never varied. But it was the strangest soup +I have ever seen made or tasted, more particularly during the early +days. + +There was a big cauldron with boiling water. Alongside was a table on +which the cabbages were cut up. A handful of cabbage was picked up and +dumped into the cauldron. Directly it hit the water the cabbage was +considered to be cooked and was served out. Consequently the meal +comprised merely a basin of sloshy boiling water in which floated some +shreds of uncooked red cabbage. Sometimes the first batch of men +succeeded in finding the cabbage warmed through: it had been left in the +water for a few seconds. But the last batch invariably fared badly. The +cooks realising that there would be insufficient to go round forthwith +dumped in two or three buckets of cold water to eke it out. Sometimes, +but on very rare occasions, a little potato, and perhaps a bone which +had once been associated with meat, would be found in the basin lurking +under a piece of cabbage leaf. Ultimately some French and Belgians were +put in charge of the kitchen. Then there was a slight improvement. The +cabbage was generally well-cooked and the soup was hot. But although +these cooks did their best, it did not amount to much, for the simple +reason that the authorities would not permit any further ingredients +whatever. + +At 2.0 p.m., there was another parade, followed by a return to work +which was continued without intermission for another four hours. At six +in the evening we returned to barracks for a third parade after which we +were dismissed for tea. This was another far from appetising meal, +merely constituting a repetition of the breakfast ration--a basin of +lukewarm acorn coffee without milk or sugar. In addition to the +foregoing we were served with a portion of a loaf of black bread on +alternate mornings. This supply, if you got it, had to last six meals. + +It will be realised that our wardens were far from being disposed to +feed us up. We grumbled against the rations, their monotony and +insufficiency, but we received no amelioration of our condition. In +fact, our petitions were ignored. We were told that if we wanted more or +greater variety of food we must buy it from the canteen. We had to act +upon this recommendation just to keep ourselves alive. + +The canteen was run by the most unprincipled scoundrel I have ever met. +He was a civilian speculator who saw the chance to fatten on the +British prisoners. He fleeced us in two ways. Not only were his prices +extortionate, but he gave a ridiculous exchange for British currency, +especially gold. After considerable persuasion and deliberation he would +change a half sovereign for 7-1/2 marks--7s. 6d. We complained but could +get no redress for such a depreciation. Other coins were in proportion. + +Broedchen in limited quantities were brought in every day. We could buy +these at 5 pfennigs--one halfpenny--apiece, or in the early days three +for 10 pfennigs. The latter practice was abandoned when the pinch of +flour shortage commenced to be felt. The broedchen came in during the +night, and owing to the totally inadequate quantity purchased to meet +our needs, one had to be about early to secure a supply. I, with others, +have often been up at four o'clock in the morning, lounging around the +canteen, so as to be among the first to be served when it opened at five +o'clock. The scenes which were enacted around the canteen in the early +morning are indescribable. Civilians strangely clad, and later badly +wounded, limping soldiers, sickly and white, waited patiently, no matter +what the weather, to buy a little bread. + +The necessity to depend upon the canteen for a sufficiency of food to +keep us alive hit those who were blessed with little money extremely +hard. There was one man--he said he was an Englishman, although I have +my doubts about it--who was brought to the camp. He had not a farthing +in his pocket. He said his home was near the frontier, and that he often +slipped across it for a ride on his bicycle. He related that he had been +caught during one of these excursions, to find himself ultimately at +Sennelager. That man was a mystery. He was kept alive by the others more +or less, and he accompanied us to various prisons. But subsequently he +obtained his papers in a mysterious manner, and was seen no more. He +vanished in the darkness as it were, and the German guards were not +disposed to talk about him. It has always been our suspicion that he +was sent among us with an ulterior motive which it is impossible to +divine. + +Those who could not purchase supplies from the canteen were assisted by +their more fortunate comrades. The lucky ones divided their purchases so +that the unfortunate individuals might not feel their position or suffer +want. This practice was tangibly assisted by one or two prisoners who +were well supplied with money, especially Prince L----, who became the +general favourite of the camp from his fellow-feeling, camaraderie, +sympathy, and sportsmanship. + +One morning he came across a poor prisoner who looked very ill. He +appeared to be half starved, as indeed he was from his inability to buy +any food. After a short conversation the Prince slipped five sovereigns +into the man's hand and bolted before he could be thanked. Unfortunately +this poor fellow is still in prison, but he has never forgotten the +Prince's kindness. + +The day after our arrival at Sennelager the Prince came to me and drew +my attention to my shirtless condition. I explained the reason for its +disappearance and that I could not get another as the authorities were +still holding my heavy baggage containing further supplies. He said +nothing as he went away, but a quarter of an hour later he returned with +a new garment from his own kit which he forced me to accept. Another +day, the party with which I was working were coming in to the evening +meal. He hailed us and invited one and all to accompany him to the +canteen to have a chop with him. That was the finest meal I had tasted +since my feast in Wesel prison. Some time later Prince L---- succeeded +in getting home. Although he was heartily congratulated upon his good +fortune, his absence was sorely felt by those whom he was in the habit +of befriending. + +At nine o'clock we had to be in bed. Some of the more untameable spirits +rebelled at the order to extinguish lights at this hour, but in our +barrack Captain K---- rigidly insisted that the regulation should be +observed. He feared the antagonism of the officers might be aroused, in +which event we should be made to suffer for our fractiousness. The +disputes between the prisoners and the sentries over the lights were +interminable. The men would be ordered to extinguish their oil lamp. If +they did not respond with sufficient alacrity the sentry cluttered up +and put it out himself. At a later date, however, the hour for "lights +out" was extended to 10 p.m. + +The German nation is ever held up as the world's apostle of hygiene and +sanitary science. However true this may be in regard to civic and rural +life it certainly does not apply to prison and military existence. We +were occupying the quarters normally assigned to recruits. Yet +Sennelager was absolutely devoid of the most primitive features of a +safe sanitary system. There was an open cesspool within a stone's throw +of the barracks, the stench from which, during the heat of the summer, +may be better imagined than described. No disinfectants whatever were +used, and at intervals of three days it was emptied by the crudest means +imaginable, on which occasions the barracks were not only untenantable +but absolutely unapproachable. In fact, the conditions were so primitive +and revolting that the outbreak of an epidemic was momentarily expected, +not only by ourselves but by the authorities as well. + +This danger was brought home to us when we were compelled to submit to +the ordeal of vaccination. Even this task was carried out under +conditions which no other civilised country would permit for a moment, +for the simple reason that antiseptic precautions were conspicuous by +their complete absence. The order arrived that we were to be vaccinated +on such and such a morning "in the interests of the camp--both prisoners +and soldiers." We were ordered to line up in a queue outside a small +building which we were to enter singly in succession. We were commanded +to have our arms bared to the shoulder in readiness. Vaccination was not +carried out by Dr. Ascher, the official medical attendant to the camp, +but by a young military doctor who came especially for the purpose. + +Whether it was because the temperature within the small building was too +sultry or not I cannot say, but the vaccinator decided to complete his +work in the open air, the fact that a dust-storm was raging +notwithstanding. The military doctor was accompanied by a colleague +carrying a small pot or basin which evidently contained the serum. The +operation was performed quickly if crudely. The vaccinator stopped +before a man, dipped his lance or whatever the instrument was into the +jar, and gripping the arm tightly just above the elbow, made four big +slashes on the muscle. The incisions were large, deep, and +brutal-looking. Then he passed to the next man, repeating the process, +and so on all along the line. He took no notice of the dust which was +driving hither and thither in clouds. + +Whether by misfortune or mishap I received four striking gashes, and the +shape of the incisions made me wonder whether the vaccinator thought he +was playing a game of noughts and crosses with a scalpel upon my arm. +After we had been wounded in this manner we were in a quandary. Our arms +were thickly covered with the drifting sand. Our shirt sleeves were +equally soiled. Consequently infection of the wound appeared to be +inevitable whatever we did. In this unhappy frame of mind and dirty +condition we were dismissed. Unfortunately for me I proved resistant to +the serum, and had to submit to the operation a second time with equally +abortive results. One or two of the prisoners suffered untold agonies, +blood-poisoning evidently setting in to aggravate the action of the +serum. + +The primitive sanitary arrangements which prevailed brought one plague +upon us. We suffered from a pestilence of flies which under the +circumstances was not surprising, everything being conducive to their +propagation. They swarmed around us in thick black clouds. They recalled +the British housefly, only they were much larger, and extremely +pugnacious. Life within the barracks became almost impossible owing to +their attacks and the severity of their stings, which set up maddening +irritation. We petitioned the authorities to allow us a supply of +fly-papers. After considerable demur they acquiesced, but we could not +use them, or rather they were used up too rapidly. The evening we +received them we decided to attach a few to the ceiling, but before we +could fix them in position their fly-catching capacities were exhausted. +They were covered with a heaving, buzzing black mass of insects within a +minute. So we abandoned fly-catching tactics. + +This pestilence harassed us sorely during our meals. They settled +everywhere and upon everything. While butter or margarine were +unobtainable at the canteen we were able to purchase a substance which +resembled honey in appearance, colour, and taste. Indeed we were told +that it was an artificial product of the beehive. When we spread this +upon our bread the flies swarmed to the attack, and before the food +could be raised to our mouths the bread was not to be seen for flies. At +first we spent considerable effort in brushing the insects away, but +their numbers were too overwhelming to be resisted, so we were compelled +to run the risk of the flies, and I, in common with others, have eaten +bread, honey, and flies as well! It took considerable time and effort to +master such a revolting meal, but under these conditions, it was either +flies or nothing, so we ran the risk of the insects, although it cannot +be said that they contributed to the tastiness of an already indifferent +food, or our peace of mind, because we could not dismiss thoughts of the +cesspool which the flies made their happy hunting-ground during the +periods between meals. + +Infraction of the rules and regulations were frequent, for the simple +reason that they were never explained to us. We had to learn them as +best we could--invariably through the experience of punishment. This +state of affairs placed us at the mercy of the guards. Those who were +venomously anti-British expended their savagery upon us on every +occasion. For the slightest misdemeanour we were consigned to the cells +for one, two, three, or more days. The cell recalled my domicile in +Wesel, and I must confess that I made the acquaintance of its uninviting +interior upon several occasions through inadvertently breaking some +rule. But the others fared no better in this respect. It was cells for +anything. + +This prison was a small masonry building, fitted with a tiny grating. It +was devoid of all appointments, not even a plank bed being provided. To +sleep one had to stretch one's self on the floor and secure as much +comfort as the cold stone would afford. Bread and water was the diet. +All exercise was denied, except possibly for the brief stretch +accompanied by the sentry to fetch the mid-day meal of soup, assuming +the offence permitted such food in the dietary, from the cook-house. +Conversation with a fellow-creature was rigidly _verboten_. It was +solitary confinement in its most brutal form. + +The method of punishment was typically Prussian. If one upset the guard +by word or deed, he clapped you in the cell right-away and left you +there. Possibly he went off to his superior officer to report your +offence. But the probability was that he did not. Indeed it was quite +likely that he forgot all about you for a time, because the sentry at +the door never raised the slightest interrogation concerning a prisoner +within. More than once a prisoner was forgotten in this manner, and +accordingly was condemned to the silence, solitude, and dismal gloom of +the tiny prison until the guard chanced to recall him to mind. + +During my period of incarceration at Sennelager the number of civil +prisoners brought in to swell our party was somewhat slender. They came +in small batches of ten or twelve, but were often fewer in number. They +invariably arrived about two o'clock in the morning. Then the sentry +would come thumping into the barrack, his heavy boots resounding like +horse's hoofs and his rifle clanging madly. Reaching the room he would +yell out with all the power of his lungs, thus awaking every one, +"Dolmetscher! Dolmetscher!" (Interpreter! Interpreter!) "Get up!" That +luckless individual had to bestir himself, tumble into his clothes and +hurry to the office to assist the authorities in the official +interrogation of the latest arrivals. This was one of the little worries +which were sent to try us, but we soon became inured to the rude +disturbance of our rest, in which the average sentry took a fiendish +delight. + +By the time the first Sunday came round, and having nothing to do--all +labour was suspended, although no religious service was held--I decided +to wash my solitary shirt. I purchased a small cake of cheap rough soap +from the canteen, got a wooden tub, and stripping myself to the waist, +washed out the article in question outside the barrack door to the +amusement of my colleagues. While I was busily engaged in this necessary +occupation I was attracted by tittering and chattering. Looking up I +found I was the object of curiosity among a crowd of civilians dressed +in their Sunday best. Together with my fellow-prisoners I hurriedly +retired to the sanctuary of our barracks. + +Later we learned that on Sundays the residents of Paderborn and the +countryside around were free to enter the camp to have a look at the +British prisoners. Indeed they were invited. They stalked and wandered +about the camp in much the same manner as they would have strolled +through the Zoological Gardens in Berlin, looking at us as if we were +strange exotic animals, chattering, laughing, and joking among +themselves at our expense. We considered this an unwarrantable +humiliation, and we countered it by the only means within our power. We +resolutely stayed indoors until the gaping crowds had gone. This +diversion of the German public, if such it may be called, speedily fell +into desuetude, not because the novelty wore off, but because the +"Englaender" were never to be seen, so that the six-mile tramp from +Paderborn to Sennelager and back was merely wasted. It was a bitter +disappointment to the curiosity-provoked crowds, but we scored a +distinct success. + +The first Sunday I had to wander about shirtless, the only garment of +this character which I possessed hanging upon the line to dry. But the +sight of a crowd of us, on Sunday mornings, stripped bare to our waists, +washing and scrubbing the only shirts to our backs, became quite a +common sight later, and I must confess that we made merry over this +weekly duty for a time. + +We had not been in Sennelager many days before we discovered to our cost +that we were all suffering solitary confinement. We were completely +isolated from the outside world. We were not permitted to receive any +letters or parcels. Neither were we allowed to communicate with anyone +outside. Newspapers were also sternly forbidden. These regulations were +enforced with the utmost rigour during my stay at this camp. +Consequently we knew nothing whatever about the outside world, and the +outside world knew nothing about us. Early in September I did succeed in +getting two post-cards away, but I ascertained afterwards that they did +not reach their destinations until some weeks after I had left +Sennelager. We felt this isolation very keenly because one and all were +wondering vaguely what our wives, families, friends, or relatives were +doing. + +About ten days after our arrival at this hostelry there was a parade. +The adjutant strutted before us with the pride of a peacock, and in his +pompous voice cried: + +"All prisoners who reside in Germany because of their business +connections, or who are married to German wives, will be permitted to +return to their homes!" + +This announcement precipitated wild excitement because it affected from +twenty to thirty prisoners. Needless to say they packed their bags with +frantic speed, as if fearing cancellation of the welcome news, and +emerging from the barracks hastened to receive their passes to make +their way to Paderborn. Among them was the head of our barrack, Captain +K----. A strong friendship had sprung up between him and me, and we +shook hands vigorously though silently. He invited many others and +myself, in the event of our being given permission to move about the +country, to come and stay at his house near C----. + +While every man Jack of us who was left behind was heavy in his heart +and became sad because he was not numbered among the privileged few, we +were by no means cast down. As the small party of free men walked +towards the entrance we gave them a frantic and wild parting cheer. It +was the first time we had let ourselves go and we did it with a +vengeance. The German officers and men started as if electrified, and +looked at us in amazement. They thought we had gone mad. Beside us stood +one of the guards. He turned to us, his eyes and mouth wide open, to +mutter: + +"My God! You English are a funny race!" + +"What's the matter?" we returned. + +"What? You cheer those fellows who are going home and yet you are being +left here!" + +"Why not? Good luck to them!" and we let fly another terrific huzza to +speed them on their way. + +The guard shook his head, thoroughly puzzled. He did not understand the +psychology of the British race any more than his superiors. + +"But why do you cheer?" pursued the guard. + +"Because we are English," swiftly retorted one of our party. The guard +said no more. + +A day or two after the departure of our colleagues there was a change in +the command of the camp. The old General was superseded by a man whose +name will never be forgotten by the British prisoners of Sennelager +Camp. They will ever couple him with the infamous instigator of the +"Black Hole of Calcutta." + +This was Major Bach. Upon his assumption of the command he inaugurated +what can only be truthfully described as a Reign of Terror. Tall, of +decided military bearing, he had the face of a ferret and was as +repulsive. With his sardonic grin he recalled no one so vividly as the +"Villain of the Vic!" + +The morning after his arrival he paraded us all, and in a quiet suave +voice which he could command at times stated: + +"English prisoners! Arrangements are being made for your instant return +to England. A day or two must pass before you can go, to enable the +necessary papers to be completed and put in order. But you will not have +to do any more work." + +We were dismissed and I can assure you that we were a merry, excited +crowd. We jumped for joy at the thought that our imprisonment had come +to an end. Like schoolboys we hastened to the barracks and feverishly +set to work packing our bags, whistling and singing joyously meanwhile. + +Suddenly the bugle rang out summoning us to parade again. We rushed out, +all agog with excitement, and half hoping that our release would be +immediate. The Adjutant confronted us and in a loud voice roared: + +"English prisoners! You've been told that you are going back to England. +That was a mistake. You will get to work at once!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +BADGERING THE BRITISH HEROES FROM MONS + + +It was about a fortnight after my arrival at Sennelager. Our rest had +been rudely disturbed about the usual hour of 2 a.m. by the sentry who +came clattering into the barrack roaring excitedly, "Dolmetscher! +Dolmetscher!" + +C---- who, after the departure of K----, had been elected Captain of our +barrack and who was also the official interpreter, answered the summons. +He was required to accompany the guards to the station. A further batch +of British prisoners had arrived. By this time we had grown accustomed +to this kind of nocturnal disturbance, so after C---- had passed out the +rest of the barrack re-settled down to sleep. + +I was astir just after four o'clock. It was my turn to serve as +barrack-room orderly for the day, and I started in early to complete my +task before 5.30 so as to secure the opportunity to shave and wash +before parade. + +I was outside the barrack when my attention was aroused by the sound of +tramping feet. Looking down the road I was surprised to see a huge +column of dust, and what appeared to be a never-ending crowd of +soldiers, marching in column. It was such an unusual sight, we never +having witnessed the arrival of more than a dozen prisoners at a time, +that, especially the moment I descried the uniforms, my curiosity was +aroused. Many of my comrades were astir and partly dressed when I gave a +hail, so they hurried out to join me. + +The army, for such it seemed, advanced amidst clouds of dust. As they +drew nearer we identified those at the head as Belgian soldiers. They +swung by without faltering. Behind them came a small army of French +prisoners. We could not help noticing the comparatively small number of +wounded among both the Belgians and the French, and although they were +undoubtedly dejected at their unfortunate capture they were apparently +in fine fettle. + +But it was the men who formed the rear of this depressing cavalcade, and +who also numbered several hundreds, which aroused our keenest interest +and pity. From their khaki uniforms it was easy to determine their +nationality. They were British military prisoners. + +It was a sad and pitiful procession, and it was with the greatest +difficulty we could suppress our emotion. The tears welled to our eyes +as we looked on in silent sympathy. We would have given those hardened +warriors a rousing cheer but we dared not. The guards would have +resented such an outburst, which would have rendered the lot of the +British, both civilian and military, a hundred times worse. + +The soldiers, battle-stained, blood-stained, weary of foot, body and +mind walked more like mechanical toys than men in the prime of life. +Their clothes were stained almost beyond recognition; their faces were +ragged with hair and smeared with dirt. But though oppressed, tired, +hungry and thirsty they were far from being cast down, although many +could scarcely move one foot before the other. + +The most touching sight was the tenderness with which the unwounded and +less injured assisted their weaker comrades. Some of the worst cases +must have been suffering excruciating agony, but they bore their pain +with the stoicism of a Red Indian. The proportion of wounded was +terrifying: every man appeared to be carrying one scar or another. As +they swung by us they gave us a silent greeting which we returned, but +there was far more significance in that mute conversation with eyes and +slight movements of the hands than in volumes of words and frantic +cheering. + +The brutal reception they had received from their captors was only too +apparent. Those who were so terribly wounded as to be beyond helping +themselves received neither stretcher nor ambulance. They had to hobble, +limp and drag themselves along as best they could, profiting from the +helping hand extended by a comrade. Those who were absolutely unable to +walk had to be carried by their chums, and it was pathetic to observe +the tender care, solicitude and effort which were displayed so as to +spare the luckless ones the slightest jolt or pain while being carried +in uncomfortable positions and attitudes over the thickly dust-strewn +and uneven road. The fortitude of the badly battered was wonderful. They +forgot their sufferings, and were even bandying jest and joke. Their +cheeriness under the most terrible conditions was soul-moving. No one +can testify more truthfully to the Tapley cheeriness of the British +soldier under the most adverse conditions than the little knot of +civilian prisoners at Sennelager when brought face to face for the first +time with the fearful toll of war. + +The unhappy plight of our heroic fighting men, as we watched them march +towards what was called the "field," which was nearly a mile beyond our +barracks, provoked an immediate council of war among ourselves. It was +only too apparent that we must exert ourselves on their behalf. +Unfortunately, however, we were not in a position to extend them +pronounced assistance: our captors saw to that. But we divided up into +small parties and succeeded in giving all the aid that was in our power. + +The soldiers were accommodated in tents. We had observed the raising of +a canvas town upon the "field," and had been vaguely wondering for what +it was required. Were German recruits coming to Sennelager to undergo +their training, or were we to be transferred from the barracks to tents? +At first we thought the latter the more probable, but as we reflected +upon the size of canvas-town we concluded that provision was being made +for something of far greater importance. + +The Belgian prisoners were sent into the stables. These, however, were +scrupulously clean and empty of all the incidentals generally associated +with such buildings, because the civilian prisoners had been compelled +to scour them out a few days before. Consequently the Belgians had no +room for protest against the character of their quarters, except perhaps +upon the ground of being somewhat over-crowded. A number of the French +soldiers were also distributed among the stables, but the surplus shared +tents near their British comrades. + +Upon reaching the field the prisoners were paraded. Each man was +subjected to a searching cross-examination, and had to supply his name +and particulars of the regiment to which he belonged. All these details +were carefully recorded. In the preparation of this register the German +inquisitors betrayed extraordinary anxiety to ascertain the disposition +of the British troops and the regiments engaged in the battle-line. +Evidently they were in a state of complete ignorance upon this point. +Nearly every soldier was requested to give the name of the place where +he had been fighting, wounded, and captured. But the British soldiers +did not lose their presence of mind. They saw through the object of +these interrogations and their replies for the most part were extremely +unsatisfactory. The man either did not know, could not recall, or had +forgotten where he had been fighting, and was exceedingly hazy about +what regiments were forming the British army. In some instances, +however, the desired data was forthcoming from those who were most +severely wounded, the poor fellows in their misery failing to grasp the +real significance of the interpellations. It was easy to realise the +extreme value of the details which were given in this manner because +the Germans chuckled, chattered, and cackled like a flock of magpies. +As may be supposed, owing to the exacting nature of the search for +information, the registration of the prisoners occupied a considerable +time. + +[*large gap] + +Later, during the day of their arrival, we civilian prisoners had the +opportunity to fraternise with our fighting compatriots. Then we +ascertained that they had been wounded and captured during the retreat +from Mons. But they had been subjected to the most barbarous treatment +conceivable. They had received no skilled or any other attention upon +the battlefield. They had merely bound up one another's wounds as best +they could with materials which happened to be at hand, or had been +forced to allow the wounds to remain open and exposed to the air. +Bleeding and torn they had been bundled unceremoniously into a train, +herded like cattle, and had been four days and nights travelling from +the battlefield to Sennelager. + +During these 96 hours they had tasted neither food nor water! The train +was absolutely deficient in any commissariat, and the soldiers had not +been permitted to satisfy their cravings, even to the slightest degree, +and even if they were in the possession of the wherewithal, by the +purchase of food at stations at which the train had happened to stop. +What with the fatigue of battle and this prolonged enforced abstinence +from the bare necessaries of life, it is not surprising that they +reached Sennelager in a precarious and pitiful condition. + +Among our heroes were five commissioned officers, including a major. +These were accommodated at Sennelager for about a fortnight but then +they were sent away, whither we never knew beyond the fact that they had +been condemned to safer imprisonment in a fortress. Among the prisoners +were also about 200 men belonging to the R.A.M.C., taken in direct +contravention of the generally accepted rules of war. They were treated +in precisely the same manner as the captured fighting men. There were +also a few non-commissioned officers who were permitted to retain their +authority within certain limits. + +One of the prisoners gave me a voluminous diary which he had kept, and +in which were chronicled the whole of his movements and impressions from +the moment he landed in France until his capture, including the Battle +of Mons. It was a remarkable human document, and I placed it in safe +keeping, intending to get it out of the camp and to send it to my friend +at home upon the first opportunity. But ill-luck dogged this enterprise. +The existence of the diary got to the ears of our wardens and I was +compelled to surrender it. + +The next morning the wounded received attention. The medical attendant +attached to the camp for the civilian prisoners, Dr. Ascher, was not +placed in command of this duty, although he extended assistance. A +German military surgeon was given the responsibility. The medical +arrangements provided by this official, who became unduly inflated with +the eminence of his position, were of the most arbitrary character. He +attended the camp at certain hours and he adhered to his time-table in +the most rigorous manner. If you were not there to time, no matter the +nature of your injury, you received no attention. Similarly, if the +number of patients lined up outside the diminutive hospital were in +excess of those to whom he could give attention during the hours he had +set forth, he would turn the surplus away with the intimation that they +could present themselves the next day at the same hour when perhaps he +would be able to see to them. It did not matter to him how serious was +the injury or the urgency for attention. His hours were laid down, and +he would not stay a minute later for anything. Fortunately, Dr. Ascher, +who resented this inflexible system, would attend the most pressing +cases upon his own initiative, for which, it is needless to say, he +received the most heartfelt thanks. + +Before the duty of examining the wounded soldiers commenced there was a +breeze between Dr. Ascher and the military surgeon. The former insisted +that the patients should receive attention as they lined up--first come +to be first served, and irrespective of nationality. But the military +doctor would have none of this. His hatred of the British was so intense +that he could not resist any opportunity to reveal his feelings. I +really think that he would willingly have refused to attend to the +British soldiers at all if his superior orders had not charged him with +this duty. So he did the next worse thing to harass our heroes. He +expressed his intention to attend first to the Belgians, then to the +French, and to the British last. They could wait, notwithstanding that +their injuries were more severe and the patients more numerous than +those of the other two Allies put together. This decision, however, was +only in consonance with the general practice of the camp--the British +were always placed last in everything. If the military surgeon thought +that his arbitrary attitude would provoke protests and complaints among +the British soldiers he was grievously mistaken, because they accepted +his decision without a murmur. + +The queue outside the hospital was exceedingly lengthy. The heat was +intense and grew intolerable as the day advanced and the sun climbed +higher into the heavens. To aggravate matters a dust-storm blew up. The +British wounded at the end of the line had a dreary, long, and agonising +wait. Half-dead from fatigue, hunger, and racked with pain it is not +surprising that many collapsed into the dust, more particularly as they +could not secure the slightest shelter or relief from the broiling sun. +As the hours wore on they dropped like flies, to receive no attention +whatever,--except from their less-wounded comrades, who strove might and +main to render the plight of the worst afflicted as tolerable as the +circumstances would permit. Dr. Ascher toiled in the hospital like a +Trojan, but the military doctor was not disposed to exert himself +unduly. + +To make matters worse this despicable disciple of AEsculapius came out, +and, notwithstanding the drifting and blowing sand, ordered all the +British prisoners to remove their bandages so that there might be no +delay when the hospital was reached. The men obeyed as best as they +could, but in many instances the bandages refused to release themselves +from the wound. The military doctor speedily solved this problem. He +caught hold of the untied end of the bandage and roughly tore it away. +The wounded man winced but not a sound came from his lips, although the +wrench must have provoked a terrible throb of pain, and in some +instances induced the injury to resume bleeding. Finding this brutal +treatment incapable of drawing the anticipated protest he relented with +the later prisoners, submitting the refractory bandages to preliminary +damping with water to coax the dressings free. + +With their bandages removed the soldiers presented a ghastly sight. +Their clothes were tattered and torn, blood-stained and mudstained, +while the raw wounds seemed to glare wickedly against the sun, air, and +dust. It was pitiable to see the men striving to protect their injuries +from the driving sand, in vain, because the sand penetrated everywhere. +Consequently the gaping wounds soon became clogged with dust, and it is +not surprising that blood-poisoning set in, gangrene supervening in many +instances. Under these conditions many injuries and wounds which would +have healed speedily under proper attention and which would have left +little or no permanent traces, developed into serious cases, some of +which resisted all treatment, finally demanding amputations. The +mutilation which ensued was terrible, and there is no doubt whatever +that many a limb was lost, condemning the wounded man to be a cripple +for life, just because he happened to be British, incurred the hostility +of the military surgeon, and was intentionally neglected. Matters were +aggravated by the military surgeon coming out of the hospital finally, +after the men had been standing uncomplainingly for several hours in the +baking heat, going a certain distance along the line, and then brutally +telling all those beyond that point that they could re-bind up their +wounds and come to see him the next morning. He had no time to attend to +them that day, he remarked. + +I do not know how our wounded heroes from Mons would have got on had it +not been for Dr. Ascher, the R.A.M.C. prisoners, ourselves, and a +British military doctor who happened to be among those captured on the +battlefield. The latter was not discovered for some time because he +refused to reveal his identity. Subsequently, realising the serious turn +which matters were taking, and observing the intentional and systematic +neglect which was being meted out to his unfortunate fellow-countrymen, +he buckled in and did wonderful work. Prince L---- and K---- also toiled +incessantly in the attempt to ameliorate the plight of our wounded. Many +of the soldiers were absolutely without funds, but these two civilians +extended them the assistance so sorely needed out of their own pockets, +purchasing food-stuffs from the canteen, which they distributed together +with other articles which were in urgent request, with every liberality. + +The lack of funds hit our wounded exceedingly hard. Although they were +on the sick list they received no special treatment. They were in dire +need of nourishing food suitable for invalids, but they never received +it. They were compelled, in common with ourselves who were in tolerably +good health, to subsist on milkless and sugarless acorn coffee, +cabbage-soup, and black bread, which cannot possibly be interpreted as +an invalid body-restoring dietary. As a result of this insufficient +feeding the soldiers commenced to fall away. + +This systematic starvation, for it was nothing more nor less, rendered +the soldiers well-nigh desperate. In order to secure the money wherewith +to supplement their meagre and uninviting non-nutritious food with +articles from the canteen, they were prepared to sell anything and +everything which could be turned into a few pence. Khaki overcoats were +freely sold for six shillings apiece. For sixpence you could buy a pair +of puttees. Even buttons were torn off and sold for what they would +fetch. One morning, on parade, a soldier whose face testified to the +ravages of hunger tore off his cardigan jacket and offered it to any one +for sixpence in order to buy bread. Little souvenirs which the soldiers +had picked up on the battlefield, and which they treasured highly, +hoping to take them home as mementoes of their battles, were sold to any +one who would buy. As a matter of fact some of the soldiers were +prepared to part with anything and everything in which they were +standing in order to get food. + +While we fraternised with the soldiers at the very first opportunity to +secure details of their experiences which were freely given and to learn +items of news, the German guards interfered. We had been kept in +complete ignorance of the progress of the war, and now we were learning +too much for our captors. I may say that all we heard about the war was +the occasional intelligence given when we were on parade. Major Bach +would stroll up with German newspapers in his hands and with fiendish +delight would give us items of news which he thought would interest us. +Needless to say the fragments always referred to brilliant German +victories and he used to watch our faces with grim pleasure to ascertain +the effect they produced upon us. At first we were somewhat impressed, +especially when he told us that Paris had been captured. But when he +related ten days later that it had fallen again, and that London was in +German hands, we smiled in spite of ourselves because we had trapped him +in his lying. + +We were now separated from our soldier friends, from whom we had gained +a more reliable insight concerning the state of affairs. The German +guards also gave themselves away by relating that they were embittered +against the British soldiers because they had fought like devils and had +wrought terrible havoc among the ranks of the German army. Consequently +the only opportunity which arose for conversation was during the +evenings around the canteen. Even then we had to be extremely cautious. +If the guard saw one or two civilians associated with a group of +Tommies, he would come up, force us apart at the point of the bayonet, +and make us proceed different ways. + +Our practice was to mingle singly and discreetly with the soldiers, and +then upon return to barracks exchange news we had gleaned. I may say it +became an unwritten law of the camp that, if a civilian took a soldier +into the canteen and asked him any questions, he was to reciprocate by +treating the Tommy to some little dainty which was obtainable. If we +asked nothing the soldier got nothing. This latter attitude was not due +to our resenting the idea of treating the soldier, but because many of +us were poor, or empty, in pocket ourselves. Although we did a +considerable amount of forced labour we never received a penny for it. + +I had a tilt at my guard one day over the payment of prisoners of war. +Although I knew nothing about the International law upon the subject I +made a venture. + +"Do you know?" I asked, "that as prisoners of war we are entitled to 60 +pfennigs--sixpence--a day for what work we do?" + +"Ja! Ja!" he grinned. "But as it costs us 90 pfennigs a day to keep you, +after deducting the 60 pfennigs, you still owe us 30 pfennigs a day!" + +The idea of us being in Germany's debt for our board and lodging was +certainly humorous. If any one asked me how much it cost the Teutonic +Government in this direction I should consider a halfpenny a day a very +liberal figure. + +The efforts of the prisoners to supplement their meagre and monotonous +official allowance of food by purchases at the canteen were handicapped +by the avariciousness and unprecedented rascality of the unprincipled +rogue who was in charge of this indispensable establishment. + +When a soldier had secured a few pence, say a shilling, by the sale of +this or that personal belonging, and proffered the coin to the canteen +proprietor, this worthy would pick it up, shrug his shoulders, and +disdainfully push the shilling back with the remark, "English money? No +good here! I can get very little for it!" + +At this pronouncement the soldier's face would fall. But dreading denial +of a "broetchen" of which he was in urgent need he would grow desperate. +He would push the coin across the counter again. + +"It must be worth something! Now how much will you give for it?" he +would ask pleadingly. + +With further demur, elevation of eyebrows, puckering of brows and +hesitancy the canteen proprietor would complete a mental arithmetical +sum in currency exchange. At last he would reluctantly quote a figure, +and as a rule it was about fifty per cent. below the face value of the +coin. Thus the soldier's shilling would only be valued at sixpence in +German money. + +The soldier, satisfied at being able to get a "broetchen" even at such a +sacrifice, would submit. But although the unwarranted depreciation was +robbery it was not the worst feature of the methods of this greedy +money-changer. + +The soldier would receive, not five English pennies or 50 German +pfennigs as his change but a French half-franc. Then the next time he +visited the canteen for another "broetchen" or something else, he would +put down the half-franc he had previously received. Again the soldier +received a rude surprise. The canteen proprietor would reluctantly say +that the French money was useless to him. There would be a repetition of +the previous bickering over the British shilling, and at last the +astonished soldier would learn that he could only change the French +half-franc at a discount of forty per cent. In this instance the change +would be the equivalent of twopence in English money, but it would be +given in Belgian coins. Upon the third occasion when the British soldier +visited the canteen to buy a "broetchen" and proffered the Belgian +coinage he would learn that this had also undergone a sudden +depreciation of fifty per cent. So that by the time the soldier had +expended his shilling he had really received goods to the value of about +threepence. + +It was a cunning method of conducting business and the canteen +proprietor was a master in keeping the hated currency of the three +nations in circulation among themselves, and always exacted a heavy +charge for its acceptance. + +With such a novel means of ringing the changes upon soldiers of the +three nationalities it is not surprising that the canteen proprietor +waxed rich within a very short time. + +Such a state of affairs not only adversely affected the soldiers but the +poor civilian prisoners as well. At last things came to such a pass that +one of our interpreters, F. K----, the fellow-prisoner whom I had met in +Wesel prison, tackled the canteen proprietor upon his unfair method of +conducting business, and emphasised how harsh it was upon the prisoners +who were not flush in funds. For this attempt to improve our position F. +K---- had to pay the penalty. The canteen proprietor promptly reported +the interpreter to the Commanding Officer of the camp, who forthwith +sentenced our comrade to three days' cells for daring to interfere with +German organisation! + +The Germans, in their determined intention to prevent the British +civilian and military prisoners from mingling, adopted the most drastic +measures. Guards were posted everywhere and we were sternly forbidden to +enter the soldiers' reservation. If we were detected the guards were +instructed to let drive with their rifles without giving any previous +warning. The anti-British sentiment was so acute that any one of our +guards would have only been too delighted to have had the chance to put +this order into effect, and that upon the slightest pretext. As he would +have been upheld in his action we decided to give these amiable wardens +no opportunity to turn us into targets. + +There is no doubt that we were regarded as little less than desperadoes +of the worst type. Our troops had given the Germans such a severe +shaking up as to throw our guards into a state of wild panic. This was +proved only too conclusively by an incident which occurred one night. +After we had retired we were not permitted to put our heads out of the +windows. To do so was to court a bullet, also according to instructions. +On this particular night, after we had turned in, one of the prisoners, +unable to sleep owing to mental worry and the heat, strolled to the door +to get a breath of fresh air. As he stepped out into the dusty footway a +terrifying fusillade rang out and continued for several minutes. We all +sprang up wondering what was the matter. + +The poor fellow had been spotted coming out of the door by the sentry +who, too excited to recognise the man, had fired his rifle at the +prisoner for all he was worth. Instantly the guard turned out. The +prisoner brought abruptly to his senses had darted back into the barrack +safe and sound but fearfully scared. Only the wild shooting of the +sentry had saved him from being riddled. The guard itself, upon turning +out, evidently thought that a rebellion had broken out or at least that +a prisoner had escaped. Seizing their rifles they blazed away for dear +life. They did not aim at anything in particular but shot haphazardly at +the stars, haystacks, and trees in the most frantic manner imaginable +and as rapidly as their magazine arms would let them. Undoubtedly the +Germans were half-mad with fear. It rained bullets around the barracks +and every man within crouched down on his bed, away from the windows +through which we momentarily expected the bullets to crash. None of us +dared to move for fear that there might be a collision with one or more +of the missiles which pattered around us. + +The next morning we were paraded hurriedly. The guard ran about among +us, searching every corner of the barracks, as if bereft. The roll was +called with wild excitement. A prisoner had escaped! Had he not been +seen by every imaginative member of the guard? But when they discovered +that we were all safe and sound, and that we were perfectly composed, +they presented a sorry array of stalwart warders. Their sheepishness +provoked us to laughter when we learned the true reason for all the +bother. But it brought home to us the extreme danger of falling foul of +such a panicky mob. + +The military reservation was fenced off from our quarters by barbed +wire. The rule ran that no prisoner on either side of the barrier was to +advance within a metre's distance--about one yard--of the fence. Guards +were on duty to see that this regulation was obeyed. One day a British +Tommy, in a moment of forgetfulness, ventured within the forbidden +distance. With a flash the excited guard standing near by raised his +rifle and jabbed fiercely at the soldier. The bayonet got home in the +luckless Tommy's shoulder and passed clean through from front to back, +the ugly point of the bayonet protruding about three inches. + +This incident and unwarranted savagery, although born of "nerves," +sickened and also roused those of us who had seen it. Seeing that the +soldier was quite unarmed the sentry might have used the butt end of his +weapon just as satisfactorily. But no! It was a swine of an Englaender +who had infringed the rule and the bayonet was the instrument for +correction, to be plied with the utmost effect. + +Seeing the desperate condition of the British wounded and the inhuman +manner in which they were treated one might naturally conclude that they +would have died off like flies. Sennelager has the most evil reputation +among the German prison camps for systematic brutality and unprecedented +ferocity. But to levy such an accusation is to bring an immediate German +denial. In reply they turn to the official reports and retort that +conditions could not possibly be so terrible as they are painted, +otherwise the camp would be certain to reveal a high mortality. On the +other hand the death-rate at Sennelager is strikingly low, and the +German officials smile contentedly while the Press comforts itself +smugly. + +The presentation of the low death-rate is even likely to arouse doubt in +the minds of the unsophisticated British at home. They are not versed in +German cunning. Sennelager camp carries a low death-rate for the simple +reason that a prisoner is not permitted to die there. When a man has +been reduced to a hopeless condition and his demise appears imminent he +is hurriedly sent off to some other place, preferably a hospital, to +die. By a slice of luck he might cheat Death, in which event, upon his +recovery, he is bundled off to another prison. But he seldom, if ever, +comes back to Sennelager! During my period of incarceration only one +man, B----, who was sent to Paderborn hospital to die as the Germans +thought, but who recovered, returned to Sennelager. When a man was +hastened out of the camp in this manner we never knew his fate. It +became a by-word that few men went from Sennelager but none returned. +Consequently, whenever we saw a sick case leave the camp we surmised +that the poor wretch was making his final journey to the Great Beyond. +We assumed his speedy _death from natural causes_--as the German +authorities would relate--to be inevitable. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE PERSECUTION OF THE PRIESTS + + +Although we British prisoners, both civilian and military, constituted +the principal butt for the spleen of Major Bach, we never raised the +slightest audible complaint or protest, although inwardly and in the +seclusion of our barracks we chafed at the unrelenting tyranny to which +we were exposed and against which we were completely helpless. In strict +accordance with the instructions of the Commandant we were always the +last to receive attention. If we ever had to go to the hospital to +receive any treatment and were the first to arrive at its doors, we had +to kick our heels outside and possess ourselves in patience as best we +could until all the prisoners of other nationalities had seen the +surgeon. As a rule we had a lost journey. The surgeon in his haste to +get away either would notify us that our cases could not receive enquiry +until the morrow, or he would treat us in a perfunctory manner. + +As at the hospital so at the cook-house at meal times. We were never +given our rations until all the others had been satisfied. The +consequence was that we generally went short of food. The first to be +treated received liberal quantities of the cabbage soup. What was left +had to be eked out amongst us. + +"The damned English swine can wait!" This was the dictum of those in +authority and the underlings were only too eager to fulfil it to the +letter. If there were the slightest opportunity to deprive us of our +food, on the flimsy pretext that we had not answered the summons with +sufficient alacrity, it was eagerly grasped. Under these conditions we +had to go supperless to bed, unless we could procure something at the +canteen or our more fortunate comrades came to our assistance by sharing +with us the comestibles they had purchased. + +Some ten days after the appearance of Major Bach a new target for his +savagery and venom appeared. This was a party of Belgian priests. I +shall never forget their entrance to the camp. We were performing +necessary daily duties outside our barracks when our attention was drawn +to an approaching party surrounded by an abnormally imposing force of +soldiers. Such a military display was decidedly unusual and we naturally +concluded that a prisoner of extreme significance, and possibly rank, +had been secured and was to be interned at Sennelager. + +When the procession drew nearer and we saw that the prisoners were +priests our curiosity gave way to feelings of intense disgust. They were +twenty-two in number and were garbed just as they had been torn from +prayer by the ruthless soldiers. Some were venerable men bordering on +seventy. Subsequently I discovered that the youngest among them was +fifty-four years of age, but the average was between sixty and seventy. + +The reverend fathers with clasped hands moved precisely as if they were +conducting some religious ceremonial among their flocks in their beloved +churches. But the pace was too funereal for the advocates of the +goose-step. They hustled the priests into quicker movement, not in the +rough manner usually practised with us, but by clubbing the unfortunate +religionists across the shoulders with the stocks of their rifles, +lowering their bayonets to them and giving vent to blood-freezing +curses, fierce oaths, coarse jeers, and rewarding the desperate +endeavours of the priests to fulfil the desires of their captors with +mocking laughter and ribaldry. + +The brutal manner in which they were driven into the camp as if they +were sheep going to the slaughter, made our blood boil. More than one of +us clenched our fists and made a half-movement forward as if to +interfere. But we could do nothing and so had to control our furious +indignation. + +However, the moment the priests entered Sennelager we received a +respite. Officers and guards turned their savagery and spite from us to +visit it upon these unhappy victims by night and by day and at every +trick and turn. Clubbing with the rifle was the most popular means of +compelling them to obey this, or to do that. More than once I have seen +one of the aged religionists fall to the ground beneath a rifle blow +which struck him across the back. No indignity conceivable, besides a +great many indescribable, was spared those venerable men, and they bowed +to their revolting treatment with a meekness which seemed strangely out +of place. + +After one more than usually ferocious manifestation of attack I +questioned our guard to ascertain the reason for this unprecedented +treatment and why the priests had been especially singled out for such +infamous ferocity. + +"Ach!" he hissed with a violent expectoration, "They fired upon our +brave comrades in Belgium. They rang the bells of their churches to +summon the women to the windows to fire upon our brothers as they +passed. The dogs! We'll show them! We'll break them before we have +finished. They won't want to murder our brave troops again!" + +The words were jerked out with such fearful fury that I refrained from +pursuing the subject. Later I had a chat with one of the oldest priests. +It was only with difficulty we could understand one another, but it was +easy to discover that the charges were absolutely unfounded, and were +merely the imagination of the distorted and savage Prussian mind when +slipped from the leash to loot, assault and kill for the first time in +his life. + +A night or two later a few of us were purchasing food at the canteen. +Suddenly four soldiers came tumbling in, dragging with them one of the +most aged of the Fathers. He must have been on the verge of three-score +and ten, and with his long white beard he presented an impressive, +proud, and stately figure. But the inflamed Prussian has no respect for +age. The old man was bludgeoned against the counter and at his abortive +attempts to protect himself the soldiers jeered and laughed +boisterously. + +One of the soldiers called for a suit of clothes which was served out to +prisoners, and for which we were supposed to pay six marks--six +shillings. The leader of the party of soldiers grabbed the suit and, +pushing the priest roughly, shouted, + +"Here! You can't work in the fields with that garb you are wearing. +You've got to buy these. Six marks! Hurry up! You've got to put them +on!" + +The priest, who did not understand a word of German, naturally failed to +grasp the meaning of the command. He promptly received a clout to knock +some sense into him, the soldier meanwhile shaking the prison-like suit +to emphasise what he meant. + +In mute protest the priest shook his robes to indicate that he was quite +content with what he was wearing. + +"Come on! If you don't change we'll do it for you!" + +At this threat there was a wild outburst of demoniacal mirth, in which +the girl behind the counter, a brazen jade, joined uproariously as if in +anticipation of some unusual amusement. She reached over the counter, +craning her neck to secure a better view of an unexpected spectacle. + +As the Reverend Father did not respond to the command, the guard +gathered round him. Before we could realise what was happening, his +crucifix and rosary had been roughly torn off, and with his watch and +chain had been thrown upon a table standing alongside. His robe was +roughly whisked away in the twinkling of an eye. But the prisoner did +not move or raise a hand in protest, even when he was bared to his +under-clothing in front of fraeulein, who signalled her appreciation of +the sight by wildly clapping her hands, laughing merrily, and giving +expression to ribald jokes. + +The proud manner in which the victim surveyed his tormentors only +exasperated them still further. By the threat of the bayonet he was +compelled to stand up in front of these degenerate members of the human +race and the girl behind the counter, whose laughter could now be heard +ringing above the frantic shrieks of the soldiers. + +We, who were unwilling witnesses of this revolting spectacle, were +grinding our teeth in ill-suppressed rage. Never during my sojourn in +Sennelager, even when submitted to the greatest torment, have I seen the +British prisoners roused to such a pitch of fury. As a rule we +effectively maintained a quiet, if not indifferent, and tractable +attitude, but this was more than flesh and blood could stand. + +But the priest never relaxed his proud composure and self-possession. He +looked so penetratingly at the laughing jade that I think it must have +penetrated into her very soul. Her wild mirth ended abruptly in a +strange semi-hysterical shriek as her eyes met his look of intense +scorn. She winced and was effectively cowed into silence. + +I may say that the floor of the canteen was of concrete, but upon this +was a layer of mud, slime, grease, and other filth brought in from +outside upon the boots of those who frequented the establishment. This +was now a noisome muddy carpet some two inches in thickness. The +Germans, one may happen to recollect, have ever paraded their love of +cleanliness before the world, but this floor was the lie direct to their +vain boastings. + +At the sight of the old man standing there erect before them, the victim +of unparalleled humiliation, but his spirit as strong and as unyielding +as ever, the fury of the soldiers knew no bounds. One, giving vent to a +fearful curse, placed his hand on the table upon which the crucifix, +rosary, and watch were lying. He gave a swift, fiendish glance at the +priest towering above him, and with a vile oath swept the articles to +the floor, where they ploughed through the greasy revolting slime. + +It was then that the badgered and baited Father broke down. As he +watched his beloved and revered crucifix and rosary suffering defilement +and serving as the rude sport for the iron heels of the uncivilised +Huns, the tears coursed down his face copiously. He gave a slight start +as he saw the articles flash through the air, but suppressed the cry of +horror which sprang inadvertently to his lips. + +But the soldiers were not yet satisfied with the agony which they had +created in the Father's heart. One grabbed his rifle and lowering the +bayonet in a threatening manner ordered the priest to pick up his sacred +treasures. The priest stooped down to obey the instructions, but this +was not sufficient for his persecutors. He was driven to his knees and +forced to grope among the repulsive mud for his revered religious +tokens. With great difficulty he recovered them, battered, crushed, and +covered with the filthy accumulation upon the floor. As the Reverend +Father drew himself once more to his full height, clasping his treasures +desperately, he brought his hands together, and closing his eyes, we saw +his lips moving in prayer. + +This was the last straw. Grating our teeth, our faces white with +passion, and our fingers itching to seize those barbarians round their +throats to choke their lives out of them, we nearly threw discretion to +the winds. Had one of us made a forward movement we should have sprung +upon them with the ferocity of bull-dogs. Those four soldiers never knew +how near they were to meeting their deserts upon that day. As it was we +merely scraped our feet in impotent rage. It was this fidgeting which +aroused their attention. They turned and must have read our innermost +intentions written in our faces, for they instantly grabbed their +rifles and rounded upon us. With a motion which could not be +misunderstood, and uttering fierce curses, they ordered us to get +outside. We refused to move, although confronted by ugly pointed +bayonets. It was a tense and critical moment. The soldiers undoubtedly +saw that we were now thoroughly roused, and, strange to say, they +appeared to lose their heads, for they stood stock still, apparently +frightened by our determined appearance. + +One of our party, although as enraged as any of us, yet had maintained +more complete control over his feelings. He saw the utter uselessness of +our making a display of physical protest. With a quiet "Come on, boys!" +he stepped towards the door. It saved an ugly situation; the movement to +the door and the crisis had passed. Fiercely glaring at the soldiers, +with our jaws ominously set, and our fists clenched we retreated. Our +action revived the courage of the guards. They at once sprang forward to +jostle us out, prodding and attempting to club us right and left. + +As we hurried through the open door we gave a final glance at the +priest. He had turned his head and was looking steadily at us, and if +ever conversation were carried out by looks there were volumes in his +gaze. His eyes told us how impotent we were in the hands of these brutes +who were brave because they had their loaded rifles. They told us of his +appreciation of our sympathy in his hour of humiliation and torment. +They extended us heartfelt thanks for our willingness to come to his +assistance, combined with a mute instruction not to lift a finger on his +behalf since the plight of one and all would become infinitely worse. We +passed into the street and the door was slammed upon us. + +Once outside we allowed our feelings to have full rein. We point-blank +refused to go away and fell to discussing the situation somewhat +fiercely. Evidently the tones of our voices persuaded the soldiers +within that they had gone far enough, because shortly afterwards the +priest re-appeared, and under escort was hurried away to his quarters. + +When we next saw him we endeavoured by diplomatic questions to ascertain +the reason why he had been subjected to such torture and indignity. To +him the greatest humiliation was that his torment had occurred before a +woman. But otherwise he refused to refer to the episode. His retort, in +a placid, resigned voice, was, "I only trust that God will have mercy +upon them!" + +The priests were denied all opportunity to move about the camp. There +were scores of co-religionists among us, but they were stedfastly +refused the comfort which the Fathers could have given them. The priests +were not permitted to minister to the spiritual welfare of their flocks. +As a matter of fact, by the strict instruction of Major Bach, no +religious services of any description were permitted in the camp, at +least not while I was under his sway. + +To the members of the Roman Catholic persuasion the brow-beating, +badgering, baiting and buffeting of the helpless priests acted as a red +rag to a bull. But what could they do? Protest was merely so much wasted +energy. Communication with anyone outside the camp was absolutely +impossible. To have reviled Major Bach for his cruelty and carefully +planned barbarity would only have brought down upon us further and more +terrible punishment of such ferocity as would have made everyone long +for the respite of the grave. + +But the priests could not be broken, no matter to what physical and +mental suffering they were subjected. Even Major Bach discovered to his +chagrin that his devilish ingenuity had encountered an insuperable +obstacle. To wreak his revenge he now compelled the Fathers to carry out +all the dirtiest and most revolting work in the camp--duties so +repulsive as to be beyond description. But the good men never murmured. +They did exactly as they were bidden, and even the guards at last +appeared to realise the fact that their fertility in torment was of no +avail in attempting to infuriate their meek charges. + +Major Bach, however, was by no means cast down at his failures. One +morning he ordered the twenty-two priests to be paraded. They were then +loaded up with a variety of cumbersome and heavy implements--spades, +picks, shovels, and such like. Each load would have taxed the strength +of a young man in the pink of condition and strength to carry, and yet +here were old men, ranging between sixty and seventy years, compelled to +shoulder such burdens. But they did it. + +An order was rapped out, the guard wheeled, and the tiny party moved +off. We discovered afterwards that they were marched three miles along +the sandy road in the blazing sun to a point where they were roughly +bidden to dig a huge pit. + +Throughout the morning, and without a moment's respite, they were forced +to ply their tools, their task-masters standing over them and smartly +prodding and threatening them with their rifles if they showed signs of +falling from fatigue, or if they failed to maintain the expected rate of +progress. To such old men, who probably had never lifted the smallest +and lightest tool for many years, if ever, it was a back-breaking task. +However, they clung dutifully to their work until the hour of twelve +rang out. + +Now they were re-marshalled, their tools were re-shouldered, and they +were marched back to camp for the mid-day meal. By the time they reached +the barracks all the other prisoners had consumed the whole of the +available soup. There was nothing for the priests. It was explained that +they should have hurried so as to have arrived at an earlier moment. +Then they would have received their due proportion. Meals could not be +kept waiting for dawdlers, was the brutal explanation of the +authorities. The priests must be made to realise the circumstance that +they were not staying at an hotel. This, by the way, was a favourite +joke among our wardens. + +The priests bore visible signs of their six miles' tramp through +crumbling scorching sand and under a pitiless sun, as well as of their +laborious toil excavating the large pit. But their distressed appearance +did not arouse the slightest feeling of pity among their tormentors. +Being too late for the meal they were re-lined up, and under a changed +guard were marched back again to the scene of their morning's labour. + +Naturally, upon reaching the pit, they concluded that they would have to +continue the excavation. But to their intense astonishment the officer +in charge ordered them to throw all the excavated soil back again into +the hole! This was one of the most glaring examples of performing a +useless task, merely to satisfy feelings of savagery and revenge, that I +encountered in Sennelager, although it was typical of Major Bach and his +methods. He took a strange delight in devising such senseless labours. +Doubtless the authorities anticipated that the priests would make some +demur at being compelled to undo the work which they had done previously +with so much effort and pain. But if this was the thought governing the +whole incident the officials were doomed to suffer bitter +disappointment. The priests, whatever they may have thought, silently +accepted the inevitable, and displayed as much diligence in filling the +pit as they had shown a few hours before in digging it. + +Still the afternoon's shovelling caused them greater physical hardship +than the plying of the pick in the morning. They had been denied a +mid-day meal, and their age-enfeebled physique proved barely equal to +the toil. A basin of black acorn coffee and a small fragment of hard +brown bread cannot by any manner of means be construed into strong +sustenance for such a full day's work. During the afternoon one or two +were on the verge of collapse from hunger and fatigue. But their +indomitable spirit kept them up and the pit was duly filled. + +By the time the labour had been completed the evening was advancing. For +the fourth time that day they shouldered their burden of tools and set +out on the three miles tramp to camp. + +We saw them come in and our hearts went out in pity to them. They +tottered rather than walked, their heads bowed as if in prayer, and +their crosses of tools sinking them nearer to the ground. Seeing that +they had walked twelve miles and had put in some eight hours gruelling +work it was a marvel that the older members of the party had not fallen +by the wayside. Yet, although footsore, weary, worn, and hungry they +retained their characteristic composure. In silence they discussed their +frugal evening meal of lukewarm black acorn coffee and black bread. Some +of us, out of sheer sympathy, secured some "broetchen" for them, but they +accepted our expressions of fellow-feeling very sparingly, although with +extreme thankfulness. + +They refused to say a word about their sufferings or the agonies they +had experienced during their labour and long walk. I got the story from +one of the guards who had accompanied them. But even these thick-skinned +disciples of "kultur" and brutality were not disposed to be +communicative. The stoicism, grim determination and placidity of the +Reverend Fathers constituted something which their square heads and +addled brains failed to understand. They had never experienced the like. + +While Major Bach never repeated the senseless pit-digging and refilling +programme for the priests, his invention was by no means exhausted. +Direct incentive to rebellion proving completely abortive he now +resorted to indirect pettifogging and pin-pricking tactics, harassing +the unfortunate priests at every turn, depriving them of food or +something else, reducing their rations, giving them the most repulsive +work he could discover, and so forth. But it was all to no purpose. +Those twenty-two priests beat him at every turn. For Major Bach to try +to break their proud spirit was like asking a baby to bend a bar of +steel! + +What ultimately became of these prisoners I cannot say. In fact, I do +not think there is any one who can definitely relate their fate. Other +prisoners now commenced to arrive in increasing numbers and the +breaking-in of these crowds to the tyranny and brutal existence of +Sennelager Camp appeared to demand the complete attention of the +authorities. Certainly the new arrivals provided Major Bach with all the +entertainment he desired. + +Some say that the priests were distributed among other camps; others +that one or two succumbed to the persistent ill-treatment meted out to +them; and still more that they are yet at Sennelager. No one can say +precisely. Only one fact remains. For a time they occupied the sole +attention of every one in the camp because they constituted the most +prominent target for the fiendish devilry of Major Bach. Then they +suddenly appeared to slip into oblivion. The probability is that they +were swallowed up among the hundreds of French, British, Russians, +Poles, Serbians, and various other races who were now pouring in. Being +somewhat retiring in their nature the probability is that the priests +were overlooked and forgotten in that troublous maelstrom of outraged +humanity known far and wide as Sennelager Camp. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +TYING PRISONERS TO THE STAKE--THE FAVOURITE PUNISHMENT + + +Until the coming of Major Bach at Sennelager confinement to cells +constituted the general punishment for misdemeanours, the sentence +varying according to the gravity of the offence. But mere solitary +confinement in a hole in which perpetual twilight prevailed during the +day did not coincide with Major Bach's principles of ruling with a rod +of iron. It was too humane; even the most savage sentence of "cells" did +not inflict any physical pain upon the luckless prisoner. + +Major Bach was a past-master in the grim art of conceiving new and novel +methods to worry and punish those who were so unfortunate as to be under +his thumb. He was devilishly ingenious and fertile in the evolution of +ways and means to make us feel our position as acutely as possible. I +really think that he must have lain awake for hours at night thinking +out new schemes for inflicting punishment upon us, or else must have +been possessed of an excellent and comprehensive encyclopaedic dictionary +dealing with the uncanny and fiendish atrocities devised by the Chinese. +I do not doubt for a moment that, if he dared, he would have introduced +some of the most ferocious tortures which for centuries have been +characteristic of the Land of the Dragon. We were absolutely helpless +and completely in his hands. He knew this full well and consequently, +being a despot, he wielded autocratic power according to his peculiar +lights as only a full-blooded Prussian can. + +One evening the French military prisoners were being marched into camp +at the conclusion of the day's work. Among them was a Zouave. +Half-starved from an insufficiency of food he could scarcely drag one +foot before the other. At last he dropped out from sheer fatigue. The +guard struck him with the butt end of his rifle and roughly ordered him +to get up and keep step and pace with his comrades. The Zouave pleaded +that he really could not walk another step because he felt so weak and +ill. The guard thereupon pulled the wretched prisoner to his feet and +gave him a heavy blow across his back. + +This unwarranted action stung the Zouave to frenzy. Clenching his teeth +he sprung towards his tormentor with his fist raised in the air. But +second thoughts prevailing he refrained from delivering the blow which +he had premeditated. The menace, however, did not fail to exercise its +effect upon the bullying guard who instantly became an arrant coward. +The Zouave's action was so unexpected that the soldier was taken +completely by surprise. He commenced to yell as if he had been actually +struck, and his vociferous curses, reaching the ears of his comrades, +brought speedy assistance. They rushed up, secured the Zouave, who was +glaring fiercely at his tormentor, pinioned his arms behind him, and +then marched him off to the Commanding Officer with all the speed they +could command. + +The grave charge of insubordination and attempting to strike the guard +was proffered. Major Bach listened closely and when he had heard the +story, which needless to say was somewhat freely embroidered, curtly +sentenced the Zouave to "four hours at the post!" This was the first +occasion upon which we had heard of this punishment and naturally we +were somewhat agog with curiosity to discover the character of this +latest means of dealing out correction. + +Escorted by four guards with loaded rifles and fixed bayonets, the +unhappy Zouave was led to a post just outside our barrack. One of the +soldiers stood on either side of the prisoner ready to run him through +should he make an attempt to escape or to resist. The other two guards, +discarding their rifles, uncoiled a length of rope which they were +carrying. + +The prisoner's hands were forced behind his back and his wrists were +tied tightly together, the rope being drawn so taut as to cut deeply +into the flesh and to cause the unhappy wretch to shriek. He was now +backed against the post round which the rope was passed. His ankles were +then tied as tightly as his wrists and also strapped to the post, which +action drew another yell of pain from the victim. Finally another length +of the rope was passed round the upper part of his body, lashing him +firmly to the support to prevent him falling forward. + +Trussed and tied the unhappy prisoner was left to undergo his four +hours' sentence of this ordeal. The soldiers returned to their quarters, +but as a preliminary precaution, as we were undeniably showing signs of +resentment against such torturing treatment, we were bustled into our +barracks. But we could not rest or sleep. The hapless man at the stake +was being racked and torn with pain. His shrieks, moans, and groans, +echoing and re-echoing through the still hours of the summer evening, +sounded so weird, uncanny, and nerve-racking as to make our blood run +cold. At each outburst we shivered and strove hard, though vainly, to +shut out the terrible sounds from our ears. + +After the Zouave had been strung up for some time I decided to creep out +and up to him to ascertain from direct close observation the effects of +this treatment upon the victim. Stealing out of the barracks, thereby +running the risk of encountering a bullet from the sentry's rifle, I +stealthily made my way to the post. By the time I gained the spot the +weak wretch was in a fearful plight. The ropes had been drawn so tightly +round his wrists and ankles as to cause the circulation of the blood +through the hands and feet to cease, while the flesh immediately above +the knots was swelling up in a fearful manner. All sense of feeling in +the hands and feet having gone, the man was hanging limply, instead of +standing against the post. He writhed and twisted in frenzied efforts to +secure some relief while in this uncomfortable position, but each +movement only caused further pain and the unintentional utterance of +piercing shrieks. Upon the exhaustion of this spasm the upper part of +his body dropped forward slightly so that his head fell down upon his +chest. + +For a few seconds he would stand or rather hang, perfectly still and +quiet. Then as he made another attempt to secure a change of position +shafts of pain would shoot through him, causing him to shriek again for +a few seconds in the most agonising manner, which made me start and +shiver. While his shrieks were terrifying it was the long-drawn out wail +and moan in which they ended which were more unnerving. They sounded +like the agonised howls of an animal caught in a trap and suffering +untold torment. + +But each successive outburst grew weaker. The body dropped more and more +forward until it could fall no farther owing to the retaining rope. His +head dropped lower and lower upon his chest, which had the effect of +interfering with respiration. The man would throw his head wildly about +in frantic efforts to breathe, but to little purpose. His face commenced +to assume a ghastly bluish colour; his distended eyes almost started +from his head; while his mouth, now wide open, allowed his tongue to +loll and roll in a manner vividly reminiscent of a maniac restrained in +a strait jacket. The struggles and cries grew fainter until at last his +head gave a final jerk to hang limply to one side. He shrieked no more. +Insensibility had come to his relief. + +During this period the guard never ventured to come to look at him. His +piercing shrieks, howls, and long-drawn out moans told them that he was +feeling the pinch of his confinement to the post. But when these cries +of agony ceased two of the guards came up. Seen to be unconscious, he +was immediately released to fall like a log to the ground. Buckets of +water were hurriedly fetched and the contents were dashed over the prone +figure until consciousness returned. When he had somewhat recovered, +although still inert and groaning piteously, he was propped up against +the post and re-tied into position. + +Every time the man relapsed into insensibility he was released to +undergo drastic reviving by the aid of buckets of water, and directly he +came to he was again strapped up. The sentence was "four hours," and it +was fulfilled strictly to the letter, but only the actual periods of +being tied to the post were taken into consideration. It did not matter +whether the man fainted three or thirty times during his sentence. It +was only the instalments of time against the post which in the aggregate +were taken to represent the full term of the punishment. + +As may be supposed, owing to the recurring periods of insensibility, the +duration of the sentence became prolonged. In about two hours after +being strung up for the first time the initial spasm of unconsciousness +would occur, although the intervention of insensibility obviously varied +according to the strength and physical endurance of the prisoner. But +after the first revival, and owing to the man being deprived of the +opportunity to regain his normal condition, the lapses into +unconsciousness occurred at steadily decreasing intervals of time until +at last the man was absolutely unable to battle against his torment and +Nature for more than a very short period. + +The first demonstration of this punishment did not fail to exercise a +far-reaching influence upon the other prisoners. Major Bach was beside +himself with delight. Even he, steeped although he was in brutality, was +evidently somewhat surprised by the effectiveness of this penalty, and +he laughed loud and long at the shrieks and misery of the unhappy +Zouave. Henceforth committal to the cells was no longer to constitute a +punishment at Sennelager. Tying to the stake was the most complete means +of subjugating and cowing the prisoners. + +As might be expected, one and all of us dreaded such a sentence, and we +were exceedingly diligent and painstaking in our efforts to keep in the +good graces of the Commanding Officer. The dread of being sentenced to a +spell at the post, and submission to the untold agony which it +precipitated, broke us in to all intents and purposes to a degree which +must have exceeded even Major Bach's most sanguine expectations. But now +we were faced with another and far more formidable danger. Most of the +guards enjoyed as enthusiastically as their lord and master the agony of +a luckless wretch who was condemned to this punishment. To them it +afforded amusement of the most exhilarating character. But the +prisoners, now thoroughly intimidated, took every precaution to deny the +guards an opportunity for which they were so much on the alert. +Consequently, being deprived of the chance to have any of us strung up +on legitimate grounds, they commenced to harass and exasperate us in the +hope of provoking some action which would bring us before the Commanding +Officer to receive a sentence to the stake. Then, being completely +foiled in this nefarious practice they did not hesitate to have us +arraigned upon the most flimsy charges. As the prisoner was denied all +opportunity to rebut any charge preferred against him, and as his word +was never accepted before the studiously prepared complaint of the +guard, who was always careful to secure corroborative evidence, the +chances of escaping the sentence were extremely slender. + +The second victim of this brutal treatment was a Russian Pole, and no +man ever deserved it less. The Pole was entering his barrack and the +Russian orderly who had just washed and cleaned the floor, upbraided his +compatriot for entering the building with muddy boots. There was a +breezy altercation between the two men for a few minutes, but they were +separated on perfectly friendly terms by one of the soldiers. The +incident was closed and dismissed from the thoughts of one and all. At +least so thought all those who had witnessed it. + +But one of the soldiers who had been a spectator saw the opportunity for +which he had long been searching. He hurried to the non-commissioned +officer in charge of the guard to report, exaggeratedly, that two +Russian prisoners had been fighting. The non-commissioned officer, one +of the most brutal and despicable Prussians in the camp, seized his +rifle and hurried to the Russian barrack. Here the two suppositious +delinquents were pointed out. He went up to the Pole, and grabbing him +by the shoulder, roared: + +"You've been fighting!" + +The Pole protested that he had not been fighting with anyone. He had +forgotten all about the spirited argument with the orderly. Certainly +the altercation was no more serious than thousands of other such +outbreaks which were incidental to the camp. Incidents of this character +occurred every few minutes in every barrack, which was not surprising +seeing that we were all keyed to a high pitch of fretfulness while +tempers were hasty. + +"Don't lie to me," shouted the non-commissioned officer, who was +decidedly infuriated by the Pole's complacent attitude. "I say you've +been fighting!" + +Again the Pole meekly explained that no such encounter had taken place. +At this protest the officer grabbed the inoffensive prisoner and marched +him off to the office of the Commandant. While hurrying along the main +road through the camp the Prussian, for no reason whatever, raised his +rifle by the muzzle, swung it over his head and brought the stock down +with fearful force upon the Pole's back. The man himself fell like an ox +before the poleaxe, but the rifle flew into two pieces. Seeing that a +rifle is exceedingly strongly made and of hard wood, the fact that it +snapped in twain testifies abundantly to the force of the blow. + +The attack was witnessed, not only by several of us, but also by two or +three officers as well. The latter expostulated with the +non-commissioned officer upon his action. As for ourselves our gorge +rose at this savage onslaught, and we hurried to the Commandant with the +object of being first to narrate the incident. He listened to our story +of the outrage but refused to be convinced. We persisted and mentioned +that the officers had been present and could support our statements. But +the latter, naturally perhaps, declined to confirm our story. They +denied having seen the blow struck. Still, we were so emphatic and +persevering that Major Bach, in order to settle the matter, sent for the +non-commissioned officer to whom he referred the accusation we had made. + +This worthy listened with a smile lurking round his mouth. When Major +Bach had completed his statement, the non-commissioned officer, with a +mocking laugh, denied the charge, and presented his rifle for Major +Bach's inspection. _The rifle was perfectly sound!_ At the production of +this rebutting evidence Major Bach gave us a queer look, insisted that +we had trumped up the charge, and refused to listen to us any further. +So we were compelled to go away crestfallen and yet amazed as to how the +guilty officer had surmounted his difficulty. + +Subsequently we discovered that the non-commissioned officer, thoroughly +alarmed at his rifle snapping in twain, not knowing how he would be able +to explain the circumstance of his weapon being broken, and having heard +that we had hastened to the Commandant to lodge our complaint, darted +into the guard-room, concealed the conclusive evidence of his guilt, and +appropriated the sound rifle of a comrade. This was the weapon he had +produced before Major Bach so triumphantly. We never heard how the +non-commissioned officer ultimately explained away his broken rifle upon +parade when the trick was certain to be discovered, but bearing in mind +the iron method which prevails in the German army he must have been hard +put to it to have advanced a plausible excuse when arraigned. Doubtless +there was considerable trouble over the episode but we never heard +anything more about it, although we would have dearly loved to have been +acquainted with the sequel. + +Foiled in our attempt to secure redress for an outraged prisoner we +considered the episode closed. But it was not. Directly we had left the +office Major Bach sent for the Pole who had been attacked. He related +his story which was naturally a confirmation of our charge. But he was +set down as an unprincipled liar, and one of whom an example must be +made. Forthwith he was condemned to four hours at the post on the charge +of fighting and endeavouring to impugn the probity of the German guard, +who can do no wrong. + +The misery endured by this poor wretch is indescribable. In this +instance, in order to secure enhanced effect, according to the lights of +Major Bach, the prisoner was forced to stand on tip-toe against the +post, while the upper rope was passed around his neck. This rope was +left somewhat loose, and as nearly as I can describe, was looped in the +form of a double knot. Being on tip-toe the hapless wretch was speedily +transferred, by his toes giving way, to a hanging position. His head +fell forward, as he gradually lapsed into unconsciousness, until it +pressed against the restraining slip-knot. The consequence was that he +suffered the agonies of slow strangulation in addition to the searing of +his hands and ankles, while the weight of his body dragged his neck more +tightly than otherwise would have been the case, against the upper rope. +His face presented a terrifying sight, being quite blue, from his +inability to breathe, except with the greatest difficulty. His mouth was +wide open and his tongue, which protruded, was exceedingly swollen. His +eyes were half out of their sockets. But he had to serve the sentence of +four hours, and although he became unconscious time after time and had +to be released, water always brought him to his senses to undergo a +further spell upon the fiendish rack until the sentence had been well +and truly served. + +On one occasion a poor wretch condemned to this torture, after having +become unconscious, was taken down, revived, and incarcerated for the +night in the guard-room. The next morning he was marched out again and +re-tied up to complete his sentence. + +Major Bach, as if suddenly inspired, conceived a fiendish means of +accentuating the agony of a prisoner condemned to this punishment. The +man would be tied to the post about the middle of the morning. The +summer sun beat fiercely upon the post and the man's hat was removed. +Consequently, as the poor wretch's head dropped forward on his chest, +its crown became exposed to the fierce heat of the sun. Thus to the pain +of the torture inflicted by the tightly tied ropes, and the strangling +sensation produced by the throat pressing against the restraining rope, +was added the racking torment of intolerable heat playing upon a +sensitive part of the human body. The astonishing wonder is that none of +the unhappy wretches suffered sun-stroke or went crazy while bound up in +this manner, because the sun's heat intensely aggravated the agonies of +thirst. But the sun-bath consummated Major Bach's greatest ambition. It +caused the victim to writhe and twist more frantically, which in turn +forced him to shriek and howl more vociferously and continuously. + +When a prisoner was in the height of his torment the eminent Commandant +would stroll up, and from a couple of paces away would stand, legs wide +apart and hands clasped behind his back, surveying the results of his +devilry with the greatest self-satisfaction. As the prisoner groaned and +moaned he would fling coarse joke, badinage, and gibe at the helpless +wretch, and when the latter struggled and writhed in order to seek some +relief, though in vain, he would laugh uproariously, urge the unhappy +man to kick more energetically, and then shriek with delight as his +advice was apparently taken to heart only to accentuate the torture. + +Sunday was the day of days which the tyrant preferred for meting out +this punishment. In the first place it was a day of rest, and so a +prisoner's time and labour were not lost. Even if he were strung up to +the post all day he could be turned out to work on the Monday morning as +usual. But the governing reason for the selection of this day was +because it offered such a novel entertainment for the gaping German +crowds. The public, as already mentioned, were invited to the camp on +Sunday mornings to see the prisoners. Young girls and raw recruits +considered a trip to Sennelager on the chance of seeing a writhing, +tortured prisoner as one of the delights of the times, and a sight which +should not be missed on any account. + +They clustered on the path on the opposite side of the road facing the +stake, laughing and joking among themselves. The recruits, who openly +manifested their intense amusement, cheered frantically when the trussed +wretch gave an abnormally wild and ear-piercing shriek of pain. At his +moans, groans, and desperate abortive attempts to release himself, the +girls would laugh as gaily as if witnessing the antics of a clown at a +circus, and were quite unrestrained in their jubilant applause. This was +the feature of the punishment which grated upon the nerves of the +prisoners who were unable to lift a finger or voice a word in protest. +That a fellow-prisoner should be condemned to suffer such hellish +torture as was inflicted was bad enough, but that it should offer a +side-show to exuberant Sunday German holiday crowds we considered to be +the height of our humiliation and a crown to our sufferings. + +I shall never forget one prisoner. He was one of our loyal dusky +Colonials from the Gold Coast, who had been so unfortunate as to fall +into German hands and to be consigned to imprisonment at Sennelager. He +was a massive and imposing specimen of his race. He fell foul of +authority and incurred Major Bach's displeasure to such a degree as to +receive a sentence of eight hours bound to a tree. He was tied up, and +his pleadings for mercy, prompted by madness produced by the +excruciating pain and semi-consciousness, alternated with loud outbreaks +of long-drawn-out, blood-freezing groans, frenzied shrieks, and +nerve-racking wails. + +As the torture increased with the passing of the hours he gave +expression to one solitary cry--"For God's sake shoot me!" The wail, +uttered with parrot-like repetition and in a tone which bored into the +soul, stirred the prisoners within earshot in a strange manner. They +clapped their hands over their ears to shut out the awful sound, and +shut their eyes to prevent the revolting spectacle burning into their +brains. The man's face was livid: terror such as it is impossible to +describe was in his face; the unrelenting clutch of the rope wearing +into his throat caused the veins of his neck to stand out like ropes; +while streams of perspiration poured down his face. As he became weaker +and weaker and the rope ground deeper and deeper into his throat his +fights for breath became maniacal in their fury. Indeed, the revolting +sight so moved some of the prisoners that the tears welled to their +eyes, and it was only by digging their teeth into their lips that they +refrained from succumbing to their emotion. + +Subsequently, whenever I mentioned a word about the tying-post or tree, +this Colonial would look round, with the unfathomable fear of a hunted +animal, his nerves would jump and twitch, and the saliva would form like +foam around his mouth. He remarked that he was willing to face any +punishment. But the tying post! An hour in the bonds of those ropes! He +shuddered and entreatingly prayed that if ever again he should be +threatened with this punishment one of the guards would shoot him, or +run him through with the bayonet. I really believe that, if this penalty +had been pronounced on this man a second time, he would have done +something so desperate as would have compelled summary and drastic +retaliation by force of arms. + +Major Bach was methodical in his sentences to the tying-post. He drew up +a regular code and the offender was always given a sentence in +accordance with this schedule. The slightest offence brought a sentence +of two hours. Then in stages of two hours it rose to the maximum of +eight hours. I heard that one man had been tied up for twelve hours, but +as I did not actually witness the case I cannot vouch for its +particulars. The instances I have mentioned came before my notice and +can be corroborated by anyone who had the misfortune to be incarcerated +at Sennelager after the coming of Major Bach. But knowing as I do Major +Bach and his inhuman and ferocious ways, I am quite ready to believe +that he did sentence a man to twelve hours at the post. Certainly he +would never have hesitated for a moment to exact such a penalty if he +had felt so disposed. + +After a time the single post failed to satisfy the implacable +Commandant. Trees were requisitioned for the punishment, and I have seen +as many as three men undergoing the sentence simultaneously. Their +combined shrieks and agonised cries penetrated to every corner of the +camp. One could not escape them. On one occasion when Major Bach was +standing as usual before one of his victims, laughing and jeering at his +futile writhings and agonised appeals for mercy, a number of British +prisoners who were standing around in mute sympathy for the hapless +comrade could not control their feelings. Suddenly they gave expression +to fierce hissing of disapproval. Major Bach turned, but not with the +mocking triumph that one would have expected. His face wore the look of +the characteristic bully who is suddenly confronted with one who is more +than his match. He was taken completely off his guard, so unexpected and +vigorous was our outburst. But when he saw that he was merely threatened +by a few unarmed and helpless Britishers his _sang froid_ returned, +although it was with a palpable effort. He glared at us. There was no +disguising or possibility of misconstruing the expressions of loathsome +disgust and rage upon our faces. One and all wondered afterwards why he +did not sentence every man of us to a spell at the post. Possibly +anticipating that things might become ugly unless he manifested some +semblance of authority, he assumed an anger which we could easily see +was far from being real, and ordered us to barracks. We moved away +slowly and sullenly, but the guard coming up we were unceremoniously +hurried into our domiciles, although it demanded energetic rifle +proddings and clubbings from the soldiers who swarmed around us in +overwhelming numbers, to enforce the order. + +This punishment was by no means confined to the civilian prisoners. It +was meted out whenever the opportunity arose to the British soldiers +with equal impartiality. But for some reason which we could never +fathom, unless it was to cause further pain, torture and humiliation, +mentally as well as physically, the revolting task of tying up an +unfortunate Tommy was entrusted to one of his own sergeants. He had to +perform the repugnant work against his will, but the sergeants eased the +poor fellow's plight as much as they dared by tying them up as leniently +as possible, while they maintained an ever-watchful, although +unostentatious vigilance, over them while suffering the penalty. + +By the introduction of this fiendish punishment Major Bach completely +subdued the camp into a colony of crushed men. We all went in dire dread +of him, the fear of being the victim of such brutality cowing us far +more effectively than any other punishment we had encountered. Those +who had undergone the torture recited such harrowing stories of their +sufferings that we were extremely anxious not to incur the wrath of the +devilish Commandant in any way whatever. + +One day three of us experienced a narrow escape, which serves to +illustrate how keen were our captors to submit us to this crucial test. +We three had been ordered to the field. We packed our few belongings, +including our tin pails and other indispensable utensils upon our backs. +We were marching abreast and a few paces behind a young German officer, +chatting merrily among ourselves, when we met a French soldier +approaching. He was unusually gay and as he passed he yelled out the +popular enquiry which he had evidently acquired while fraternising with +our Tommies in the camp. + +"Air ve do'n harted?" he hailed, and he laughed gaily at the loads with +which we were struggling. To this we returned an emphatic negative to +which one of the party, S----, a schoolmaster who was fluent in French +and German, added a joke. Evidently the Frenchman saw the point of the +jest because he burst out in a fit of unrestrained merriment which was +so infectious as to compel us to participate. + +The officer who was ahead of us, whipped round and vehemently declared +that we were laughing at him. S---- protested and explained that such +would be the very last thing we should ever think of doing. The officer +went on ahead quite unconvinced and in high dudgeon. That we should +select one of the myrmidons of the All-Highest as a target for our +banter was the offence of offences in his estimable conceit. When we +reached the entrance to the field we had to pass a small office in which +we were registered and we discovered the immature upstart loudly and +excitedly dwelling upon the enormous indignity to which he had been +submitted by us. + +The officer in charge stopped us and repeated the accusation which had +been made. S---- gave a full explanation of the whole incident, but the +upstart who considered that his pride had been vilely outraged would +not listen to it. Then and there he ordered that we should be tied up to +the trees for four hours to give us something to laugh about. I can +assure you that we trembled in our shoes: our fate hung in the balance. +The officer-in-charge of the field, however, was more level-headed and +broader-minded, although he could not calm his excited colleague. At +last he point blank refused to mete out the desired punishment. He +turned to us. + +"I accept your explanation. I don't think you would be guilty of such an +offence to German honour and dignity!" + +We were more profuse than ever in our humble apologies to the young +cock-of-the-walk for any offence we might have committed unwittingly but +we assured him that our mirth had been entirely provoked by the gay +French soldier's joke. + +"I believe you," was the officer's reply, "but be very careful. Don't do +it again. As you see it is likely to be misunderstood!" + +With that he dismissed us. We scurried off like startled rabbits, +thankful for our narrow escape, but our last glimpse of the affair was +the two officers who had resumed wrangling. It was an extremely +fortunate circumstance for us that the officer-in-charge of the field +was one of the few reasonable Germans attached to the camp. + +The wretches who had to suffer this punishment carried traces of their +experiences for weeks. I examined the wrists and ankles of the Russian +Pole some hours after his final release. The limbs were highly inflamed, +the flesh being puffed out on either side of the deep blue indents which +had been cut by the tightened ropes. The slightest movement of the +affected limbs produced a sharp spasm of pain and it was only with the +greatest difficulty that the poor wretch was able to use his hands and +feet for some hours after removal from the post. In the case of the +Russian Pole many weeks elapsed before all traces of the terrible weals +inflicted by the ropes had disappeared. + +When we grasped the depths to which Prussian brutality was ready and +willing to descend, we could not refrain from dwelling upon probable +future tortures which were likely to be in store for us. We were +positive in our own minds that Major Bach would seek other novel and +more revolting and agonising methods to wreak his vengeance upon the +British. We were not left for very long in this maddening uncertainty. +Tying-to-the-stake was but a mild prelude to the "Reign of Terror" which +the ferocious Commandant shortly afterwards inaugurated. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE REIGN OF TERROR + + +Major Bach, in common with the average Prussian officer, who has +suddenly become invested with a certain degree of authority, evinced a +weird delight in emphasising his power at every opportunity. He was an +unbending apostle of steel-bound discipline, such as is practised in +Germany. + +Until his arrival we were in the habit of parading once a day--at 6 +a.m.--with evening parades, twelve hours later, upon occasion. But Major +Bach introduced the third mid-day parade. A little later he suddenly +thought that a fourth parade was necessary, the respective hours being +six, twelve, two, and six. Even this programme did not satisfy his love +of power and arrogance, because at frequent intervals he would suddenly +summon two additional parades and for no ostensible reason, except to +harass us. + +Parade was probably the most irksome duty we had to fulfil inasmuch as +we were then treated to insults of every description. The Commandant was +a martinet of the worst type. We were supposed to trim ourselves up and +to look as spick and span as we could under the circumstances. This was +more particularly demanded when a notable visitor--visitors were few and +far between--came to the camp to perform a perfunctory inspection to +satisfy the authorities in Berlin that the prisoners of war were being +well and kindly tended. But some of us were not disposed to bow meekly +to the tyrant's despotic orders. Instead of parading upon such occasions +in the white convict-like suits, which by the way we were supposed and +indeed asked to purchase, so that we might present a smart uniform +appearance, we preferred to don our own clothes, although they were now +showing sad signs of wear and tear. Naturally the immaculate Major +resented our refusal to fulfil his bidding, thus producing vivid +blemishes upon the prim appearance of the lines, but we always succeeded +in producing an excuse which was so ostensibly reasonable as to escape +his wrath and consignment to some punishment. + +The most irritating feature of these parades was the length of time we +were kept waiting in the scorching sun upon the convenience of his +"Excellency." To him it was nothing that we should be kept standing at +attention for an hour or more, while the guards, steeped in discipline +as they were, took a fiendish pleasure in keeping us up to the mark. I +recall one parade very vividly. The heat was intense: the thermometer +must have been at least 110 degrees in the sun. We paraded at two +o'clock as usual and were brought to attention. Major Bach was +momentarily expected, but he did not come upon the scene until 4.45. For +2-3/4 hours we were kept in the broiling sun, and none of us being in +the pink of condition owing to the wretched and inadequate food, we soon +commenced to betray signs of fatigue. On this occasion, even the German +guards could not adhere to the disciplinary rule. When we abandoned the +rigid attention attitude for others more or less comfortable they +followed our example, although they maintained a discreet alertness for +the coming of the Commandant so that we might be brought to attention +before he appeared upon the scene. + +One of the prisoners had been a Japanese trapezist and juggler. He was +very old. He said, and we agreed, he was about 75 years of age. But the +German authorities arbitrarily assessed his age at 54 years, and such it +had to be so long as it suited their purpose. He had toured the +vaudeville theatres and music halls in Germany for over 20 years, but he +was rounded up, and despite all his protestations concerning his age +was interned at Sennelager. + +The age of the poor old fellow was perfectly obvious. He was very weak, +and indeed, quite incapable of performing the most simple duties set by +our Lord and Master. K----, the captain of our barrack--the Jap formed +one of our party--recognising the old man's incapacity and infirmities, +eased his unfortunate position as much as he dared. One man had to be +detached from each party when it went out to work, to serve as orderly +for the day, and his responsibility was to keep the barrack clean and +tidy during our absence. At every available opportunity, especially when +confronted with a severe day's work, K---- told off the old man as +orderly, the light work pertaining to which was within his capacity. + +Upon the day of this particular parade the old man, enfeebled with age, +weak from want of food, and debilitated, could not resist the merciless +blazing sun. From sheer fatigue he sank to the ground. We in our pity +left him there, although we closed around him to shield him from the +eagle eyes of the vigilant guard. When Major Bach appeared suddenly we +all sprang hurriedly to attention. But our aged Japanese friend was not +so quick. The Commandant saw him sitting on the ground at the same +moment as the guard, also catching sight of him, rushed forward. The old +fellow was unmercifully hustled to his feet, although it was with only +an extreme effort that he could rise. Then he was treated to an outburst +of bullying and cursing from the Commandant such as we had never heard +before. He was threatened with this, that, and some other frightful +punishment if he dared to disobey any order in future. The old man, his +legs bent and quaking beneath him, listened with a pathetically helpless +demeanour. The tears coursed down his face as he shivered beneath the +string of oaths, curses, and imprecations that were rained upon him. +Many of us feared that he would be condemned for four hours to the tying +post, so infuriated was the despot of the camp, but he escaped this +terrible ordeal. + +About four weeks after we had entered Sennelager permission was extended +to those who felt so disposed to enjoy the luxury of an open-air bath. +Seeing that we never had the chance of more than a wash in the bucket at +the pump, and were in urgent need of a dip, we accepted the offer with +alacrity. We were escorted under strong guard to a stream some distance +from the barracks and were given a quarter of an hour for our pleasure. +We hurriedly tore off our clothes and took advantage of every minute to +have a roaring joyous time in the water. Thoroughly refreshed we were +marched back to camp and told off to our various duties. + +By this time every man in the camp had been assigned to some particular +task. Major Bach did not encourage idleness; it only fomented brooding +and moping over our position, was his argument. But he was also a +staunch believer in forced labour, which was quite a different thing. +Consequently we found ourselves condemned to some of the most filthy +tasks conceivable. Incidentally, however, these duties only served to +reveal still more convincingly the hollowness of Germany's preachings +concerning the principles of health and hygiene to the whole world while +herself practising the diametrically opposite. We were commanded to +clean out the military hospital. + +Now, if there is one building among others in which one would expect to +discover scrupulous cleanliness it is a hospital, but this accommodation +provided for the German recruits was in an indescribably filthy +condition. The conveniences for the patients were in a deplorable state. +They had neither been disinfected nor cleaned for months. Faecal matter +and other filth had been left to dry, harden and adhere with the +tenacity of glue to the surfaces. Its removal not only taxed our +strength to the supreme degree, but our endurance as well. The stench +was suffocating and nauseating. Even the foul aroma of the strong cheap +German tobacco which we were able to purchase at the canteen and to +smoke while at this task, if our sentry were genial, failed to smother +the more powerful and penetrating foul vapours which arose directly +water was applied. + +We were also assigned to the repugnant duty of cleaning out the +latrines, which were of the most primitive character, and which +coincided with the facilities which one might anticipate among savages +but not in such a boasting civilised country as Germany. Both these +duties were loathsome, but I am afraid no one engaged on the tasks would +be able to express a conclusive opinion as to which was the worse. + +The duties being so varied, operations often took us a little way from +the camp. The chance to get away even for a brief period from our +depressing and monotonous surroundings was seized with avidity. +Unfortunately, we feared that this system of forced labour would +culminate in our being assigned to the work of tending the crops. But we +made up our minds irrevocably to do no such thing no matter how we might +be punished. The Germans had failed to nourish us in an adequate manner, +and we were certainly not going to enable them to secure a sufficiency +of food at our expense. Indeed, the one or two attempts which were made +to impress us to toil on the land, proved highly disastrous because +considerable damage was inflicted from our ignorance of agriculture and +gardening. + +Some of us were given the garden which belonged to the old General who +had been in charge at Sennelager when we first arrived, to keep in +condition. This official was an enthusiastic amateur gardener and +cherished a great love for flowers. Seeing that during his regime we had +received considerate treatment within limitations, we cherished no +grudge against him. Again, the fact that his garden was to be kept going +led us to hope that the duration of Major Bach's reign over us was +merely temporary and that our former guardian would soon be returning. +We knew that in such an event our lot would be rendered far easier, so +we nursed his little plot of ground with every care and displayed just +as much interest in its welfare as if it had been our own. But the old +General never came back to Sennelager, at least not during my period of +imprisonment there. + +There was one party of British prisoners whom Major Bach singled out for +especially harsh and brutal treatment. The invincible High Seas Fleet +upon one of its sporadic ventures into salt water during the very +earliest days of the war, stumbled across a fleet of Grimsby trawlers +unconcernedly pursuing their usual peaceful occupation. The whole of the +fishermen were made prisoners and were dispatched to Sennelager. + +But Major Bach stedfastly refused to believe that they were simple +fishermen pursuing their ordinary tasks. To his narrow and distorted +mind a man on a trawler was only toiling in the sea for one or both of +two purposes. The one was laying mines; the other was mine-sweeping. +Consequently he decided to mark these unfortunate hardened sea-salts in +a distinguishing manner which was peculiarly his own, thereby rendering +them conspicuous and possible of instant recognition, while in the event +of an escape being attempted, no difficulty would be experienced in +identifying and catching the runaways. Each man was submitted to the +indignity of having one half of his head shaved clean, one half of his +moustache removed, or one half of his beard cut away. The men branded in +this manner presented a strange spectacle, and one which afforded Major +Bach endless amusement. In addition a flaming big "Z" was printed boldly +upon the back of the coat of each man. This letter comprises the initial +of the German word "zivil," and means that the wearer is neither a +criminal nor a military prisoner. It will be observed, however, that +the Commandant declined to recognise these fishermen as being naval +prisoners, which somewhat contradicted his assertion concerning their +alleged crime. At a subsequent date, I might mention, every civilian +prisoner was branded with the "Z" in a similar manner. + +These fishermen were watched very closely, were hunted and harassed at +every turn without mercy, and all things considered, experienced an +abnormally hard time. Up to the day of my release from Ruhleben on +December 6, 1915, but one of those old salts had been released, and had +been returned to his country. We were informed at Sennelager that the +authorities were determined, at all hazards, to keep these "diabolical +fiends" as they were termed, in durance vile, until the termination of +the war. However, one of them fell seriously ill after his transference +from Sennelager to Ruhleben. His condition became so serious as to bring +about his hurried exchange, the authorities dreading that he would die +while in their charge, and thus adversely affect the low death-rate +reputation of a German prison camp! + +Our hair was growing long, owing to the absence of cutting facilities. +Mine had almost reached my shoulders, but I was extremely careful to +submit it to a thorough wash every morning because I shared the fear of +many of my companions that, owing to the congestion of the camp, we +should be overrun with vermin. Undoubtedly Major Bach also anticipated +such a state of affairs, because one morning he appeared upon parade +with a pair of clippers which he had unearthed from somewhere and curtly +commanded every man to submit to a hair-cut. + +The position of official barber to the camp was assigned to an +Englishman named L----, who I think might be accurately described as our +official humorist. Armed with this weapon, and although absolutely +ignorant of the new calling thrust upon him, delighted to secure some +change to the monotonous round of toil, L---- entered upon his work +with commendable zest. But he construed the duty into a form of +amusement, and played sorry tricks with the heads which came into his +hands. Some he shaved so clean as to present the appearance of a +billiard ball, but others he evidently considered to be worthy of French +poodle treatment. He took a humorous delight in executing some of the +most fantastic and weird designs it is possible to imagine, much to the +discomfort and chagrin of his unwilling clients. Still his quaint +expression of craftmanship and artistry contributed somewhat to the +restricted hilarity and mirth of the camp. + +I, myself, sternly refused to entrust my head to L----'s hands. I +naturally thought that I should receive a smart punishment for thus +flying in the face of the autocratic order which had gone forth, but +strange to say I found Major Bach somewhat reasonable on this point. +This is about the only redeeming feature I can offer concerning Major +Bach's rule over us. I think, however, that he was somewhat more closely +observant than was generally supposed to be the case, because those of +us who escaped the hair-cutting precaution happened to be the very +prisoners who were unremitting in their efforts to preserve unassailable +personal cleanliness. No doubt L---- was disappointed to be deprived of +a few possible heads upon which to demonstrate his quaint skill, but we +succeeded in escaping from his clutches. + +Although vermin did overrun the camps, not only of Sennelager, but of +other prisons of whose interiors I made the acquaintance, I can assert +truthfully that I was never troubled with the unsolicited company of +body lice, and only once or twice discovered one or two unwelcome +strangers in my hair. The coarse and harsh German soap effectively +rendered my hair untenantable. But some of the prisoners were +overwhelmed and presented terrifying spectacles. It was here that the +superiority of the Britisher in matters pertaining to personal hygiene +towered over all the varying races by which he was surrounded, not even +excepting the Germans. From our own experience and observation it was +only too palpable that the Teuton soldiers are quite as careless in this +connection as the less enlightened peoples of south-eastern Europe, +because they were as severely infested--if not more so--with vermin. + +One of the jobs set to us was making hay in an adjoining field and for +the purpose of getting away from the camp for a few hours many of us +volunteered for this toil. The hay had to be laden upon huge waggons, +the load thus easily exceeding that incidental to British hay-making +operations, and this had to be hauled to Paderborn for storage in lofts. + +Although I was on the sick list at the time I could not resist the +chance to secure a glimpse of new surroundings and a few strange faces. +It was on this occasion that I made my first, but abortive, attempt to +escape. The sentry was dozing in the hot afternoon sun, having found a +soft couch on a haycock. I slunk off towards the trees which surround +the camp. Presently I spotted a sentry. I passed him safely and still +keeping to the trees pushed forward, only to be surprised to discover +another sentry standing on watch with his loaded rifle. Him, too, I +eluded, and was congratulating myself upon my success when I was +disturbed by the clattering of approaching horses. I peered through the +trees and saw a squadron of cavalry trotting towards me. I slipped into +the undergrowth to throw myself prone under a sheltering bush. The +soldiers passed within twelve feet of me. I held my breath half-dreading +that perhaps one of the horses, scenting something unusual, might give a +warning. I kept to my cover until the soldiers had disappeared from +sight. Then I stole out to wander stealthily forward. But I speedily +discovered that the further I got away from the camp the greater the +number of cavalry I encountered. Moreover it was easy to see that +manoeuvres and training were proceeding upon an extensive scale. + +I realised the hopelessness of attempting to break through such a +cordon, so with extreme regret I decided to make my way back to the +hayfield. But the return was more difficult than the outward journey. I +had to slip the guards, who seemed to be uncannily alert and who, if +they had caught the slightest glimpse of me, would have blazed away with +their rifles without first yelling a challenge. But I dodged them all +and regaining the field sauntered up towards my guard with perfect +composure. He had missed me and had been looking round to see if I were +at a remote part of the field. As I approached he eyed me quizzically +and subjected me to a searching cross-examination to discover where I +had been. But he secured no satisfaction, beyond the sly hint that he +had not noticed me for the simple reason that he had been stealing a +snooze. I know he did not believe the answers I vouchsafed, but I was on +safe ground. Had he hauled me before the Commandant for attempting to +escape he knew very well that I should have retorted with the +countercharge that he had been sleeping at his post, in which assertion +I should have been supported by my friends. I held the trump card and he +was wise enough to realise the fact. Consequently, beyond telling me to +get on with my work he never ventured another word, nor did his attitude +towards me change in any way. + +Afterwards I congratulated myself upon having responded to second +thoughts to return to the camp. I learned that the chances of escaping +from Sennelager were most slender. Not only were we interned in the +centre of a big military centre, somewhat comparable to our Aldershot, +but special precautions had been observed to frustrate escape. Sentries +were thrown out at distances of a few hundred yards while the system of +overlapping these guardians was of the most elaborate character. Such a +gauntlet was far too precarious and tight to be run with any chances of +success. The hue and cry would have been raised, and have been +transmitted to the outer rings of sentries before one had covered a +fourth of the danger zone. + +We had to bale the hay on the waggon and when a full load had been +stowed aboard it was hauled away to the lofts. But we had no horses or +traction engines to drag the vehicles; every available beast and machine +had been requisitioned for the army. Still this factor did not perturb +our captors. British muscle could be used as a substitute for animals +and engines. Accordingly, about 30 of the imprisoned British tourists +were harnessed up to tug the weighty and cumbersome load over the heavy +three miles of road, badgered and baited by the guards. When we slowed +down under the effort, which was pretty exhausting upon a basin of +cabbage soup, we were spurred into the normal pace by the imprecations +of the soldiers. + +In addition to the men tugging at the shafts two had to ride on top of +the load to keep it in order. The road led through a long avenue, the +lower branches of the trees lining which swept the top of the hay. It +taxed all our ingenuity and agility to avoid a mishap. Indeed, my +companion was swept off and thrown into the road with considerable +violence, sustaining severe bruises. It was rather by luck than judgment +that I did not share his fate. + +When we reached the outskirts of Paderborn the guards called a halt, in +order to secure refreshment. We were also permitted, within limits, to +purchase eatables from the shops, for which, needless to say, we had to +pay exorbitantly. + +[*large gap] we were able to secure a highly appreciated relief to our +monotonous and insufficient fare. + +While the guards were enjoying themselves my companion and I, perched on +the top of the load, became the target for the jokes and gibes of the +curious crowd which had collected round the vehicle. One fellow in the +crowd was particularly impertinent and offensive with the result that we +soon became riled. He came close to the side of the wagon to shout some +particularly insulting epithet. With a dexterous movement my friend and +I, who had been watching patiently, severed the band holding a bale and +as it flew apart we gave the bale a smart push. It toppled over the side +to fall upon the head of our tormentor with a crash, felling him to the +ground and burying him completely. The guard, whom it missed narrowly, +gave a savage curse, but the fall appeared to be so obviously accidental +that he never for a moment considered the incident to have been +premeditated. The bullying, raw-boned young Prussian was extricated with +great difficulty and somewhat battered. His mouth, eyes, nostrils and +ears were choked with the hayseeds and he spluttered, coughed and yelled +in a terrifying manner. But he who a minute before had been so ready +with gibes at our expense was now jeered at by his comrades, in which +our guards joined boisterously. We, on the top had to give way to mirth. +Although we were compelled to gather the hay, remake the bale, and +reload it upon the vehicle we were so satisfied with our complete +revenge as to perform the task with a light heart. + +Whenever we visited Paderborn, or the village of Sennelager, we never +omitted to load ourselves up with whatever food we could purchase. Those +who did not accompany us invariably gave us the wherewithal to secure +victuals for them. + +[*large gap] + +At first the shop-keepers were not disposed to deal with us, no doubt +fearing that they would be charged with complicity in these +transactions. [*gap] + +As our visits became more frequent all hesitation upon the part of the +tradesmen vanished, and they accepted our money without the slightest +demur. We speedily discovered that the most rabid anti-British and +wildly patriotic German shopkeeper always succumbs to business. When +patriotism is pitted against pounds, shillings and pence, patriotism can +go hang. + +[*large gap] + +One of Major Bach's most diabolical acts of savagery was the closing of +the canteens in the camp to prisoners. This was the last straw, because +now we were compelled to subsist upon the slender and disgusting fare +served from the official cook-house. This doubtless was the express +reason which influenced the Commandant in his action. But we were not +disposed to allow him to have things all his own way. He promulgated the +order but it had to be enforced by his myrmidons. We found that the +canteen was still available to the guards, so forthwith we resorted to +corruption to evade Major Bach's decree. The guards having us in their +mercy, bled us unmercifully, the most trivial articles being procurable +only at an extravagant price. I paid a shilling for a loaf which I could +always obtain before the closing order came into force for twopence! +Other articles were in proportion. + +But closing the canteens drew the cordon round our stomachs immeasurably +tighter. It was not long before the fiendish decree betrayed its fruits. +Gaunt figures with pinched faces and staring wolfish eyes slunk about +the camp ready to seize anything in the form of food. Our physique fell +away, and those already reduced to weakness suffered still further +debilitation. Many failed to muster the strength necessary to fulfil the +tasks allotted to them. Gradual, systematic and deliberate starvation of +the prisoners was prosecuted in grim earnest. + +Yet the British prisoners accepted the inevitable with a far more +cheerful resignation than the others. Undoubtedly it is a decided trait +of the British character never to be cast down when brought face to face +with disaster. Our boys were quite as resourceful as Major Bach, +although in the opposite direction--to keep ourselves alive. Whenever +any of us went out and came within reach of a field growing vegetable +crops we did not hesitate to raid it. Supplies of raw carrots, onions, +potatoes, turnips and any other roots in the edible line were smuggled +into the barracks. Late at night, after all lights had been extinguished +and we were supposed to be asleep, we were sitting up munching quietly +away at these spoils of war with as much gusto and enthusiasm as if +enjoying a _table d'hote_ dinner in the luxury of a crack West End +hotel. + +One day one of our party came in with a cucumber. Where or how he had +got it we never knew, and what is more we did not trouble to enquire. +The fact that we had come into possession of a dainty sufficed. We fell +upon it with a relish which it is impossible to describe. It was divided +among us in accordance with our accepted communal practice, and I do not +think any article which we secured in Sennelager was ever eaten with +such wholehearted enjoyment as that cucumber. But the incident was not +free from its touch of pathos. When we sat down to the cucumber we +carefully peeled it and threw the rind away. Two days later two others +and myself set out to recover that cucumber rind which had been +discarded, the pinch about the waist-belt having become insistent. We +found it, soiled and shrivelled, but we ate it ravenously. + +Major Bach may have wondered why the British civil prisoners did not +reveal signs of semi-starvation so readily as those of other +nationalities. But we had long since discovered that it was useless to +go about the camp with long faces and the bearing of the "All-is-Lost +Brigade." We were almost entirely dependent upon our own ingenuity to +keep ourselves alive, and we succeeded. The methods adopted may be +criticised, but in accordance with the inexorable first law of Nature we +concluded that the end justified any means. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE REIGN OF TERROR--CONTINUED + + +While for the most part we had been compelled to labour upon sundry +duties, we were not hard pushed, being somewhat in the position of the +workmen toiling by the hour, except that our efforts went unrewarded in +a financial sense. But this system did not coincide with the ideas of +Major Bach. + +He paraded us one morning and assuming his favourite attitude before us +treated us to a little homily. It was a characteristic tirade delivered +in the conventional Teuton gramophone manner. But it affected us +materially. + +_Now we were to become slaves in very truth!_ + +The Commandant informed us point-blank that he was extremely +dissatisfied with our manner of working. We were too slow: we nursed our +tasks. Did we think we were being kept at Sennelager for the benefit of +our health or to make holiday? If so that was a fond delusion. +Henceforth he was going to estimate a certain time for each task which +would have to be completed within the period allowed, even if we had to +work every hour God gave us and, if need be, on Sundays as well. + +Major Bach never minced matters: he meant every word he said. So upon +being dismissed we returned to our barracks looking decidedly glum. +Pressure was being applied at every turn now, and it was becoming a +pressure which could be felt. + +We were soon notified as to the first task which we were to rush through +on "contract" time. A big fence was required to enclose a certain area +of the camp, and this was to be erected, together with the necessary +gates and other details within fourteen days. If we could complete it +within a shorter time no complaint would be raised. But he would not +allow another day beyond his limit. Major Bach must have been a +masterpiece in this particular phase of human endeavour, inasmuch as his +anticipated period, as we learned, could not have been reduced by a +single day. + +The prisoners were divided into gangs, each of which was allotted to a +definite operation. Although the erection of this fence constituted the +hardest enterprise which we had ever taken in hand we did not flinch. +Somehow or other we considered that Major Bach had given expression to +an unwarrantable reflection upon our abilities. He practically +considered us to be no more nor less than slackers. Well! We would show +him what we could do, although prisoners, denied every possible comfort, +and half-starved into the bargain. Every man undertook to exert himself +to the utmost and to do his level best. + +No facilities whatever were extended to us beyond the most primitive of +tools. One party was sent into the adjacent woods to fell suitable trees +to serve as posts, to trim them of branches, and to the required length +of 10 feet. Then they had to be carried by manual effort into the camp +where the butt was chamfered and charred in a wood fire as a protection +against too rapid decay. + +While the posts were being prepared a second party was busily engaged in +digging the holes for them. Each hole had to be of a prescribed +diameter, by one metre--about 3 feet--in depth, and they were set a +certain distance apart. Tree-felling might have been, and undoubtedly +was, hard work to inexperienced hands, but hole digging! That was set +down as the unassailable limit. Driving the pick and shovel in the +rebellious ground was back-breaking in the hot sun and it had to be +maintained without pause or slackening. + +When the post had been planted the wire-pulling gang came along. The +wire used for the purpose was galvanised netting such as is used to +enclose chicken runs, game preserves, and tennis grounds, reinforced by +one or two equidistantly spaced lines of ordinary wire. It had to be +stretched taut by hand and moving the heavy roll by manual effort and +uncoiling it as we advanced, demanded not only strength but dexterity. +At each post the wire was attached by the aid of a few staples. + +Although we laboured zealously the task proved far more formidable than +we had anticipated. The fence was 7 feet in height, while I should think +that from 600 to 800 yards had to be run. The netting only enclosed +three sides of the desired space, the fourth side being fenced in by a +belt of trees. In order to get the work done on time and to avoid being +compelled to toil on Sundays, we had to labour long and hard. We started +shortly after six in the morning, but it was often about half-past six +in the evening before we knocked off for the day. We took a strange and +inexplicable pride in the enterprise. The fence was not built upon the +typical shoddy German lines, but strictly in accordance with substantial +British ideas. I may mention that we had good reason to regret this +display of zeal and excellent workmanship at a later date. + +Seeing that the evening was well advanced before we ceased work we had +little time for relaxation. When we stowed our tools for the day we were +dog-tired and were hustled into barracks. It was work and sleep in +deadly earnest, but we were mighty glad we succeeded in avoiding the +threatened Sunday labour, because this was the only day we could devote +to our own duties such as mending and washing clothes. + +While we were pushing ahead with this task we discussed its coming +purposes very animatedly. But none of the guards appeared to have the +slightest inkling of its projected application. However, this was +immaterial to us. A loud cheer of triumph went up when we had hung the +gates, which we had also fashioned at great effort, and the duty was +completed. We were beside ourselves with self-satisfaction and delight +because we had shown the implacable Major Bach what we Britishers could +do when we made up our minds to tackle anything. I very much doubt +whether even an equal number of skilled workmen would have completed the +fence within the stipulated time, and we for the most part were quite +foreign to the trades involved. + +When we first entered the camp we were provided with a tolerably +satisfactory area of adjacent space in which to exercise ourselves. But +as additional prisoners came in this limb-stretching promenade became +gradually reduced until at last it was no more than a suburban chicken +run in area, being just as long as our barrack by one-half the space +between the two rows of buildings. These cramped quarters rather +exasperated us because we were denied the pleasure of a little stroll. +The exercise yard was also invariably obstructed by clothes hanging on +the lines to dry or to air, the result being that within a very short +time the British section of Sennelager Camp became vividly reminiscent +of a slum in the densely populated districts off the Mile End Road. + +The speedy completion of the "big fence" unfortunately set a bad +precedent. Major Bach, flushed with the success of his first speeding-up +tactics, grew more and more inexorable in this connection. For every job +a rigid time-limit was now set, and he did not hesitate to reduce the +period to an almost impossible point. The cause was perfectly obvious. +He concluded that by setting us an absolutely impossible, though +apparently reasonable, enterprise, he would secure the opportunity for +which he was so sedulously waiting--to mete us out some new punishment. +But somehow or other we always contrived to cheat him in his nefarious +designs. + +During this period our guard was changed frequently. Men would be +withdrawn to make up the losses incurred upon the battlefield. Thus we +were brought into contact with the various types of Germans which +constitute the Teutonic Empire. Some were certainly not ill-disposed +towards us. They mounted guard over us according to their own +interpretation of this essential duty. But others slavishly followed the +rigid instructions which were laid down, notably the Prussian guards, +who were about the most brutal and despicable blackguards it is possible +for the whole of Germany to have produced to mount watch and ward over +us. One set of guards was withdrawn to bring a Westphalian regiment to +fighting strength and proceeded to the front. Afterwards we learned that +every man had been lost--killed, wounded or missing. + +The severe mauling which the German armies were receiving--we knew +nothing about it at the time--undoubtedly was partly responsible for the +harsh treatment extended to us. Unable to smash the "contemptible little +army," which was certainly proving capable of looking after itself, +vengeance was visited upon our defenceless heads. + +One day a huge crowd of prisoners was brought in. Whether the Commandant +had been advised of their coming or not I am unable to say. But one +incontrovertible fact remains--he failed utterly to make any food +arrangements to meet the increase in the camp's population. The +prisoners reached the camp in the usual famishing condition and were +given a small ration. But they were satisfied partially at our expense. +The remaining food was only adequate to give us one-half of our usual +small dole, and we had to rest content therewith. The canteen being +closed we could not make up the deficiency even at our own expense. + +My health was now giving way, as a result of my privations in Wesel +prison, accentuated by the indifferent and insufficient food and hard +work at Sennelager. I was assigned to various light duties. One of +these brought me into the cook-house, where I was ordered to cut up the +black bread--one brick loaf into five equal pieces, each of which had to +last a man through six meals. I was either unfitted for kitchen work or +else my presence was resented. At all events I soon realised that my +first day in the cook-house would undoubtedly be my last. I had to serve +out the bread, and ostensibly, either from lack of experience or +nervousness, I bungled my task. The men had to go by the boiler in +single file, passing on to the table to receive the bread, where serving +was carried out so dexterously that the moving line never paused--until +it got to my table. But there was method in my bungling. I was zealously +striving to double the bread ration to the British prisoners. +Consequently the pieces of bread persisted in tumbling to the ground, +thereby hindering and upsetting the steady progress and rhythm of +serving. But each man as he stooped to recover a fallen piece received a +second hunk surreptitiously, as was my direct intention. However, +unfortunately for me, the bread did not go far enough, the outcome being +an outburst of further trouble. As I had expected, my room was preferred +to my company in that kitchen and I was deposed. + +While in Sennelager I had been sedulously keeping an elaborate diary in +which I entered details of every incident that befell the camp. I had +also recovered my original diary which had played such a prominent part +at my trial in Wesel prison. + +[*gap] + +Now diaries were the one thing in Sennelager which were rigorously +debarred. To have been caught with such a record of the doings and my +opinions of the German authorities would have brought me an exemplary +sentence of solitary confinement or penal servitude in a German prison, +if not something worse. Consequently I was compelled to post my diary in +secrecy. I discovered a hiding-place which would never have occurred to +the guards, even if they had gained an inkling that such a document was +in existence. + +One of our party fell a victim to chronic asthma, and was isolated, +being given a room under the officer's quarters. Someone was required to +accompany him to extend assistance and constant surveillance, and +selection fell upon me. Locking myself in this room at night, with my +sick companion, I used to while away the time preparing some rough notes +which I was keeping for a specific purpose in addition to the diary +proper, which, however, I left in its original hiding-place. + +By some means or other the guard suspected my engagement in some such +task. They made several surprise entrances but failed to catch me in the +act of writing. The heavy tread of their coming feet always gave me +ample warning so that I could get my notes into safe hiding. But one +night they burst open the door suddenly and I was caught red-handed. On +my knees was my pad at which I was writing feverishly. But the pad was +inscribed with notes which I regarded as of an emergency character. +Realising the object of their unexpected entry I clapped the pad on the +table, thus covering up the prepared and detailed notes which I desired +to keep. The guard sprang forward delirious with joy at having made a +capture, snatched the loose sheets from the pad, and went off in high +glee to report my heinous offence. But the man in his haste left the +proper notes on the table. He was too thick-brained to think for a +moment that I should ever trouble to prepare two diaries, one for myself +and one for capture if detected, so I still held the treasured original, +which I instantly hid away safely. + +As luck would have it not a word was included in the captured notes to +offer written evidence of my private and candid opinion of my captors, +their methods and our life. The fact that I had written nothing +detrimental to the authorities apparently appeased the Commandant, +notwithstanding the enormity of my delinquency. At all events I received +nothing worse than a stern admonition and threats of severe punishment +if I were caught infringing the regulations again, to all of which I +listened humbly, but with my tongue in my cheek. + +My diary was posted up fully in due course, and what is more to the +point I got the voluminous and incriminating evidence away from +Sennelager. At a later date I became somewhat apprehensive as to its +safety, and was anxious to get it to England. For some time I was +baffled in my efforts, but at last a friendly neutral offered to take it +and to see that it was delivered to my friend who has chronicled this +story, to whom I had addressed it. This diary wandered about Germany +considerably, the person in question preferring to make haste slowly to +disarm all suspicion. At last the neutral, after having been searched +several times without yielding anything incriminating, got as far as the +frontier. About to pass into the adjacent friendly country the carrier +was detained, and by some mischance the diary happened to be unearthed. + +The neutral was arrested upon some trumped-up charge to afford the +authorities time to peruse the incriminating document. Cross-examined +the go-between protested ignorance of the contents: the parcel was found +just as it had been received from the consignor, the seals were all +intact, and it was under delivery to the person whose address was +written upon the outside. There was nothing attached to associate myself +with the document, although my friend at home would have known instantly +whence it had come. The upshot was that the diary was confiscated. I was +bitterly mortified to learn its fate when within a stone's throw of +safety, because it contained incidents of all descriptions set out in +regular sequence, and in a plain unvarnished manner. Its perusal must +have stung the Germans pretty severely since it was decidedly +unpalatable to Teuton pride. It was a comprehensive indictment of the +German treatment of the British prisoners, relative more particularly to +Sennelager, which the authorities were firmly determined should never +become known to the world at large, and to conceal which they used +unceasing efforts. Had that diary got home it would have created a +tremendous sensation. My vexation was completed by the thought that the +diary contained many episodes and incidents which I can now only recall +hazily, but I thanked my lucky stars that I had taken the precaution to +keep a precis of the contents which I myself brought away with me, and +which has proved of valuable assistance in setting forth this narrative. + +A few days after having completed the famous "big fence" we were +paraded. Major Bach strode up, obviously in a terrible temper--it was +the six o'clock parade--and facing us, roared: + +"You English dogs! Barracks are too comfortable for you! You should be +made to feed from the swine-tub! Bring all your luggage out--everything +you've got, and your sacks of straw! I'll give you ten minutes to do it. +Then you'll parade again! Hurry up!" + +We were thunderstruck at this order. What was in the wind? Major Bach +was adept in springing surprises upon us, but this excelled anything to +which we had been treated hitherto. + +Speculation was idle. We had only ten minutes to do as we were bidden, +and we bustled around to be on parade as demanded. The excitement was +intense. We collected every stick to which we could lay a claim, and +with all our worldly belongings, as well as our sack of straw, on our +shoulders, we trotted out and formed up. + +As we paraded, the guards made a diligent search of the barracks to see +that we had left nothing behind. Also to make sure that no prisoner was +lurking in hiding. + +We received the order to march. We tramped along under our bulky and +ungainly loads, and found we were being escorted to the enclosure which +we had fenced in. We swung through the gate, which was closed behind the +last man, and a soldier mounted guard over it. In a flash the truth +burst upon us. + +_We were clapped into the barbed wire prison which we had built with so +much energy and in which we had taken such pride!_ + +The look of dismay which settled upon the faces of the more lugubrious +members of our party at this typical Teutonic illustration of adding +insult to injury was perfectly justifiable. Here were we turned into an +open field surrounded by netting, as if we were so many cattle, and in +which there were no tents or other buildings except a single small shed. +Some of us scurried to this little tumbledown shanty to stow our +belongings. We had to parade and were curtly commanded to empty the +straw from our sacks. We did so though our spirits dropped to zero at +this summary deprivation of our beds. We were told to keep the empty +sacks and to secure them against loss or theft, which injunction we did +not fail to take to heart. + +Then we were left. No one appeared to know what to do with us. We were +informed that instructions would be given later. We kicked our heels +about in the broiling sun, sprawling here, and lolling there. The hours +passed but there was no further development. When noon came and we +received no summons for the mid-day meal we commenced to grow +apprehensive in spite of ourselves. Fortunately the weather was +glorious, although the hot sun, which we could not escape, proved +distressing. + +As the time wore on we spurred our interpreters to exert themselves on +our behalf. They constituted our only means of mediating with our +superiors, and we urged them to go to the Commandant to enquire about +our rations. + +The interpreters went off and succeeded in gaining an audience with +Major Bach, who was found in his office conferring with his juniors. +Directly he espied our interpreters he yelled testily: + +"Dolmetscher! Dolmetscher! I cannot attend to any Dolmetscher now!" + +"But," persisted one of the interpreters, "how about the food for--" + +"Don't come worrying me now," was the savage interruption. "Get out!" + +Our intermediaries came back and their doleful faces told us more +eloquently than words that their interview had proved barren. + +Some of the prisoners were giving way. A basin of acorn coffee and a +small piece of black bread was all we had eaten for breakfast, and we +were commencing to feel the pangs of hunger disconcertingly. + +In an adjacent field were some British Tommies from Mons. Some of us, +tiring of sprawling about on the grass, and with a queer pain gnawing at +our stomach, strolled off towards them to secure some distraction and +smother the call of "little Mary." The soldiers were hugely delighted to +see us and we were soon engrossed in a spirited conversation. + +Suddenly our fraternising was observed by some officers who came +hurrying up in high dudgeon. + +"Here! None of that," they bawled. "Military and civilians must not talk +together!" saying which they bundled the soldiers away and evidently +reported our offence. At least our guards came up shortly afterwards, +marshalled us, and led us through a small wood into a low-lying field. +It was apparently another fiendish inspiration of Major Bach to confine +us here, because the field was nothing but a swamp. It was not so +soddened as to allow the feet to sink ankle deep into the mire, but was +like a wet sponge. It was impossible to sit down or one would have got +wet through. + +We were left standing in this uninviting quagmire for four solid hours. +The interpreters were pestered unmercifully to secure us something to +eat and to drink, but they were as helpless as ourselves. They were +well-nigh distracted at the ugly turn which things were taking. Matters +were certainly becoming alarming among the weaker prisoners, who were +now in a pitiable condition. + +It was not until five o'clock in the afternoon that the authorities +suddenly remembered us. Then we were lined up to secure some food. But +we passed three hours in that queue only to receive a small dole of +filthy looking thin cabbage soup. This was all that had passed our lips +since the wretched black coffee served fifteen hours before! + +Yet we were thankful for such a meagre mouthful. We were all so famished +that we took no heed of the noisomeness of the ration. Now we began to +grow anxious as to the arrangements for enabling us to pass the night. +Our interpreters had been questioning one or two of the younger officers +who were mounting guard over us in this field. + +"Oh! That'll be all right," was the retort. "We're going to put you into +tents!" + +"But where are the tents?" persisted the interpreters, looking around +wonderingly. + +"Oh," was the evasive reply, "they have commenced to put them up. But we +find we shall not get all the tents for a few days. They haven't come in +yet! You'll be a bit crowded at first but it'll soon be straightened +out." + +Again our faces fell. We had been turned out of our barracks before our +tents had been procured. This was a dismal look-out, but we hoped that, +as the officers said they were putting up tents, we should be able to +squeeze under cover, if in discomfort. + +We were lined up again in the twilight to receive marching orders. We +were escorted into the field, which is set upon the side of a hill, and +as we swung into this space we could not suppress an exclamation. The +field was alive with men. All the other prisoners had been evicted from +their barracks, and had been turned into this open enclosure. The +hill-side was black, with a sullen, heaving, listless mass of humanity, +numbering over 1,500 all told, and of every conceivable enemy (to +Germany) nationality. We scanned the field for a glimpse of the tents, +but the only signs of canvas we could see was one large marquee which +was lying on the ground ready for erection upon the brow of the hill. + +We stood wondering how we were going to spend the night when orders were +bawled out that we were to sleep in the open! This intimation was +received with a wailing and groaning which sounded ominous to me. But +the guard, which had been strongly reinforced, was in overwhelming array +so that all discontent and protest counted for naught. A bewildering +string of orders was yelled, the substance of which was that we were to +shake ourselves down upon the grass in long regular rows, with a narrow +passage between each two. I think this was the first occasion upon which +I had ever seen so many prisoners give way, since in the majority of +cases the men were devoid of any means of making themselves comfortable +for the night in the open air. Some of us, including myself, had taken +the precaution to bring our blankets with us: indeed, we considered the +blanket such an inestimable boon and companion that we never parted with +it even for a moment. We rolled ourselves in these, and although the +grumblings and growlings which rose and fell over the field recalled the +angry murmuring of the sea and were disturbing, I was so exhausted that +I soon fell sound asleep. + +So far as I was personally concerned I was not particularly sorry that +Major Bach, in his devilish intention to exasperate us, had conceived +the idea of compelling us to sleep in the open. The weather was +intensely hot and the night became insufferably sultry. It must have +been about midnight when I awoke for the first time. For the moment I +could not collect my thoughts and sat up somewhat surprised at the +unusual brilliancy of the light playing upon my face, which was in +striking contrast to the dismal blackness of the barracks. Then I +realised that we were in the open and that a glorious full moon was +shining upon us from a cloudless sky. + +I got on my feet and looked around. It was a strange, albeit +extraordinarily impressive sight. Guards were patrolling the lines, +their bayonets flashing sharply as they caught the glittering silvery +light of the moon. My guard came along and ordered me to lie down, but I +refused, and, in fact, walked along between the rows of prostrate forms. +The air was uncannily still, broken only by the twitterings of night +birds, the hooting of the owls, the subdued clanging of rifles, the +footsteps of the guards, and the groans of many of the sleepers who were +twisting and turning upon the ground. The hill-side was crowded with the +restless forms; they seemed so thick and densely packed as to cover +every inch of space. + +As I surveyed the scene the loneliness and helplessness of our position +did not strike me. All was so quiet and apparently peaceful. Now and +again a sleeper would stir, mutter something in his sleep about his poor +wife and children at home, and would sit up to ascertain what light was +playing upon his face, would turn to the moon and then completely +satisfied would lie down and relapse into slumber. As I observed the +heavy dew which had dressed the grass and sleeping forms with beads +which sparkled like diamonds I could not repress a feeling of thanks +that the weather was kind to us. Supposing it had rained! I shuddered at +the thought. + +At 4.30 we were all roused, lined up, and ordered to prepare to receive +our breakfast. We formed queues as instructed but we had to wait +patiently until eight o'clock before we received our rations--the acorn +coffee looking more sickly and watery than ever. Only a few basins were +available so we had to drink successively out of the self-same vessel, +as rapidly as we could swallow the liquid upon the spot. We closed our +eyes to the fact that a hundred or more people of all nationalities, +from Frenchmen to Poles, German recruits to Slavs, had drunk a few +moments previously from these basins which were not even rinsed after +use. The thought was revolting, but it was either drink with a blind +trust in the Fates or go without. + +During that day the erection of the single marquee was hastened. It was +the only tent available, and there were sufficient of us on the field to +have packed it to suffocation ten times over! We were compelled to go +without our mid-day meal, but this did not disconcert us very +pronouncedly. Our peace of mind was being racked by another impending +aggravation of our predicament. Dark heavy clouds were gathering in the +sky. Was the weather which had been merciful to us during the previous +night now going to break? + +When the marquee was completed a few trusses of straw were thrown in and +distributed thinly over the ground. Then ensued a wild stampede to +secure a place beneath the canvas, a rabble of several hundreds fighting +frantically among themselves to seek a couch in the absurdly inadequate +temporary canvas dwelling. The men stowed themselves in so tightly in +close serried rows that when lying down they were unable to turn over. +Once a position had been seized the tenant never dared to leave it for +an instant for fear it would be seized by some one else. The guards +demanded and succeeded in maintaining for a time a narrow gangway +between the rows, but the crush became so terrible that even this space +was soon occupied and the soldiers were prevented from moving within the +tent. + +The marquee was packed to suffocation, and the fact that the greater +part of the seething mass of humanity was filthy dirty and thickly +infested with lice and other vermin from causes over which they had no +control caused the atmosphere within to become so hot and foetid as to +make one's stomach jump into one's throat. + +One glance at the packed marquee sufficed to make up my mind for me. +Come what might it would never see me within its walls. Were a light +carelessly dropped among the loose straw a fearful holocaust must ensue. +Few if any could have got out alive. This thought haunted me so +persistently that I moved as far away from the tent as I could. + +We received no further rations that day until the evening, when another +small dole of watery greasy coffee was handed round as in the morning. +But we never glanced at this noisome liquid. The terror which we had +been dreading so fearfully had burst upon us. It was raining hard! At +first only a gentle refreshing shower, it developed into a torrential +downpour, and gave every indication of lasting for an indefinite period. +Consider the situation--approximately two thousand human beings stranded +upon a bleak exposed field, absolutely devoid of any shelter, except the +solitary paltry marquee. Little wonder that our faces blanched at the +prospect before us. How should we be able to sleep? What horrors would +the dawn reveal? God only knew. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +"THE BLOODY NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 11" + + +By ten o'clock in the evening the rain was falling in sheets and the +water coursing down the slope to collect in the depression speedily +formed a shallow lake at the bottom end of "the field." No one can form +the slightest impression of the wretchedness of those who were exposed +to the full fury of the elements through the ferocious and brutal +inhumanity of Major Bach. The little food which had been served out to +us so sparingly failed to keep our bodies warm, let alone fortify us +against the visitation by which we were now being overwhelmed. + +The wind increased in fury until at last it was blowing with the force +of a gale. The trees creaked and bent beneath its onslaughts, and those +who had ventured to seek the slight protection afforded by the +overhanging branches, trembled with fear lest the trees should be torn +up by the roots or heavy limbs be wrenched free and tossed among them. + +Those who had secured the shelter offered by the solitary marquee and +who, notwithstanding the irrespirable and filthy atmosphere, considered +possible suffocation and the danger of fire to be preferable to the +drenching rain, were confronted with a new and far more terrifying +menace. + +The wind catching the broad surface which the tent offered commenced to +flap whatever loose ends of the canvas it could pick up, with a wild, +nerve racking noise. The whole marquee swung and reeled to and fro, the +sport of the boisterous gusts. The main poles creaked as they bent +beneath the enormous strains to which they were being put. The guy +ropes, now thoroughly saturated and having contracted, groaned fiercely +as if about to snap. Hurried efforts were made to slacken the ropes +slightly, but the wind, driving rain, and inky blackness of the night, +as well as the swollen hemp, hindered this task very effectively. Indeed +the tension upon some of the stakes became so acute that they either +snapped or else were uprooted. + +As the supports gave way the ungainly marquee commenced to totter and +rock far more threateningly. The wind driving into the interior flapped +the roof madly. The herded humanity within feared that the whole of the +canvas above them would be blown off to be carried away by the gale. The +inmates who had fought so desperately among themselves for the shelter +it offered were now crouching and shivering with fear. Some highly +strung individual raised a cry of danger. The next instant there was a +wild panic which lasted a considerable time. There was a wicked combined +rush to get outside, the men fighting among themselves fiercely. + +Outside, upon "the field," bedlam was let loose. The seething mass of +humanity was now soaked to the skin. The men walked up and down, their +teeth chattering madly, in a desperate effort to keep warm. Indeed it +was necessary for many of them to persist in unwilling exercise since +this was the only way to keep alive: to stop was to sink down from sheer +fatigue. In the darkness I had discovered and kept company with a South +African, Moresby White.[5] But it was almost impossible to converse, +since we had to shout with all the force of our lungs to make our voices +heard above the roar and rattle of the wind and rain. We were compelled +to tread warily, because in the Cimmerian darkness it was impossible to +distinguish the groaning forms crouching upon the ground. + + [Footnote 5: This gentleman has since been released and at the + time of writing is recuperating in Great Britain.] + +[Illustration: "THE BLOODY NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 11, 1914." + +_From a rough sketch made on "the field," by the author during the +night._] + +We linked our arms tightly together to form mutual support and +persistently plodded hither and thither. The spectacle was terrifying +and tested the nerves of the strongest among us. If ever humanity were +cast adrift and left to its own devices, it was that night upon "the +field." Some of the prisoners were rushing to and fro frantic with fear. +Others huddled together as if to keep one another warm. Some were on +their knees praying fervently, while other parties were singing hymns in +voices which made the strongest-hearted among us blench. Here and there +were men stamping furiously up and down cursing at the top of their +voices, hurling fierce imprecations to the wind and consigning the +Commandant, his superiors, and all their works to everlasting torment. +Some of the most exhausted prisoners had congregated together and +crouched with their heads bowed to the storm, shivering with cold, +afraid to speak, hungry and terror-stricken, yet completely resigned to +the fate which they felt convinced must be theirs and absolutely +inevitable. A few, whose nerves were highly strung, were striding up and +down laughing demoniacally, waving their arms madly, and gesticulating +as if their senses had indeed given way. A few of the rougher spirits +were blaspheming, and to such a tune that even the most hardened among +us were forced to turn our backs to escape their blood-curdling oaths. + +As midnight approached the wind and rain increased in fury. Even the +guard failed to stand against it. The sentries were drenched from head +to foot. The conditions became so bad that an order was suddenly +circulated to the effect that the guard was to be changed every two +hours, instead of at four-hour intervals. The sentries were quite +powerless to assist us even if they had been disposed to come to our aid +to mitigate our wretched condition in any way. One guard, his compassion +evidently aroused by a scene such as he had never witnessed before, +secured some thin stakes and thrust them through the wire netting to +form a support to a large blanket. With this he thought that perhaps a +little shelter might be obtained. We crowded beneath this precarious +protection, but the first blast of the gale which swept the field after +its improvisation, whisked the blanket and the stakes into the air. They +were never seen again. + +About twelve o'clock I was on the verge of collapse. My friend supported +me, but even he was faint from lack of food and exposure. We decided to +roll our soddened bodies in our saturated blankets, to lie down on the +ground and to strive to woo sleep. We stretched ourselves on the flat, +but the wind and rain beat unmercifully upon us. Although we were +dead-beat the angel of sleep refused to come to us. As a matter of fact, +when we stretched ourselves in the mud we did not care two straws +whether we ever saw the light of day again or not. + +After lying about two hours upon the ground I put out my hand to +discover that we were lying in two inches of water. But not only this. +The floodwater, in its mad rush to escape to the depression at the lower +end of the field, had carved a course through the spot where we were +lying. The result was that the rushing water was running down our necks, +coursing over our bodies beneath our clothes, and rushing wildly from +the bottoms of our trousers. We were acting unconsciously as conduits, +but we did not serve in this capacity any longer than we could help. + +We regained our feet, our clothes now so water-logged as to bear us down +with their weight. We tramped laboriously to the top of the field and as +the wind bore down upon us it carried upon its bosom a mad madrigal of +hymns, prayers, curses, blasphemy, and raucous shouting. Groups of men +were now lying about thickly, some half-drowned from immersion in the +pools, while others were groaning and moaning in a blood-freezing +manner. Small hand-baggage and parcels, the sole belongings of many a +prisoner, were drifting hither and thither, the sport of rushing water +and wind. At the lower end of the field the water had sprawled farther +and farther over the depression, and therein we could descry men lying +in huddled heaps too weak to rise to their feet. + +It was a picture of misery and wretchedness such as it would be +impossible to parallel. I recalled the unhappy scenes I had witnessed +around the railway terminus at Berlin under similar conditions, but that +was paradise to the field at Sennelager Camp on the fateful night of +September 11. It appeared as if the Almighty Himself had turned upon us +at last, and was resolved to blot us from the face of the earth. We were +transformed into a condition bordering on frigidity from rain-soaked +clothes clinging to bodies reduced to a state of low vitality and empty +stomachs. Had we been in good health I doubt whether the storm and +exposure would have wreaked such havoc among us. + +While my friend and I were standing on a knoll pondering upon the utter +helplessness and misery around us, singing and whistling were borne to +us upon the wind. We listened to catch fragments of a comic song between +the gusts. There was no mistaking those voices. We picked our way slowly +to beneath the trees whence the voices proceeded, glad to meet some +company which could be merry and bright, even if the mood had to be +assumed with a desperate effort. + +Beneath the trees we found a small party of our indomitable compatriots. +They received us with cheery banter and joke and an emphatic assurance +that "it is all right in the summer time." They were quite as wretched +and as near exhaustion as anybody upon the field, but they were firmly +determined not to show it. A comic song had been started as a +distraction, the refrain being bawled for all it was worth as if in +defiance of the storm. This was what had struck our ears. + +This panacea being pronounced effective a comprehensive programme was +rendered. Every popular song that occurred to the mind was turned on and +yelled with wild lustiness. Those who did not know the words either +whistled the air or improvised an impossible ditty. Whenever there was a +pause to recall some new song, the interval was occupied with "Rule, +Britannia!" This was a prime favourite, and repetition did not stale its +forceful rendition, especial stress being laid upon the words, "Britons +never, never, never shall be slaves!" to which was roared the eternal +enquiry, "Are we down-hearted?" The welkin-smashing negative, crashing +through the night, and not entirely free from embroidery, offered a +conclusive answer. + +It takes a great deal to destroy a Britisher's spirits, but this +terrible night almost supplied the crucial test. We were not only +combating Prussian atrocity but Nature's ferocity as well, and the two +forces now appeared to be in alliance. The men sang, as they confessed, +because it constituted a kind of employment at least to the mind, +enabled them to forget their misery somewhat, and proved an excellent +antidote to the gnawing pain in the vicinity of the waist-belt. Once a +singer started up the strains of "Little Mary," but this was unanimously +vetoed as coming too near home. Then from absence of a better +inspiration, we commenced to roar "Home, Sweet Home," which I think +struck just as responsive a chord, but the sentiment of which made a +universal appeal. + +But hymns were resolutely barred. Those boisterous and irrepressible +Tapleys absolutely declined to profane their faith on such a night as +this. It was either a comic song or nothing. To have sung hymns with the +swinish brutal guards lounging around would have conveyed an erroneous +impression. They would have chuckled at the thought that at last we had +been thoroughly broken in and in our resignation had turned Latter Day +Saints or Revivalists. These boys were neither Saints, Revivalists nor +Sinners, but merely victims of Prussian brutality in its blackest form +and grimly determined not to give in under any circumstances whatever. + +When at last a suggestion was made that a move would be advantageous, +one shouted "Come on, boys!" Linking arms so as to form a solid human +wall, but in truth to hold one another up, we marched across the field, +singing "Soldiers of the King," or some other appropriate martial song +to keep our spirits at a high level, while we stamped some warmth into +our jaded bodies, exercised our stiffening muscles, and demonstrated to +our captors that we were by no means "knocked to the wide" as they +fondly imagined. Now and again a frantic cheer would ring through the +night, or a yell of wild glee burst out as one of the party went +floundering through a huge pool to land prostrate in the mud. When it is +remembered that some of us had not tasted a bite of food for forty-eight +hours, and had drunk nothing but thin and watery acorn coffee, it is +possible to gain some measure of the indomitable spirit which was shown +upon this desperate occasion. The attitude and persiflage under such +depressing conditions did not fail to impress our guards. They looked on +with mouths open and scratched their heads in perplexity. Afterwards +they admitted that nothing had impressed them so powerfully as the +behaviour of the British prisoners that night and conceded that we were +truly "wonderful," to which one of the boys retorted that it was not +wonderful at all but "merely natural and could not be helped." +Personally I think singing was the most effective medium for passing the +time which we could have hit on. It drowned the volleys of oaths, +curses, wails, groans, sobbings, and piteous appeals which rose to +Heaven from all around us. If we had kept dumb our minds must have been +depressingly affected if not unhinged by what we could see and hear. + +Thus we spent the remaining hours of that terrible night until with the +break of day the rain ceased. Then we took a walk round to inspect the +wreckage of humanity brought about by Major Bach's atrocious action in +turning us out upon an open field, void of shelter, and without food, +upon a night when even the most brutal man would willingly have braved a +storm to succour a stranded or lost dog. As the daylight increased our +gorge rose. The ground was littered with still and exhausted forms, too +weak to do aught but groan, and absolutely unable to extricate +themselves from the pools, mud, and slush in which they were lying. Some +were rocking themselves laboriously to and fro singing and whining, but +thankful that day had broken. One man had gone clean mad and was +stamping up and down, his long hair waving wildly, hatless and coatless, +bringing down the most blood-freezing demoniacal curses upon the +authorities and upbraiding the Almighty for having cast us adrift that +night. + +The sanitary arrangements upon this field were of the most barbarous +character, comprising merely deep wide open ditches which had been +excavated by ourselves. Those of us who had not been broken by the +experience, although suffering from extreme weakness, pulled ourselves +together to make an effort to save what human flotsam and jetsam we +could. But we could not repress a fearful curse and a fierce outburst of +swearing when we came to the latrine. Six poor fellows, absolutely worn +out, had crawled to a narrow ledge under the brink of the bank to seek a +little shelter from the pitiless storm. There they had lain, growing +weaker and weaker, until unable to cling any longer to their precarious +perch they had slipped into the trench to lie among the human excreta, +urine and other filth. They knew where they were but were so far gone as +to be unable to lift a finger on their own behalf. Their condition, when +we fished them out, to place them upon as dry a spot as we could find, I +can leave to the imagination. I may say this was the only occasion upon +which I remember the British prisoners giving vent to such voluble +swearing as they then used, and I consider it was justified. + +In an adjacent field our heroes from Mons were camped and a small party +of us made our way to the first tent. We were greeted by the R.A.M.C. +Water had been playing around their beds, but they acknowledged that +they had fared better because they were protected overhead. The +soldiers, however, made light of their situation, although we learned +that many of the Tommies, from lack of accommodation, had been compelled +to spend the night in the open. Still, as they were somewhat more inured +to exposure than ourselves, they had accepted the inevitable more +stoically, although the ravages of the night and the absence of food +among them were clearly revealed by their haggard and pinched faces. + +The men in the tents confessed that they had been moved by the sounds +which penetrated to their ears from the field in which the civilian +prisoners had been turned adrift. They immediately enquired after the +condition of our boys. Unfortunately we could not yield much information +upon this point, as we were still partially in ignorance of the plight +of our compatriots. But there was no mistaking the depth of the feeling +of pity which went out for "the poor devils of civvies," while the +curses and oaths which were rained down upon the head of Major Bach with +true British military emphasis and meaning revealed the innermost +feelings of our soldiers very convincingly. + +Seeing that we were exhausted and shivering from emptiness the R.A.M.C. +made a diligent search for food, but the quest was in vain. Their larder +like ours was empty. In fact the Tommies themselves were as hard-pushed +for food as we were. + +I witnessed one incident with an English Tommy which provoked tremendous +feeling when related to his comrades. He was walking the field soaked to +the skin, perishing from cold produced by lack of food, continuously +hitching in his belt to keep his "mess-tin" quiet, and on the brink of +collapse. He happened to kick something soft. He picked the object up +and to his extreme delight found it to be a piece of black bread, +soaked with water, and thickly covered with mud. He made his way to the +field kitchen where there happened to be a small fire under the cauldron +in which the rations were prepared. He slipped the soddened bread +beneath the grate to dry it. While he was so doing, the cook, an +insignificant little bully, came along. Learning what the soldier was +doing, he stooped down, raked out the fire, and buried the bread among +the ashes. Then laughing at his achievement he went on his way. + +The soldier, without a murmur, recovered his treasure with difficulty. +He moved out into the open, succeeded in finding a few dry sticks, lit a +small fire, and placed his bread on top of it. Again he was caught. His +warder bustled up, saw the little fire, which he scattered with his +feet, and then crunched the small hunk of bread to pieces in the mud and +water with his iron heel. + +The look that came over the soldier's face at this unprovoked +demonstration of heartless cruelty was fearful, but he kept his head. +"Lor' blime!" he commented to me when I came up and sympathised with him +over his loss, "I could have knocked the god-damned head off the swine +and I wonder I didn't." + +I may say that during the night the guard announced an order which had +been issued for the occasion--no one was to light a fire upon the Field. +Even the striking of a match was sternly forbidden. The penalty was to +be a bullet, the guards having been instructed to shoot upon the +detection of an infraction of the order. One man was declared to have +been killed for defying the order intentionally or from ignorance, but +of this I cannot say anything definitely. Rumour was just as rife and +startling among us on the field as among the millions of a humming city. +But we understood that two or three men went raving mad, several were +picked up unconscious, one Belgian committed suicide by hanging himself +with his belt, while another Belgian was found dead, to which I refer +elsewhere. + +At 5.30 we were lined up. We were going to get something to eat we were +told. But when the hungry, half-drowned souls reached the field kitchen +after waiting and shivering in their wet clothes for two and a half +hours, it was to receive nothing more than a small basin of the eternal +lukewarm acorn coffee. We were not even given the usual piece of black +bread. + +The breakfast, though nauseating, was swallowed greedily. But it did not +satisfy "little Mary" by any means. During my sojourn among German +prisons I often felt hungry, but this term is capable of considerable +qualification. Yet I think on this occasion it must have been the +superlative stage of hunger. The night upon the Field had come upon my +illness from which I had never recovered completely. It was a feeling +such as I have never experienced before nor since, and I do not think it +can ever be approached again. + +It is difficult to describe the sensation. I walked about with a wolfish +startled glance, scanning the ground eagerly, as if expecting Mother +Earth to relieve me of my torment. The pain within my stomach was +excruciating. It was not so much a faint and empty feeling but as if a +thousand devils were pulling at my "innards" in as many different ways, +and then having stretched the organs to breaking point had suddenly +released them to permit them to fly back again like pieces of elastic, +to mix up in an inextricable tangle which the imps then proceeded to +unravel with more force than method. My head throbbed and buzzed, +precipitating a strange dizziness which seemed determined to force me to +my knees. I chewed away viciously but although the movement of the jaws +apparently gave a certain relief from illusion the reaction merely +served to accentuate the agony down below. + +As I reeled about like a drunken man, my eyes searching the ground +diligently for anything in the eating line, no matter what it might be, +I found a piece of bread. As I clutched it in my hands I regarded it +with a strange maniacal look of childish delight. But it was a sorry +prize. It was saturated until it could not hold another drop of water, +and I think there was quite as much mud as bread. I wrung the water out +with my hands and then between two of us we devoured it ravenously, +swallowing the mud as contentedly as the bread, and not losing a single +crumb. It was a sparse mouthful, but it was something, and it certainly +stayed the awful feeling in the stomach to a certain degree for a little +while. + +No man passed through that awful night without carrying traces of his +experiences. Its memories are burned ineradicably into one's brain. +Whenever we mentioned the episode it was always whispered as "The Bloody +Night of September 11th," and as such it is known to this day. As we +became distributed among other camps the story became noised far and +wide, until at last it became known throughout the length and breadth of +Germany. Whenever one who spent the night upon the field mentions the +incident, he does so in hushed and awed tones. + +That night was the culminating horror to a long string of systematic +brutalities and barbarities which constituted a veritable reign of +terror. It even spurred a section of the German public to action. An +enquiry, the first and only one ever authorised by the Germans upon +their own initiative, was held to investigate the treatment of prisoners +of war at Sennelager. The atrocities were such that no German, steeped +though he is in brutality, could credit them. The Commission certainly +prosecuted its investigations very diligently, but it is to be feared +that it gained little satisfaction. The British prisoners resolutely +agreed to relate their experiences to one quarter only--the authorities +at home. The result is that very little is known among the British +public concerning the treatment we experienced at Sennelager, for the +simple reason that but a handful of men who were confined to the camp +during the term of Major Bach's authority, have been released. The +Germans have determined to permit no man to be exchanged who can relate +the details until the termination of the war. Their persistent and +untiring, as well as elaborate precautions to make trebly certain that I +had forgotten all about the period of travail at Sennelager, before I +was allowed to come home, were amusing, and offer adequate testimony to +the fear with which the German Government dreads the light of publicity +being shed upon its Black Hole. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE GUARDIAN OF THE CAMP + + +Although Major Bach wielded his power with all the severity and spirit +of a true-blooded Prussian Jack-in-Office, and notwithstanding that we +were forbidden all communication with the outside world, yet we were not +without our "protector." + +Our guardian angel was Dr. Ascher, who was responsible for the clean +bill of health among the civilian prisoners. The soldiers were under a +military surgeon, as already explained, but owing to the arbitrary +manner in which this official displayed his authority, and with which +Dr. Ascher did not agree by any means, it was the civilian doctor who +ministered for the most part to Tommy's ills. The result was that his +services were in almost universal demand, and the strenuous work and +long hours which he expended on our behalf were very warmly appreciated. + +A short, sturdy, thick-set man, fairly fluent in the English language, +and of a cheery disposition, Dr. Ascher was a true and illuminating +representative of his profession. His mission being frankly one of mercy +he emphatically refused to acknowledge the frontiers of races and +tongues, poverty and wealth, education and ignorance. He was sympathetic +to an extreme degree, and never once complained or proffered any excuse +when called urgently to exert a special effort on behalf of any man. + +He became an especial favourite among the British prisoners. The fact +that he came among us immediately upon our arrival at the camp, seeking +to extend relief to the sore, distressed, and suffering; his cheery and +breezy conversation; and his grim though unsuccessful efforts to secure +the food which we so urgently needed upon that occasion, were never +forgotten. He became endeared to one and all. Indeed he was elevated to +such a pedestal of appreciative recognition as to be affectionately +christened "The English Doctor," which he accepted as a signal honour. +He was no respecter of time, neither did he emulate his military +colleague in being a clock-watcher. He informed us that he was at our +disposal at any hour of the day or night, and he never omitted to spend +hours among us every day. Seeing that the camp possessed no resident +medical attendant, either civilian or military, that Dr. Ascher resided +near Paderborn, some three miles away, his readiness to come to our +assistance at any moment, his ceaseless efforts on our behalf, and +repeated attempts to ameliorate our conditions, it is not surprising +that we came to regard him as our one friend in that accursed spot. + +The British prisoners, both civilian and military, never failed to +reciprocate whenever an opportunity arose, and this appreciation of his +labours made a deep impression upon him. No attempts were ever made to +encroach upon his generosity and kindness, and if any man had dared to +deceive him he would have been drastically punished by his colleagues. +No man ever essayed to malinger or to shirk a duty to which he had been +allotted by the doctor. If the doctor desired a task to be done, no +matter how repugnant, it was shouldered lightly and cheerfully. Indeed, +there was always a manifestation of keen eagerness among us to perform +some duty as an expression of our heartfelt thanks for what he was doing +among us. It is not an exaggeration to state that had it not been for +Dr. Ascher, his perennial bonhomie and camaraderie, his patience, and +his intimate association with us, many of the weaker British prisoners +and others would certainly have given way and have gone under. But his +infectious good spirits, his abundance of jokes, his inexhaustible +fount of humour, and his readiness to exchange reminiscences effectively +dispelled our gloom and relieved us from brooding over the misery of our +position. + +Although the medical officer was charged with the express duty of +keeping the camp healthy and sanitary, unfortunately Dr. Ascher was not +an autocrat in his department. His powers were limited, and he was for +the most part completely subservient to military decrees. Time after +time he protested energetically and determinedly upon the quantity and +quality of the food which was served out to us, and struggled valiantly +to secure more nourishing diet for invalid prisoners than the cuisine of +the camp afforded. But his labour was always in vain; the food which he +laid down as being essential could not be obtained, or else Major Bach +firmly refused to move a finger to get it. As the Commandant's position +was paramount, and nothing could be done without his authority, Dr. +Ascher was denied a court of appeal. At times there were some spirited +breezes between Major Bach and the medical representative, but the +former invariably had the last word. On one occasion, to which I refer +later, Dr. Ascher tackled the Commandant so fiercely upon the sanitary +arrangements of the camp, and was so persistent and insistent upon the +fulfilment of the orders he expressed, as to compel the inexorable +superior to relent. + +When a man fell ill and became too weak to perform an exacting task to +which he had been deputed by the tyrant, Dr. Ascher did not fail to +intervene. He could not be deceived as to the true state of a sick man's +health and his physical incapacity. Thereupon he would issue what was +described as a "pass," which excused the man completely from the heavy +work in hand in favour of some lighter duty. The doctor's "pass" was +safe against the Commandant's savagery; even he, with his military +authority, dared not over-ride the doctor's decision. However, the +British prisoners were not disposed to trade upon the doctor's good +nature. They would refuse a "pass" until necessity compelled unequivocal +submission. + +Dr. Ascher was also an effective buffer between a prisoner and any +soldier who was disposed to assume an unwarrantably tyrannical attitude. +If he detected any brow-beating which was undeserved he never hesitated +to bring the upstart down to his proper position by severe reprimand, +and a candid reminder that a guard was merely a guard and as such was +not invested with powers akin to those belonging to the Commandant. The +soldier would fume under the castigation, but it was more than he dared +to incur the doctor's wrath and hostility, inasmuch as the latter would +not have hesitated to make the rebellious soldier's life unbearable. In +this manner he undeniably saved us from considerable brutality, which +some of the soldiers would dearly have loved to have expended upon us. + +One day Major Bach announced that the clothes of the prisoners +throughout the camp were to undergo a thorough fumigation. For this +purpose a special mechanical disinfecting apparatus had been sent to the +camp. I may say that the instructions were not issued before they became +downright urgent. Some of the garments--not those worn by the British +prisoners--had become infested with vermin to such a degree as to +constitute a plague and were now absolutely repulsive. Two of the +British prisoners, who happened to be engineers, were selected for this +unpleasant task, and it proved to be of such a trying nature that both +men narrowly escaped suffocation in the process. + +But the disinfecting apparatus was delivered in what we always found to +be the typical German manner. The fumigator came to hand but without the +engine to drive it. Two or three days later we were informed that there +was a traction engine at Paderborn which was to be brought into +Sennelager Camp to act as the stationary engine to supply power to the +fumigator. But to our dismay we learned that the traction engine in +question could not be driven to the camp under its own power because +some of the vital parts constituting its internals had broken down, and +repairs would be quite out of the question until it reached the camp. +This we were told would demand the towage of the engine over the last +three miles. We learned, moreover, that as horses were absolutely +unobtainable at any price, the prisoners themselves would have to drag +it in. Forthwith thirty men were selected and, equipped with thick, +heavy ropes, were marched off to Paderborn to salvage the derelict. + +Our engineering friends, upon discovering the defective engine, and not +appreciating the prospect of the manual haul, set to work feverishly to +see if they could not contrive to complete sufficient repairs to coax +the engine to run the three miles under her own steam. They probed into, +and tinkered with the dark regions of the locomotive, but to no effect. +The defective parts demanded replacement. No doubt the authorities had +declared the engine unfit for service in the army, hence its appearance +at Paderborn for service at Sennelager. + +We were faced with a heavy problem; one which would require every ounce +of our combined physical effort, which was low owing to our deplorable +condition, while the sun, heat, and dusty roads would be certain to tax +our endurance to the utmost. + +The guards bustled round, supervising the hitching of the towing ropes, +while the men were lined up like oxen with the ropes passed over their +shoulders. The order was given and off we went. But that engine was, or +at least appeared to be, exceedingly heavy, while the roads seemed to be +exasperatingly difficult, the wheels having a magnetic attraction for +the sand. Progress was maddeningly slow, and before many minutes had +passed every man was puffing and blowing like a spent horse. A cup of +acorn coffee and a fragment of brown bread could scarcely be declared +ideal fare upon which to pursue such energy-consuming labour. And we had +three miles to go! + +We had covered about half the distance and were nearly done in. The +ponderous, ungainly engine was just moving, and that was about all. The +progress had so fallen that the guards were becoming somewhat alarmed +and doubtless considered that if they only badgered us sufficiently they +would be able to spur us to such a degree as to enable us to reach the +camp. + +While tugging for all we were worth we descried a horse flying along the +road at break-neck pace towards us. As it approached we saw it was +carrying Dr. Ascher. When he drew up to us he stopped. The guards were +holding forth in their most truculent manner at the moment. The doctor +rapped out a few words, and the guards instantly dropped their hostility +and arrogance to become as meek as lambs. Turning to us the doctor +ordered every man to drop the ropes. We did so and fell into line at +once of our own accord. + +The doctor surveyed us, and we must have looked miserable specimens of +humanity. Our faces were glistening with perspiration which had been +pouring out of us freely, and which, mixing with the grimy sand which +had been enveloping us, had formed runnels wrought into a wild and weird +variety of fantastic designs. One or two of the weaker boys stood +half-bent as if upon the verge of dropping. + +Within a few seconds the doctor had taken in the whole situation, and +saw how completely we were played out. With a voice which cut like a +knife he ordered the guard to escort us to a wayside inn. The soldiers, +thoroughly cowed, obeyed his instructions silently. He strode along +beside us, distracting our thoughts by a dissertation concerning the +countryside, which was bathed in the full splendour of its autumn garb, +and which certainly presented a peaceful and entrancing aspect. + +Reaching the inn we seated ourselves on the balcony. Then the doctor, +turning, remarked: + +"Order what you like! Don't stint yourselves and take your time. Now +then have anything you wish to drink!" + +If our guards had been sufficiently relenting, we would willingly have +paid them for permission to have regaled ourselves by the way at our own +expense. We all had money. At the doctor's instructions we dived our +hands into our pockets to extract our worldly wealth to ascertain what +we could afford. The doctor arrested our action. + +"No!" he called out, raising his hand in protest. "Put your money back. +You will have this with me. I extended the invitation and I certainly +intend to pay for it!" + +If any man had called for cheers for the doctor I think we should have +brought the house down about our ears. But we were so dumbfounded at +this first expression of a "white man's" action which we had encountered +in Germany, that we could not utter a sound. We merely sat like a party +of expectant school-children at a Sunday school treat. + +The doctor busied himself seeing that each man received an adequate +quantity of refreshment, and that it was according to his fancy. I +myself being an abstainer, declined the beverage which was popular and +which was being keenly enjoyed. Observing that I was drinking nothing he +hurried over. + +"Where's your beer?" + +"Sorry, doctor, but I do not take alcohol!" + +Without a word he swung on his heel, hailed the landlord, and enquired +for some home-made lemonade. Boniface was sorry but he was unable to +oblige. But the doctor was not to be put off. He curtly ordered the +landlord to prepare some instantly and what is more to the point he +followed him to see that it was brewed correctly. + +After the meal he insisted that we should take a brief rest to assist +its digestion, which, owing to the weakened condition of our organs, was +no easy matter. Then, when we all felt fit, we returned to the traction +engine. You can imagine how we clustered round the doctor thanking him +for his kindness, but he would not listen to our expressions of +gratitude. Laughing good-naturedly, he maintained that he had done +nothing beyond what he considered to be his duty, and as we shouldered +the ropes once more, he gave us a parting cheer. + +That meal put new life into us, and we towed the load with such gusto +that we covered the second lap of the distance in fine style. When we +reached the camp and were dismissed, the incident about the doctor's +munificence flashed through to its four corners like lightning. It +became the one topic of spirited conversation. We had always voted the +doctor a jolly good fellow, but now he was the hero of the hour. When he +next came into the camp he received such a thundering and spontaneous +ovation as to startle him, until at last the reason for this outburst +dawned upon him. But he turned it off with his characteristic laugh and +joke. + +The privations which I had been suffering now began to assert their ill +effects. I felt I was breaking up rapidly, and in this every one +concurred and grew anxious. The doctor took me in hand, placed me on a +"pass" and at last ordered me to lie down in the barrack. Two of my +companions, Ca----, a breezy Irishman who had been arrested while on his +honey-moon, and K----, undertook to look after me. As the night advanced +I rapidly grew worse, until eventually my illness assumed such a turn, +so I was informed afterwards, as to cause my two friends the greatest +alarm. Ca---- went out to the guard with a message addressed to Dr. +Ascher, explaining that Mahoney was very much worse and they feared his +condition was critical. By some means or other the message was got +through to the doctor, possibly by telephone. + +It was a vile night. A terrific thunderstorm was raging, and the rain +was falling in torrents. After dispatching their message my two friends +resumed their vigil beside my bed, hoping against hope that Dr. Ascher +would call early the following morning. + +About midnight the mad galloping of a horse was heard faintly above the +wail of the wind and the fusillade of the mad downpour upon our +hollow-sounding roof. The sounds drew nearer to stop outside our barrack +door. A hurried conversation was heard, and the next moment, to the +surprise of my two friends, the door opened to admit Dr. Ascher. The +rain was pouring off him in tiny rivulets and he cheerily confessed that +he was soaked to the skin. But he pooh-poohed the idea that he had taken +too much trouble. A fellow-creature was in peril and he could not, as a +doctor, resist the call which had been sent. He stayed with me some +time, told my companions exactly what to do, and then went out again +into the rainstorm with the parting intimation that he would return +within a few hours, and would arrange for my instant transference to the +hospital. + +At six he was back again. By this time I had recovered from my delirium +and felt somewhat better, although exceedingly weak. He chatted with me, +told me I was far worse than I either looked or felt, and insisted upon +my going into hospital. I demurred, as I preferred to be among my chums. +But he was not to be gainsaid, and so I had reluctantly to be carried +into bed. He came to see me frequently during the day, and even went so +far as to assume the responsibility of telegraphing to Berlin demanding +my instant release as my demise seemed very probable. But this request +was curtly refused, mainly, so I discovered afterwards, because I was +imprisoned upon the charge of espionage. The circumstance that this +charge was still hanging over my head came as an ugly eye-opener to me. +I thought from my transference from Wesel to Sennelager that I had been +acquitted of this accusation. Of course I had never received any +official intimation to this effect, but on the other hand I had never +received a sentence. This revelation worried me somewhat sorely because +I could see possibilities about which I scarcely dared to think, as well +as complications untold looming ahead. + +I must have been in a very precarious condition the previous night +because a member of a well-known British family who had been interned at +Sennelager, but who secured his release about this time, very kindly +sought out one of my relatives upon his return home, to whom he +communicated particulars concerning my illness and serious condition. He +hesitated to notify my wife directly, preferring to leave it to my +relative to convey the unwelcome news in the manner considered to be the +most advisable. For this kindly action, of which I was apprised after my +transference from Sennelager, I have ever been extremely thankful, but +up to the present I have successfully evaded all the most insidious +attempts made by my German captors to secure my premature decease by +undermining my health. + +Before leaving me in hospital for the night Dr. Ascher paid me a final +visit to make positive that I was comfortable. But that one night's +sojourn in the hospital almost completely unnerved me. I could not +sleep, and to my alarm I found that no one ever came in to take even a +cursory glance at the patients. I got up in the darkness and went to the +door. To my astonishment I found it to be locked! I turned to one cot. +It contained a French invalid who was jabbering away excitedly to +himself, but I could not understand a single word. I turned to the next +bed and its occupant was half-delirious. With such depressing company +around me I tumbled back into bed and went off to sleep again somehow. +In the morning I learned that there were three intercommunicating wards. +The two inner ones were reserved for patients, upon whom the key was +turned at night, while the third and outer room was occupied by a night +warder who turned in and slept the sleep of the just, although he was +nominally in charge of critical cases. But this was immaterial. If the +patient went under during the night to be found dead in bed in the +morning--well! it was merely a case of Nature having had her own way. + +I was so alarmed that the instant the hospital was opened I hurried back +to my barrack. Dr. Ascher, upon reaching the hospital and noting my +absence, wondered what had happened, until at last he found me resting +in my bunk. I resolutely told him that under no circumstances would I +spend another night in that hospital. I had my own way. The crisis had +passed, and if I only took care of myself I would soon be out again, he +said. + +Having always led an active life, confinement to bed in utter loneliness +during the day, except for a call now and again from a sympathetic +colleague, soon began to pall. So I dressed and went out to discover Dr. +Ascher. He did not upbraid me for so flagrantly disobeying his orders, +as I had been anticipating, but exhorted me with all the powers of +persuasion he could command, to take the utmost care of myself. In order +to give me something to occupy my mind he attached me to a few other +invalids, who were also on "pass," to light work in cleaning out the +hospitals for the recruits who were evidently coming to Sennelager +within the near future. + +Cleaning hospitals might be officially described as light work, but it +was far from being so, although this was not the fault of the doctor but +of our far from amiable Commandant. The tables, beds, chairs and other +portable fixtures had to be taken into the open air to receive a +thorough scrubbing with water and soft soap. We were given buckets, and +were compelled to walk some distance to draw supplies of water from the +pump, to which place we also had to repair to throw away the dirty +liquid, so that we were assured of an exacting load upon both journeys. + +The guard supervising us in this work was a despicable young cub. He was +short and stubby. By the way I must relate that this individual +illustrated one of the weird turns of the Wheel of Fortune as revealed +by the war. I have already referred to F---- K----, who had accompanied +me from Wesel prison to Sennelager. What was F---- K----'s amazement to +discover, upon entering the camp, that this man, who formed one of the +guards, had been one of his own van-men before the war. It was a +remarkable instance of the reversal of positions. The erstwhile van-man +was now the top-dog and he did not hesitate to extract endless amusement +and delight from ordering the prisoners, among whom was his former +employer, to despicable duties and harassing them right and left. + +I had one bout with this impertinent little bounder which I do not think +he will ever forget. It was the result of exasperation and was +precipitated upon the spur of the moment with subsequent disastrous +results. + +I was carrying a bucket of water back to the pump to throw away and to +secure a fresh supply. As I approached the pump, which was near an +adjoining field, and over the fence of which some young girls were +leaning talking to the sentry, I saw that they were having some fun at +my expense. I resented this laughter and merriment, more particularly as +I was feeling very seedy. + +The guard, to parade his assumed authority before the girls, drew +himself to the full height of his fifty-four inches or thereabouts, +threw out his chest, and as I was about to empty the bucket, roared in +stentorian tones: + +"Take that back again!" + +"But I am going to fill the bucket with clean water!" I protested. + +"Did you hear what I said? I told you to take it back again!" to which +he added an afterthought which I did not understand, but which induced +the girls to burst out laughing afresh with mad glee. + +I ignored his instructions and was about to turn out the dirty contents. +My temper somewhat ruffled by illness and now very hasty was rising +rapidly. He moved forward and thundered:-- + +"Cannot you obey orders? Take it back again, I tell you!" + +I picked up the bucket as if to comply and stepped back a pace or two. +Then lifting it up I shouted back, + +"I'll see you damned first!" + +With these words I hurled the contents over him. The water was filthy. +It caught him full in the face and smothered him from head to foot. + +He was so surprised at this unexpected sequel to his arrogant order that +he merely stood still, spluttering and cursing. Then he grabbed his +rifle. At the same moment I threw the bucket itself at him, catching him +a nasty blow on the shoulder. The girls who had been laughing at me now +chaffed the discomfited sentry unmercifully. Foaming with rage and +swearing terribly he lowered his rifle to run me through with the +bayonet. + +It was madness to argue with a bayonet in the hands of an infuriated +German sentry. I turned and fled. Being long of leg, thin, and agile, I +ran with the swiftness of a hare while my pursuer being short-legged and +thick-set came trundling after me like a cart-horse. I tore towards the +hospital, vaulted over the chairs and tables, and darted in and out, +with the sentry, now beginning to blow hard from his unusual exertion, +hot on my trail. In my mad rush I upset some of my companions, but they, +instantly guessing something unusual was afoot as they caught sight of +my flying coat-tails and the heavy-footed soldier chasing me, at once +entered into the spirit of the fun. + +L----, our humorist, was one of the party. Jumping on a table he +commenced to yell frantically: + +"Sennelager Derby! What's the odds? Twenty to one on Mahoney! Go it, +Tubby! Christopher, but you'll never stay the course!" + +The cries were taken up by the other fellows and excitement grew +furious, which only served to exasperate my pursuer still more. + +I was flying for dear life. I knew very well, if that sentry got within +bayonet reach of me, that my days were ended. He was seeing red with a +vengeance. Round the hospital, over the tables and chairs, I dashed as +if bereft. I was looking for the doctor. I had long since learned that +in the event of a disagreement with a sentry it was wise to be first +beside the ears of authority and to relate the incident. The first +version, whether from guard or prisoner, was almost certain to be +believed. + +Once as I came tearing round the hospital calling for one of the medical +officers, L---- and his companions, now emulating the frenzied language +and manners of racecourse frequenters, and forming field glasses with +their hands, were bawling at the tops of their voices. + +"Tattenham Corner! Hooray! Mahoney wins!" + +At that moment I ran full tilt, not into Dr. Ascher as I had hoped, but +against a young military doctor. I almost upset him in this spirited +desperate obstacle race. + +"What's the matter now?" he asked in surprise. + +As this young doctor had always proved to be a decent fellow I stopped +and related my story. He listened very attentively. + +"You had no business to do that!" he commented. "You should have obeyed +the order and then have reported it to me or some other officer to be +redressed." + +"Well, he just about maddened me to the limit!" + +"No matter! It may be a serious thing for you. You shouldn't have thrown +the dirty water over him. You've insulted the uniform!" + +By this time my pursuer had arrived. He was puffing heavily and his legs +were bent. He could not have run another hundred yards even if a dozen +battle-maddened Kilties had been after him. Catching sight of the +doctor he pulled himself to "attention" as well as he could. I had to +turn away to laugh. He presented the most ludicrous specimen of a German +soldier that I have ever witnessed. His face was as red as a beet-root +from his exertion, his eyes were wide open, while his mouth was fully +agape. He could not utter a word as he had lost his breath, while being +soddened from head to foot he was commencing to steam merrily. + +When he had partially recovered his composure he related his version of +the story in a meek tone, no doubt hoping to excite pity. But I noticed +that the young medical officer had to bite his moustache to maintain a +straight face and I think this practically saved the situation. + +"Who gave you permission to give orders to prisoners?" asked the officer +severely. + +The sentry's dismay at the officer rounding upon him was so complete +that he could not venture an answer. + +"Don't let it occur again or I'll report you!" continued the doctor +sternly. "Don't you know your duty is to obey orders and not to give +them!" he thundered with an effort. The sentry dismissed so +unceremoniously slunk away miserably and absolutely crestfallen. + +When the soldier had gone the officer turned upon me and lectured me +severely, though sympathetically, upon the enormity of my offence. While +he was speaking, Dr. Ascher sauntered up and the incident was related to +him. Turning to me with a gravity which I could see was assumed, he +remarked: + +"Mahoney, if you get up to such tricks again you'll get into serious +trouble. You must never forget the uniform!" + +As I turned to resume work I noticed the two medical men having a hearty +silent laugh over the whole affair, the younger man graphically +describing the blown sentry and race as he had seen it. + +But Dr. Ascher did not let the matter rest there. He reported the sentry +for exceeding his orders, which was a serious offence because it +affected the doctor's discipline over prisoners who were under his +charge at the hospitals. All the reward and consolation the insolent cub +received for his parade of assumed authority before his audience of +girls was change to another duty, coupled with severe reprimand. Through +Dr. Ascher's intervention the sentry was deprived of all opportunity to +snatch a revenge upon me. Such actions, however, were characteristic of +Dr. Ascher. It was his love of fair-play which endeared him to every +Britisher in the camp. Whenever one of us left Sennelager there was no +man from whom to part was such a wrench as Dr. Ascher. We all grew to +like and admire him to such a degree that it seemed to be parting from a +very dear and old friend when we shook hands in farewell with him. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE AFTERMATH OF THE ELEVENTH + + +As the day of the 12th advanced without bringing any signs of official +intentions to improve our accommodation upon "the field," several of us +decided to do the only thing possible--to help ourselves. It was +perfectly evident that we were not to be taken back to barracks, even +for the time being, while it was equally apparent that no tents were +going to be set up for us. Also it was quite possible that we should be +exposed to another fearful storm, because the season was advancing. +Consequently it was just as well that we should improvise some kind of +shelter over our heads. The issue was where to discover the materials, +since the authorities were not disposed to extend us any assistance +whatever. + +The more energetic among us set to work without delay. My South African +friend, Moresby White, and myself unearthed one or two poles lying +forlorn and forgotten among the grass and slush. We secured these, set +them up, and over them stretched our blankets, the improvised dwelling +thus obtained being a crude kind of wigwam. Others built little +domiciles somewhat reminiscent of an Eskimo igloo, and in this field of +endeavour I may say, striking ingenuity and resourcefulness were +displayed. + +[Illustration: THE AFTERMATH OF THE "BLOODY NIGHT." + +The prisoners not being provided by the German authorities with any form +of shelter rudely fashioned tiny huts with slabs of earth to secure +slight protection from the fury of the storm. The hut in the foreground +was built by the author and his South African colleague, Moresby White, +who has since been released. An extension was hurriedly made to give +shelter to three Grimsby fishermen. + +_From a rough sketch made on "the field" by the author, September 14, +1914._] + +My friend and I had scarcely finished our dwelling when along came some +officials. They saw what we had done, and then declared that we had +taken Government material, in the form of the neglected poles, to which +we had no manner of right. Forthwith they demolished the shelter. +Intensely disgusted at this turn of events we had another look round for +further material and obtained some tree branches. We fashioned these to +form the skeleton of a hut. The guard hurried up and ordered us to take +it down. For a second time our labour was in vain, but we were grimly +persevering and so ran up a third shelter. This shared the self-same +fate because we had committed a heinous breach of some one or other +official regulation of which we knew nothing. + +As we surveyed the ruins of our third attempt to raise something over +our heads my South African friend became exasperated. It was merely +official spite which had provoked the destruction of our little homes. +He gritted his teeth and gave full vent to his innermost feelings which +were by no means complimentary to our German oppressors. + +"I'm damned if we don't build something to which they cannot take +exception," blurted my companion. I concurred, but a survey of the field +for materials proving abortive we became somewhat glum. Then I suddenly +hit on an idea which I explained. We would build a mud or turf hut. It +would take a little time but surely they would not knock that to pieces! + +We foraged round and happened upon a spade. With this we cut the sods +and built a small square-shaped domicile into which we were able to +crawl. We made it sufficiently large, not only to accommodate our two +selves but for the reception of company if necessary. It was not a +masterpiece by any means, while the interior had the rank aroma of +newly-turned earth, but it was preferable to facing the elements, should +they decide to be against us once more. Other workers in the camp, who +had been foiled similarly in their efforts to fashion a home from poles +and sticks, emulated our example. Consequently within a short space of +time, diminutive huts, some recalling large beehives, were rising all +over the field like mushrooms. + +There was keen rivalry in the embellishment of these crude homes. Upon +completing ours I decided upon a "Tradesmen's Entrance" and carved this +out, together with a winding approach, the entrance being flanked by two +mounds on one of which I planted a small flag improvised from a piece of +cardboard which I unearthed. Directly I had set up the little flag I +fell foul of authority. The hated emblem was torn up by an officious +sentry whom it enraged. + +These mud huts were speedily christened with high-falutin names. There +were "Sans Souci" villa and the "Haven of Rest" and others equally +wildly and inappropriately named. But we considered this an excellent +chance "to wax sarcastic," and we let ourselves go, although I do not +think that our task-masters, being by nature dense, grasped the purport +of our humour. Our residence rejoiced in the unpretentious designation +of "Camera Villa," + +[*large gap] + +If the authorities had gleaned an inkling of the circumstance that this +mud hut harboured an incriminating eye they would have spared no effort +to discover it, while I as the unfortunate owner--well! I do not know +what would have happened to me for such a flagrant breach of official +regulations. + +It also seemed as if the authorities were going to deprive us of food. +At all events noon passed without any sign of dinner. In the afternoon, +however, we were informed that we were to receive the mid-day meal, but +must go to the cook-house to get it. That was a mile away! + +At two o'clock we were lined up, the British at the extreme rear as +usual, and marched off. Upon reaching the kitchen we were alarmed to +learn that there were insufficient basins. Several would have to use the +one utensil successively, and, needless to say, without being washed +after each use. Apart from this repulsive method of feeding us as if we +were dogs, the time occupied in getting one's ration proved maddening. +After one had swallowed the thin cabbage soup hastily, one had to +advance and join the group comprising those who had been served. The +result was that by the time the last of the British prisoners had been +supplied some three hours had passed. Yet this was the first meal which +some of the men had received for three days! I may say that one felt far +from satisfied after swallowing the noisome greasy wash. + +In the evening, while working upon our hut to impart the finishing +touches speedily, because rain was falling, I stumbled across three of +the disgraced and disfigured fishermen. They were alone and forlorn. +They had no hut and did not know what would happen if another wet night +swept over them. One happened to be the skipper of one of the trawlers +which had been sunk and he vehemently denied the charge that they had +been guilty of laying or sweeping mines. They were attending to their +trawls when they were surprised and captured. + +The skipper was an interesting, typical sea-dog from the waters of the +North Sea, and a thorough God-fearing man. He related a story which made +our blood boil. He said his two companions and himself were summoned by +the guards at mid-day, and instead of receiving the dinner ration had +been taken to a covered hand-cart. The guard told them to push it, and +at the same time handed them shovels and picks. Under escort they +dragged this mysterious load, which was carefully covered with a +tarpaulin, for about three miles to a very lonely spot. At last they +came to a deep hole. They were compelled to back the cart to the brink +of the pit, and were then curtly bidden to tip it sharply. + +To the utter amazement of the skipper and his two colleagues the action +of tipping the cart shot into the hole, with considerable force, the +corpse of a Belgian. He was dumped into the hole in this rough and ready +manner, head first, and to the disgust of the Britishers the body was +clothed merely in a shirt! They were then commanded to refill the hole. +Thus, without the slightest burial ceremony, with a brutality which +would not have been shown to a dog, and without the slightest expression +of regret, save one of silence from the three Britishers, the unknown +Belgian was consigned to an unknown grave. Who the Belgian was, or how +he came by his death, no one ever knew, but it is surmised that he died +from exposure upon the field during the night of the 11th. + +These three fishermen being friendless and homeless, my chum and I +decided to see what we could do for them. We proposed to attach a +lean-to shelter to our hut. Poles were driven into the ground, and to +these horizontal members were attached, the latter having the inner ends +sunk into our walls. For the roof we used our blankets. It was a +primitive shelter, but it protected the three men from the rain which +again broke over us and for this expression of camaraderie they were +extremely grateful. + +Our transference to the field provoked the most spirited bout we had +ever witnessed between the Commandant and Dr. Ascher. The doctor could +do nothing towards securing us shelters: that was exclusively a matter +for Major Bach to decide. But he had control over the sanitary +arrangements, and he condemned these unequivocally. The stench rising +from the open latrines which swept over the field was indescribable. Dr. +Ascher flew into a fierce temper over the shortcomings and detestable +arrangements, which he maintained to be a serious menace to the health +of the camp. We strove desperately to escape the horrible effluvium, but +it could not be avoided unless we buried our heads. Dr. Ascher, by +taking up a firm stand, had his way on this occasion, although the +nature of the improvement I think caused him to despair of securing the +proper amelioration of the conditions. The military authorities did not +appear to know even the rudiments of sanitary science, which, as I found +for myself, are ever indescribably crude away from the show towns which +are patronised by tourists. + +I had been hoping that I would be able to shake off my illness. But it +was not to be. The exposure and thorough soaking which I had on the +terrible night of the 11th completely undid all the benefits I had +received from Dr. Ascher's attention and treatment. I cracked up +suddenly. The doctor, seeing how badly things were going with me, gave +me a "pass" excusing me from all work. + +But to me it was obvious that to remain on the field was to die from +starvation, especially bearing in mind my precarious health. Yet to get +out of the field was no easy matter. I pondered fretfully over this +issue, and at last resolved to attempt a desperate solution. I marched +boldly to the gate, waved an old, long-since expired "pass" and shouted +to the sentry that I had to go to the doctor's office immediately. Taken +unawares the guard opened the gate without scanning the "pass" and I +walked on to the main road leading to the barracks in which we had lived +previously. The little extra exertion demanded to pass the sentry +without creating any suspicions in his mind now told on me. Once I had +passed out of his sight the reaction set in, and I fell into a clockwork +pace. I was determined to fulfil my mission at all hazards, so plodded +along slowly. I could see nothing, and heeded nothing, being only +conscious of the fact that I was going to get something to eat and to +bring food back for my stranded companions on the field. Soon everything +seemed to grow darker and darker, then came perfect blackness. I +remembered no more. + +When I came to my senses I found myself being borne carefully by two +fellow-prisoners--Ca---- and a chum--to the hospital. I was put to bed, +and looking round I saw that I was surrounded by twenty-five other +patients. One and all had dropped down from sheer exhaustion upon the +field during the "Bloody Night," and had been found by the guard in the +morning in an unconscious condition. I heard that there were seventy +such cases brought in--all caused by exposure and the rain. I cannot +testify to that number, but I can swear to the twenty-five cases because +I saw them in the hospital lying in the ward with me. They were then in +a terrible plight, not having recovered from the racking ordeal. + +Presently a military doctor came in. I had never seen him before. He +approached my cot. + +"Civilian or military?" he asked. + +"Civilian!" I replied. + +"Ach!" and there was intense disgust and unveiled hostility in his +voice. "Get up! Outside!" + +"But he has been brought in unconscious!" persisted Ca----. + +"Ach! No matter. Get up. Outside!" he repeated. + +"I'll see you damned first!" exploded Ca----, his Irish temper now +roused to bursting point at the inhuman attitude of the military medical +official. Fortunately for my friend the individual in question did not +understand a word of English, or there would have been trouble. + +But feeling somewhat better and realising the uselessness of argument I +persuaded Ca---- to obey instructions. Indeed I was bundled out of bed, +and hastily assisted in re-dressing, by the doctor's orders. Passing out +of the hospital I paused to lean against the door, feeling downright ill +and weak. Ca---- ran off to the barrack to fetch Dr. Ascher. + +A young medical man came out of the hospital, and seeing my wan and +haggard face, came up to me. He was certainly sympathetic. + +"Heavens, man! You look downright ill!" was his comment. + +"I reckon I don't look worse than I feel!" I replied caustically. "I've +just been turned out of the hospital. What is going to happen?" + +"Oh! You've got to go to Paderborn. You'll go into hospital there. The +van will be up in three hours' time!" + +At this intelligence I sank on a wooden seat. I felt, and indeed could +no longer ward off, the belief that everything for me was rapidly +approaching the end. As I sat there a prey to my worst thoughts, a +soldier came out of the hospital and sat beside me. I looked up. + +"Hullo! old man! From Mons?" I asked. + +"Yes! Going to Paderborn. Says I'm sick," nodding towards the hospital. +The Tommy certainly looked as if the doctor had diagnosed a case +correctly for once in his life. + +"What's the matter?" + +"Don't know for sure. But I heard the doctor whisper to an assistant +that it was typhus!" + +Despite my efforts to control myself I could not suppress a low whistle. +I looked at the soldier, and although my first inclination was to move +away, I felt that, owing to my condition, it really didn't matter, so I +spared the Tommy's feelings. In a few minutes another soldier came out. +He sat on the other side of me. + +"Hullo! You from Mons too? You going to Paderborn?" was my query. + +"Sure! Doctor says I've got typhus!" + +This was alarming news, and I could not resist a feeling of extreme +apprehension. While I was turning things over in my mind a third soldier +came out whom I questioned, but he did not reply. + +"He was blinded by a shell at Mons," commented one of the soldiers. +"Guess he's got it too. 'Strewth, isn't this a hell of a hole? I'd +sooner have fifty Mons's for a month than this hell for a day!" + +I certainly shared the opinion. But as I sat there I reflected upon the +limited carrying capacity of the Paderborn hospital van, and the +circumstance that I was likely to be crushed in with a host of typhus +cases. I did not like the prospect a little bit. I made up my mind. I +would not go to Paderborn at any cost. + +Proffering a palpable excuse I sauntered away, finally entering the +office in which the files of the registration of the British military +prisoners were being prepared. A young German who in pre-war days had +been a baker in Battersea, was in charge. I told him I was sick, but +enquired, if receiving the requisite permission from the doctor, he +would allow me to help him in the office. He agreed. I sought out Dr. +Ascher, explained that I had been consigned to Paderborn, but refused to +go, and explained that I had the offer to go into the office if he would +certify me for such work. After a little deliberation he acquiesced, and +I took up the appointment with the result I have explained in a previous +chapter. After a good night's rest I felt decidedly better. I returned +to the field, only to find that my companions had experienced no +improvement in their conditions, and that food was just as scarce as it +had been since we were turned out of our barracks. I was successful in +getting a little food to them, while another prisoner, now in England, +sent up a little. + +Strolling across the field I met a fellow-prisoner, Lord J----'s +secretary. He looked so ill that I suggested he should take my place in +the office, as I was now feeling much better. He refused at first, but +at last I prevailed upon him to go. He would get a well-earned rest at +all events, while the work was light and easy. The exchange of clerks +was effected and with such success that the German in charge never +detected the swop, which proves how imperfectly I had been scrutinised, +and the laxity of the arrangements when you have learned how to +circumvent the pit-falls and red-tape of Prussian organisation. + +I was now back upon the field. One night the officers came round bawling +out a request for the names of all prisoners who had friends in Germany. +Seeing that this question, together with a host of others, had been +asked nearly every day, while sheets of papers were filled up at +intervals of every few hours with a bewildering array of particulars, I +ignored the interrogation. But one or two fellow-prisoners recalled the +fact that K----, upon his release, had invited me to come to his home in +Cologne if I ever got the chance. At first I declined to listen to the +recommendations, but finally, in response to the incessant pesterings, I +consented. Then the matter slipped from my mind. + +The following morning my attention was arrested by the guard going round +the camp singing at the top of his voice, "Ma-hone-i! Ma-hone-i!" + +Surprised, and fearing that trouble was brewing because I had not gone +to Paderborn as ordered by the military doctor, I presented myself. I +was commanded to attend the office at once. + +I sauntered off leisurely, and reaching the building, I supplied the +officer in charge with my name and a host of other minute details as +requested. Then turning to me, and holding a paper in his hands, he +remarked: + +"Herr Ma-hone-i! You are a free man!" + +"What?" I yapped, scarcely believing I had heard aright, "A free man?" I +almost cried with joy at the news. "Free to go home to England?" I asked +excitedly. + +"Nein! Nein!! Nein!!! But you have friends in Germany?" + +My jaw dropped. I thought for a few minutes, and then I replied slowly, +"Yes! I'll go provided I do not have to give my parole. That I will +never do!" + +He glared furiously at me. + +"But that is as good as saying you'll try to escape," he went on. + +"Exactly!" was my curt retort, and I looked at him defiantly. + +The officer informed me that under these circumstances I should be kept +back, but at this moment Dr. Ascher, who had been listening to the +conversation, intervened, and as a result of his mediation I was told +that I was free to go to Cologne, saying which a "pass" permitting me +to travel to, and to move about that city, was proffered. I took the +"pass." + +"You've ten minutes to collect your belongings and to get out of the +camp!" was his final abrupt remark. Although I pleaded for a little +longer time in which to say farewell to my friends he was inexorable. + +I rushed back to the field to communicate the news to my companions, and +the hand-shaking which ensued was extremely fervent. All the boys +congratulated me upon my good luck, but the tears were in their eyes. +The sympathy moved me, and I felt half-disposed to tear up my "pass" and +stay with them to see it through. But they pushed me off. I had a hearty +hand-shaking with Dr. Ascher, who wished me the best of luck, and +expressed the hope that I would soon get home. Although he never +admitted it I found out for a fact that he had been primarily +responsible for my release. It certainly was characteristic of him. He +cracked a parting joke, which restored the good humour and cheerfulness +of the camp, and with my few parcels under my arm I left the ill-famed +field. + +The boys cheered like mad, but I was stirred more particularly by the +roar of cheers which burst from the Tommies, with whom I had fraternised +freely, and with whom a curious chumminess had sprung up. We were all +companions in misfortune, and when the news of my release reached their +field, they clustered along the fence to give me a parting rouser, which +they certainly let go for all they were worth. + +I regained the office within the stipulated ten minutes and then to my +intense disgust learned that I had three hours to wait for a train. I +sold my watch to secure a little ready money, and as I moved across the +camps to be abruptly challenged by the sentries I was surprised to see +them change their demeanour when I showed my "pass." They shook hands +heartily and warmly congratulated me upon my good fortune. It was a +strange metamorphosis and it affected me strangely. + +Before I left the camp I was ushered into the presence of our +arch-fiend, Major Bach. He rose from his desk and with a suavity and +civility which made my blood surge, he remarked: + +"Herr Mahoney, good-bye! I trust you will not think our treatment in the +camp has been unduly severe!" + +"I shall certainly not speak well of it," I retorted somewhat cynically. +"I shall never forget my experiences and I shall not omit to relate it +to others. But there! I think my looks are sufficient. I must have lost +three stone in weight during the past two months!" + +"Well, I trust you will make allowances," he went on unctuously. "You +must remember the times; that we are at war, and that our arrangements +have not been organised for adequate accommodation!" + +He extended his hand. + +Shaking my head in a manner which he could not misunderstand I refused +to take it. + +He shrugged his shoulders and resumed his work. I left his office +without another word. + +Two minutes later I was striding rapidly towards the station, +accompanied by another prisoner, a schoolmaster named E----, who had +also been released on a "pass" and whom I have to thank for much +assistance subsequently offered. + +At last I was free from the torment and brutality of Sennelager Camp. +But as I watched the incoming train on that morning of September 16th, +1914, I could not refrain from dwelling upon the lot of the many hapless +friends I had left behind, the agonies, miseries, the hopelessness of +their position, and their condemnation to unremitting brutal travail +which would doubtless continue until the clash of arms had died away. As +Sennelager vanished from sight my companion and I gave deep sighs of +relief. We felt that we had left Hell behind. + + + + +PRISON THREE--KLINGELPUTZ + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +FREE ON "PASS" IN COLOGNE + + +It was two o'clock in the afternoon when I saw the last of Sennelager +Camp as the train swung round a curve which blotted the Avernus over +which Major Bach reigned supreme from sight if not from memory. The +train in which we were travelling, of course, was wholly occupied by +Germans. I found it impossible to secure a seat owing to the crowded +character of the carriages, and as misfortune would have it I was +compelled to stand until I reached my destination. + +Naturally being thrown among so many of the enemy I was regarded with a +strange interest by my fellow-travellers. They could see I was not a +German, and although they did not resort to any provocative word or +deed, it would have needed a blind man to have failed to detect their +uncompromising hostility towards me. We travelled _via_ Soest, and my +position was rendered additionally unnerving because train after train +labelled with the flaming Red Cross thundered by, bearing their heavy +loads of the German battered and maimed from the battlefields. It was +easy to see that the number of the train-loads of wounded was exercising +a peculiar effect upon the passengers, for was not this heavy toll of +war and the crushed and bleeding flower of the German army coming from +the front where the British were so severely mauling the invincible +military machine of Europe and disputing effectively their locust-like +advance over the fair fields of Belgium and Northern France? Is it +surprising under the circumstances that they glowered and frowned at me +in a disconcerting and menacing manner? + +[Illustration: Facsimile of the Pass issued by the German authorities to +the author on his leaving Sennelager for Coeln-on-Rhein.] + +As the hours rolled by I began to feel fainter and hungrier. I had had +nothing since the usual cup of acorn coffee at seven in the morning. +Although I became so weak that I felt as if I must drop, I buoyed up my +flagging spirits and drooping body by the thought that I should soon +meet and enjoy the company of K----. But I was aboard a fourth-class +train and it appeared to be grimly determined to set up a new record for +slow-travelling even for Germany. The result was that I did not reach +Cologne, or Koeln, as the Germans have it, until one o'clock the +following morning, having stood on my feet for eleven hours and without +a bite to eat. + +I fell rather than stepped from the train and turned out of the station. +Again my spirits sank. The city was wrapped in a darkness which could be +felt. There was not a glimmer of light to be seen anywhere. To pick +one's way through a strange city in a strange land and without more than +a bare smattering of the language under conditions of inky blackness was +surely the supreme ordeal. At every few steps I blundered against a +soldier with his loaded rifle and fixed bayonet, ready to lunge at +anything and everything which, to a highly strung German military mind, +appeared to assume a tangible form in the intense blackness. Since my +return home I have experienced some striking specimens of British +darkened towns, but they do not compare with the complete darkness which +prevailed in Cologne that night. Not a single faint gleam of light came +from a window. I am confident that if I had dared to strike a match I +should have been surprised by a volley of bullets from all directions. + +Cologne was indeed a city of darkness and of the dead. Only the +footfalls of the guard and the clank of rifles were to be heard. To +proceed was impossible. I concluded that before I had gone very far in +my wanderings I should be arrested and find myself in the privacy of a +prison cell. Moreover I was absolutely exhausted. Sore at heart I +returned to the station, and walking up to the first officer I saw, +introduced myself as "Mahoney, late of Sennelager Camp." + +At this revelation the officer stared as if confronted by an apparition +and sternly demanded my authority for being at large. I drew out my +"pass," together with the address of K----, for which I was searching so +vainly. + +Thrusting my "pass" into his pocket the officer gruffly ordered me to +follow him. I demanded the return of the small piece of paper which +constituted my sole protection, but he rudely declined to accede to my +request. I followed him and we turned into a room at the station which +happened to be the sleeping quarters of the night guard. + +Here I was again interrogated somewhat sharply, but taking the bull by +the horns I boldly declared that I was an Englishman and had been +arrested and imprisoned upon the charge of being a spy! + +My candid statement amazed the officer, who appeared to consider that he +had made a most fortunate capture. An interpreter, who understood only a +little English, was summoned to my assistance, and we contrived to +understand one another. He was visibly impressed by my distressed and +sickly appearance and enquired if I were in need of something to eat. I +said I was famished and he explained the situation to the officer. The +upshot was that a few of those present gave me some bread and cold rice, +which I devoured ravenously. + +I was handed over to a guard who was instructed to take me--somewhere? +We set out through the dark streets, and it was an eerie journey. +Sentries were stationed at intervals of a few yards and in crossing the +bridge we were frequently stopped and not permitted to proceed until my +guardian, although in uniform and armed, had given the password. In due +course we reached a towering building which I discovered to be the +Polizei Prasidium. Here I was handed over to the official in charge, my +military guard evidently explaining the whole circumstances. + +The official scrutinised me closely. Bidding me to follow him he again +plunged into the darkness. After taking me to the address of K----, +which I had produced, and finding no one there, he led me to a +restaurant. The proprietor was roused and ordered to take me in for the +night. When he learned that I was an Englishman on "pass" he commenced +to swear and curse in a fearful manner, finally declaring he would not +shelter any such swine in his house. The official had a short way with +this individual. He drew his sword, drove the awakened and enraged +German into his restaurant, and in a tone which could not be +misconstrued demanded that accommodation and meals should be found for +me. The threatening attitude of the officer completely cowed the +proprietor, but I, fearing that the latter would round on me once I was +at his mercy, intimated to the guard that I was not going to spend the +night in this hotel. + +There was a brief altercation, but at last we returned to the Prasidium. +Here I intimated that I was perfectly willing to sleep upon the floor of +the guard-room, but the official explained that this was a flagrant +breach of the rules and the idea could not be entertained for a moment. +We haggled for a few minutes and then a solution of the distracting +problem occurred to the officer. He would lodge me for the night in a +cell! I accepted the suggestion with alacrity and thereupon passed below +where I made myself comfortable, the official assisting me as much as he +could. + +It seemed as if I had only just dropped off to sleep when I was rudely +awakened. It was six o'clock when prisoners had to be roused, and +although I was not a prisoner, but had slept in the cell from my own +choice, I had to conform with the regulations. I was turned out into the +street, without a bite of food, needless to say, to kick my heels about +for some two hours until the business offices opened. I seized the +opportunity to have a shave and hair-cut as well as a thorough wash and +brush up. + +About 8.30 I presented myself at my friend's office. To my surprise he +responded to my ring himself and at once introduced me to his wife, who +had come into the city with him that morning. I was warmly greeted but +my thin and wan appearance affected them, especially Mrs. K----. I then +discovered why I had failed to rouse him in the early hours of the +morning when accompanied by the officer from the police station. He did +not live in Cologne but in a pretty and quiet little residential village +overlooking the Rhine some three miles out. + +Taking pity upon me they insisted that I should at once proceed to their +home, but before this could be done certain formalities demanded +attention. My "pass" was only applicable to the city of Cologne and did +not embrace the outlying places. We had to return to the police +headquarters, corresponding to our Scotland Yard, for this purpose. Here +my papers were turned out and subjected to the usual severe scrutiny, +while I myself was riddled with questions. At last, through the good +offices of K----, who was well-known to the officials, I received +permission to proceed to his residence. This necessitated our being +accompanied to his home by two detectives who furthermore were to see +that I received the necessary local "pass" for the villa in question. + +Notwithstanding the depressing company of the detectives I thoroughly +enjoyed that ride along the banks of the Rhine. It was a glorious +morning and the countryside was at the height of its alluring autumnal +beauty. Reaching the village I was taken before the Burgermeister, a +pompous individual, to undergo another searching cross-questioning, but +ultimately the "pass" was granted. At the same time my "pass" for +Cologne was withdrawn. I had either to live, move, and have my being in +one place or the other--not both--and was not to be permitted to travel +between the two places. + +I must digress a moment to explain one feature of German administration +and the much vaunted Teuton organisation, which is nothing more nor less +than a huge joke, although it is unfortunately quite devoid of humour +for the luckless victim. In times of war, Germany is subdivided into +districts, each of which receives the specific number of an Army Corps. +Thus there is Army Corps No. 1, Army Corps No. 2, and so on. It is just +as if, under similar exigencies, the names of the counties in Great +Britain were abandoned for the time being in favour of a military +designation, Middlesex thus becoming Army Corps No. 1, Surrey No. 2, and +so on, the counties being numbered consecutively. + +Each Army Corps has its commanding officer and he has absolute control +over the territory assigned to him, the movement of its inhabitants, +strangers and visitors. But the strange and humorous fact about the +whole system is that each commanding officer is a little autocrat and +extremely jealous of his colleague in the adjacent Army Corps. The +commander of Army Corps No. 1 issues a "pass" which entitles you to move +about freely in his district. + +When Major Bach presented me with my "pass," he gravely warned me always +to have it upon my person, to show it upon demand, but never to allow it +out of my possession even for a minute, and if it should be taken for +inspection to insist upon its return at once. He assured me that the +mere production of the "pass" and the signature would permit me to go +wherever I liked, and to move to and fro throughout Germany. I firmly +believed his statement until I received my first rude shock to the +contrary. As a final warning he stated that if I happened to be stopped +by a soldier or anyone else and had not my "pass" with me, I should find +myself in an extremely serious position. Naturally I hung on to that +little piece of paper as tenaciously as if it had been a million pound +bank-note. + +The Commanding Officer of an Army Corps always iterates this little +speech, I discovered. Naturally you leave the official, completely +relieved, thinking yourself virtually free. But the moment you cross the +boundary into another Army Corps you are held up. The official demands +to know why you are walking about a free man. You flourish the "pass" +signed by "A" in triumph, and with a chortle, point to the signature. +The official scans the "pass," shakes his head sagely, and with a curt +"Come with me!" orders you to follow him. You protest energetically, and +point to the signature. He shakes his head emphatically as he growls +"No! No!" and continues, referring to the owner of the signature on your +"pass," "we know nothing about him! You must see my Commanding Officer." +Reaching this official, who regards you as a criminal who has escaped, +you suddenly learn that the "pass" is not a passport for your movement +through Germany, but is valid only for the Army Corps in which it was +issued! + +Consignment to prison is the inevitable sequel. You may protest until +you are black in the face, but it makes no difference. The papers which +you signed day after day until you became sick at the sight of them, but +which were necessary to secure your first "pass," commence their lengthy +and tedious trip through the German Circumlocution Office, the trip +occupying weeks. During this time you are kept in prison and treated as +if you were a common felon, until at last, everything being declared to +be in order, you receive a new "pass" for the Army Corps in which you +have been arrested. The moment you venture into another Army Corps, even +if you return into that from which you were first released, arrest +follows and the whole exasperating rigmarole has to be repeated. The +Army Corps are as arbitrarily defined as anything to be found in +tape-tied Germany. + +I do not think that such a wildly humorous feature of organisation to +compare with this is to be found in any other part of the world. Had it +not been for the deliberate misleading, or to term it more accurately, +unblushing lying, upon the part of the respective commanding officers of +the respective Army Corps, the British tourists who happened to be in +Germany when war broke out would have got home safely. Being ignorant of +German manners, customs, and military idiosyncrasies, and placing a +blind faith in German assertion and scraps of paper, the unfortunate +travellers fell into the trap which undoubtedly had been prepared to +meet such conditions. + +The British tourists who were caught in eastern Germany, after their +first arrest and release upon one of these despicable and fraudulent +passes, being reassured by the intimation that they were free to go +where they pleased, naturally thought they would be able to hurry home, +and straightaway moved towards the coast. But directly they entered the +adjacent Army Corps they suffered arrest and imprisonment until their +papers were declared to be in order to permit another "pass" to be +issued. Thus it went on, the tourists being successively held up, +delayed, and released. Under these conditions progress to the coast was +exasperatingly slow, and finally was summarily prevented by the drastic +order of the German Government demanding the internment of every +Britisher in the country. It was this senseless and ridiculous +manifestation of German scientific organisation gone mad which +contributed to the congested nature of the civilian internment camps in +the country, and one cannot resist the conclusion that the practice was +brought into force with the deliberate intention of hindering the return +of Britishers who happened to be in the country when war was declared. + +At the peaceful residence of my friend overlooking the Rhine, of the +full beauties of which I still cherish a vivid and warm appreciation, I +mended very rapidly. To Mr. and Mrs. K---- I owe a debt of gratitude +which I shall never be able to repay. I entered their home half-starved, +extremely weak, and practically at death's door, but under the careful +nursing and unremitting attention of Mrs. K---- and her husband I +speedily recovered. I had been suffering considerable mental worry, +having received news that my wife at home was seriously ill, but [*gap] +I received a letter, the first since I had left home on August 1st, +which communicated the glad tidings that she had completely recovered +her health. The receipt of that letter banished all anxiety and +fretfulness from my mind. Indeed at the end of a month I felt capable of +tempting fate upon my own initiative once more. I felt that I was +encroaching upon the generosity and hospitality of my newly-found +friends, and this feeling commenced to harass me. + +One morning I expressed to K---- my intention to go into Cologne to look +for work. He endeavoured to dissuade me, pointing out that my "pass" +would not permit me to move beyond the limits of the little village, but +I was not to be gainsaid. I felt I could not show sufficient +appreciation for what they had done on my behalf, or discharge the debt +of obligation which I owed to them. + +I started off one morning, full of hope and energy, determined to get a +job at all hazards. But that search for work proved to be the most +heart-breaking quest I have ever attempted. I realised that my limited +knowledge of German would bowl me out. All that I knew I had picked up +colloquially while interned at Sennelager, and although it was adequate +to enable me to hold a general conversation, it was hopelessly +insufficient for commercial purposes. Consequently I decided to pretend +to be deaf and dumb. + +I entered every shop in the main thoroughfare of Cologne in succession. +I was ready and willing to accept any position, irrespective of its +character. I blundered into an undertaker's premises, which I +subsequently learned to be the largest firm in this line in the city, +and patronised by the rank and fashion of Cologne. I endeavoured to +explain the object of my visit to the proprietor by mimicking +nail-hammering and pointing to a coffin. He invited me into his inner +office where, to my alarm, I descried an officer's uniform hanging +behind the door, and evidently belonging to the proprietor who was about +to join the colours. I decided to make myself scarce with all speed, but +I had to act warily to avoid suspicion. + +The proprietor trotted out an elaborate catalogue. He thought I had +come to order a coffin! Being arrayed in a frock coat and somewhat +burnished up, I suppose I had the appearance of a possible customer. I +had led him to believe that I could not speak, but now I assured him +that my real infirmity was very acute stammering. I glanced through +the catalogue carefully so as to arouse no suspicions, to alight upon +a specimen of the handicraft which cost 1,000 marks--L50--and with +apparent effort stuttered that I would consult my brother upon the +matter. I left the shop with my heart in my mouth, but gaining the +street in safety, I put as great a distance between the shop and +myself as I could. + +I offered my services indiscriminately to a boot-maker, grocer, +confectioner--in fact I can scarcely recall what trade I did not +strive to enter, but always in vain. Finally I entered a fashionable +hairdresser's establishment. By signs and with considerable labour I +finally made my mission known, and at last ascertained that an +assistant was required, and I could present myself the following +morning. I went off treading on air, absolutely delighted with my +success. In fact I was so elated as to omit to notice that this shop +was in one of the three streets forming a triangle and an island in a +"Y" formed by the two main thoroughfares. + +The next morning I returned to the city with my solitary razor in my +pocket--I had been instructed to bring my own kit. I entered the shop +but was decidedly puzzled at the sight of strange faces. This I +attributed to the rush which was prevailing having brought men to the +front whom I had not seen the day before. I proffered my razor to +explain that I had come to start work as arranged. The assistant took +it, and told me it would be ready on the following morning. He thought +I wanted it to be ground and set! Not being able to make myself +understood I went outside, looked at the facia, and found I had gone +to the wrong address. The shop for which I had been engaged was on the +other side of the triangle. I hurried in, to be received with a scowl +by the proprietor, who pointed significantly to the clock to intimate +that I was very late. + +However, the proprietor donned his hat and coat and took me to another +shop in a distant part of the city. It was one of his branches. I was +to be employed here, but I knew no more about hair-dressing than about +the fourth dimension. Still I thought I could fulfil the role of +lather-boy very effectively. + +To my consternation, after lathering one or two customers, I was +ordered to complete the shaving operation. My heart thumped because I +wondered how the unfortunate German client would fare in my unskilled +hands. Bracing myself up I completed the task without a hitch, +although I do not think the customer looked any better after I had +finished with him than he did before. + +But the succeeding customer encountered disaster. The razor made a +slip, inflicting a terrible gash in the man's ear. + +Pandemonium was let loose. The blood spurted out, smothering my shirt +cuff. The customer raved and swore like a Fury, while the manager, +losing his head, dashed up with a handful of powdered alum which he +strove to apply to the wound, but made a sorry mess of the effort, +because it fell in a shower over the customer's immaculate clothes, +causing him to present the appearance which would have ensued had he +fouled a bag of flour. I surveyed the scene of the disaster for a few +seconds, but observing the customer to be absorbing the complete +attention of the manager I unconcernedly invited the next customer to +take the chair, which he politely declined. + +In the course of a few minutes an unsuspecting individual entered and +took the empty seat. I lathered him well, and picked up a razor. But my +hand was now exceedingly unsteady. I caught a glimpse of my soiled shirt +cuff and decided to incur no further risks. I seized my hat and bolted +from the shop. + +In my haste I inadvertently infringed another rigid regulation--I +boarded a tram-car in motion. For this misdemeanour I was rated severely +by the conductor. But as I emphasised my deaf and dumb infirmity he +ceased, doubtless feeling that his energy was being wasted. To my +consternation a friend of mine boarded this car, which was proceeding +toward his home, and he at once commenced a conversation. I was on my +guard, and by a surreptitious whisper, I told him of my deaf and dumb +subterfuge. When we reached our destination I related my adventure, +revealing my soiled and blood-stained shirt cuff as corroboration. As I +described the incident he burst into uncontrollable laughter, but then +his face became grave. He felt convinced that a complaint would be +lodged, and that investigation would follow. If I were detected in the +street trouble would ensue, so he urged me to return to my new home and +to lie low for a few days to permit things to blow over. + +Another day I was alighting from a tram, when I heard a voice calling +quietly but firmly, "Mein Herr! Mein Herr!" There was no mistaking the +tones. They were so palpably official as not to raise a moment's +doubting. I refrained from looking round, proceeding as if I had not +heard the hail, although I did not quicken my step. But the "Mein Herr!" +continued to ring out persistently, and at last the speaker touched me +on the arm. I turned and, as I had anticipated, was confronted by an +officer. + +He demanded to know why I was walking about Cologne. He saw that I was a +Britisher and so responded to the call of his inquisitorial duty. I +produced my "pass" without a word of comment. He looked at it and gave +me a queer glance, but I never turned a hair, and while he was looking +at me I calmly withdrew the "pass" from his hands and slipped it into my +pocket. + +At this action there was an excited outburst, but I firmly and +resolutely told him that I could not surrender my "pass." I had been +told to keep it at all hazards, and I intended to do so. It was my sole +protection. Not being able to dispute the truth of my assertions, he +merely told me to come with him. I did not like the turn of events but +had to obey. He stopped short before a box, possibly a telephone, +outside which a sentry was standing. He said something to the sentry, +told me to wait outside, and disappeared within the box. + +I waited patiently for a few minutes, thinking hard to discover some +ruse to get away, but retaining a perfectly calm and collected +demeanour. If I moved I feared the sentry would raise the alarm. Yet as +I stood there it suddenly occurred to me that perhaps the sentry, with +typical Teuton denseness of thought, might consider that I was a friend +of the officer, and that I was only waiting for him. I glanced anxiously +up and down the street, listened at the box, and fidgeted with papers as +if fearing that I should miss an appointment unless my friend soon +re-appeared. + +The sentry appeared to consider my actions quite natural. Emboldened I +withdrew a piece of paper from my pocket and hurriedly scribbled, as if +jotting down a hurried note. But I knew little German and far less how +to write it. After finishing the note I slipped it into the sentry's +hand, telling him to take it to my friend the officer in the box. + +He laughed "Ja! Ja!" and I moved off to the tram which was just +starting in the direction I desired. I have often wondered what happened +when the officer came out and discovered that I had vanished! The sentry +must have experienced a rough five minutes, because the officer could +not have been mollified by what I had written, which was simply the two +words "Guten Tag!" (Good-day!). + +I dismissed the incident from my mind but the following night I received +a terrible fright. I had promised some friends to accompany them to the +Opera. We boarded a car. As I entered the vehicle I nearly sank through +the floor. There, sitting on the seat, was the officer whom I had left +so abruptly and discourteously the previous day. In a low voice I +related my alarming discovery to my companions, but urged them to +proceed as if nothing had happened, so they maintained a spirited +conversation in German, discreetly monopolising all the talking. The +officer was glaring at me fiercely but I saw that he was in a quandary. +To him my face was familiar but he was cudgelling his brains as to where +he had seen me before. His inability to place me proved my salvation. +When we got up, both my companions and myself wished him "Good-night," +to which he responded cheerfully. Whatever his thoughts concerning +myself might have been, my "Good-night" completely removed all his +suspicions. + +About three weeks after my arrival at Cologne, K---- and I were +surprised to hear familiar voices in the hall of his home. We came out +and to our astonishment there were two fellow-prisoners from Sennelager. +They were R----, a British bank manager, and F----, both of whom at the +time of writing are still languishing in Ruhleben. They had been granted +liberty on a "pass," having mentioned K----'s name. He was delighted +they had accepted his outstanding invitation and gave them a hearty +welcome. + +[Illustration: + +Buergermeisster-Aurt Greis + +Polizeiliche Aufforderung im Exekutiv-Verfahren. + +Auf Grund des Sek. 20 des Geletes ueber die Polizeiverwaltung vom 11. +Maerz 1850 bezw. des Sek. 132 des Geletes ueber die allgemeine +Laubesverwaltung vom 30. Jueli 1883 werden Sie hiermit aufgefordert + +[Transcriber's note: portions illegible, struck through and added in +handwriting] + +und zwar bei Vermeidung einer Greturgstrase von----Mart oder einer---- +taegten Haftstrase----Geen diese Aufforderung kann immerhalb awet Wochen +nach Aushaendigung bersetbeii Beschwerde bei dem KoenigtichenBerrn Bonbrat +zu----angebracht werden. + +----, den 22 September 1914 + +Die Polizeiverwaltung. Der Buergermeisster.] + +But before we could settle down, K---- had to accompany the two new +arrivals to the village Burgermeister's office to secure permission for +their residence in his home. K---- and this official were on friendly +terms, but I could not restrain a smile when the official, with a slight +trace of waspishness in his voice, enquired if it was K----'s intention +to establish a British colony in the village? I might mention that +within a stone's throw of K----'s home was a large factory where a +number of Germans were employed, which was managed by three Englishmen. +It was a highly prosperous and flourishing business and, the three +managers living in the village, it certainly did seem as if the little +place were to become colonised. + +On the night of November 6th, while we were all making merry after the +evening meal, there came a peremptory knocking at the door. We looked at +one another wonderingly and our hearts fell into our boots as we heard +an ominous tramping of feet in the hall. Two police officers entered the +room and called out our names. We answered affirmatively. + +"Gentlemen! You will accompany us to Cologne!" At the pronouncement we +blanched. We knew only too well what the imperative summons conveyed. +_We were under arrest!_ + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +RE-IMPRISONED AT KLINGELPUTZ + + +My friend, being a well-known commercial man of Cologne, was acquainted +with the two gendarmes. He recognised the futility of attempting to run +against the decree of the Powers-that-Be, together with the fact that +these two officers were only doing their duty. He invited them to eat +and drink. They accepted the favour, our good spirits revived, and we +informally discussed the new situation and its portent. + +The two officers, not wishing to hurt K----'s feelings more than was +absolutely necessary, and residing in the vicinity, suggested that they +should meet us at a certain point at a given time to escort us into +Cologne. The appointment being settled to mutual satisfaction they +departed and we at once busied ourselves with preparations for another +sojourn in prison, which we considered to be our certain fate. Our +hostess packed a huge reserve of dainties of all descriptions sufficient +to last us several days, by which time we fondly concluded that any +formalities demanded by the authorities would be completed, and we +should once more be allowed to go free on "passes." + +We kept the appointment with the two officers who, out of respect for +our host, had discarded their uniforms for mufti. Consequently, to the +casual man in the street, we appeared to be only a little party going +into the city for a mild junketing. + +We were told that the official fiat had gone forth that all Britishers +within the German Empire, both resident and touring, were to be +arrested. All sorts of reasons were advanced to explain this action but +they were merely speculative. There is one feature about the Teuton +Government which is far from being characteristic of the British +authorities. The Germans never do things by halves. What they authorise +to be done is carried out to the letter. What they say they mean and +there is no delay in executing an order once it is issued. The Teuton +system may have shortcomings but hesitation and vacillation cannot be +numbered among them. Directly the order concerning the re-arrest of the +British was issued, extreme activity was displayed in carrying it out. +Possibly it was a mere temporary measure, as K---- half hoped, but that +was immaterial. Every alien was rounded up within a few hours and placed +safely under lock and key. + +We were not kept in doubt as to our future for many minutes. We learned +at the Polizei Prasidium that we were to be immured in Klingelputz +prison. Many of our number were gathered there, having once been +released on "pass," and from the circumstance that they were business +men in practice and residence in Germany the confident belief prevailed +that after re-registration all would be released. But we were speedily +disappointed. All of us without the slightest discrimination were placed +under restraint. + +Directly we entered Klingelputz and had passed into the main building I +could not restrain my curiosity. This penitentiary was vastly dissimilar +from Wesel. It is a huge building not only covering a considerable tract +of ground, but is several floors in height, thus providing cell +accommodation for hundreds of prisoners. + +But it was the method of securing the prisoners which compelled my +instant attention. Ahead of me I saw what I first took to be an +iron-railed barrier behind which a number of men were crowding as if to +catch a glimpse of us. But to my astonishment I discovered, as I +advanced, that this was not an iron barrier keeping back a +curiosity-provoked crowd but the cells and their inmates. I was startled +to hear frantic hails, "Mahoney! Mahoney! Hooray! Come on!" + +I stepped forward to ascertain that I was being called by two or three +compatriots whom I had left behind at Sennelager, but who had afterwards +been released on "pass" and re-rounded up as aliens. I returned the +greeting hilariously, upon which one of the British prisoners, who was +remarkably agile, swarmed the bars, and poised thus above his comrades, +was emulating the strange and amusing antics of a monkey at the +Zoological Gardens, thereby conveying by his actions that he and his +friends were caged after the manner of our simian prizes at home. + +The cells were indeed cages, as I discovered upon closer inspection, and +recalled nothing so much as parrot cages upon a large scale. All sides +were barred in the self-same manner so that from any point one could see +every corner of the cell and discover what the inmate or rather inmates +were doing, because each cell was really six cells in one. The cage was +rectangular in plan, each cell measuring about seven feet in length by +three feet in width, and fairly high. But it was the internal +arrangement of the cell which struck me. In plan it was set out +something like the following:-- + +[Illustration] + +The middle gangway A not only served as the approach to the +sub-divisions or cells B on either side, but also constituted the space +occupied by the prisoners during the day. Each of the sub-divisions was +large enough to receive a bed and nothing else. There was only +sufficient space to stand beside the couch. Upon retiring for the night +the prisoner was compelled to disrobe in the central space or gangway A, +then, picking up his clothes he had to sidle round the door and climb +over his bed to get into it. In the morning, upon rising, he either had +to stand upon his bed to dress or to come out into the central gangway, +the space beside his bed being scarcely sufficient to permit free +movement. + +Normally, I suppose, each cell or cage is designed to receive six +prisoners, one to each sub-division, in which event circulation in the +dividing open space would be possible. But the facilities of Klingelputz +were so taxed at the time that every morning further prisoners were +brought from the masonry cells below and locked in this open space for +the day. The result was considerable overcrowding, there being no fewer +than twenty-six men in one of the cages including some of our +fellow-countrymen from Sennelager upon the day I entered. But the men +from the latter camp happened to be some of the most irrepressible +spirits among us. They considered it to be huge fun to swing and climb +about the bars like monkeys, and their quaint antics and badinage kept +their comrades buoyant. + +While I made application to be put in one of these extraordinary cells, +merely to experience the novelty, my four comrades expressed their +sincere hope that we should meet with superior accommodation. In this we +were not disappointed, if the quarters to which we were taken were +capable of being called superior. We were escorted down flights of steps +which appeared to lead to the very bowels of the State hotel. Finally we +were ushered into a long subterranean apartment, which was really a +cellar, and was evidently intended to house five prisoners at one time, +seeing that there were this number of beds. Except for the fact that it +was a cellar and very little light penetrated its walls, little fault +could be found with it. Certainly it was scrupulously clean, for which +we were devoutly thankful, while on the table an oil-lamp was burning. + +Life at Klingelputz would have been tolerable but for one thing--the +prison fare. At six o'clock we were served with a basin of acorn coffee +and a small piece of black bread for breakfast. At twelve we were +treated to a small dole of skilly, the most execrable food I have ever +tasted even in a German prison camp. It was skilly in the fullest sense +of the word. Whatever entered into its composition must have been used +most sparingly; its nutritive value was absolutely negligible. At five +in the afternoon we received another basin of the acorn coffee together +with a small piece of black bread, and this had to keep us going for the +next thirteen hours. + +Fortunately the food which we had brought with us served as a valuable +supplement to that provided by the State. It not only kept us alive but +enabled us to maintain our condition. The old fellow who was our gaoler +was tractable; indeed he was somewhat apologetic for having to look +after such estimable gentlemen, an attitude which was doubtless due to +the fact that he knew we should look after him! We endeavoured to see if +he could supply a little more "liberty and fresh air" but the old warder +shook his head sorrowfully. + +[*large gap] + +Lights had to be extinguished by nine o'clock, and it was the evening +which taxed our endurance. We had to while away the hours as best we +could. First we improvised an Indian band, using our basins as tom-toms +and singing the most weird music. As a variety we dressed up in our +blankets to resemble Red Indians and indulged in blood-curdling +war-dances. Such measures for passing the time may sound extremely +childish to readers, but it must be remembered that there was nothing +else for us to do unless we were content to sit down with our chins in +our hands, with the corners of our mouths drooping, and our faces +wearing the expression of undertakers' mutes. Had we not participated in +the admittedly infantile amusements we should have gone mad. + +When we had demolished our food reserves and were utterly dependent upon +the prison diet, we speedily began to betray signs of our captivity and +deprivations. We petitioned for permission to purchase food from outside +but this met with a curt refusal. Eventually the prison authorities +relented and we were permitted to purchase our mid-day meal from a +restaurant, for which privilege by the way we were mulcted very heavily. + +During the day we were permitted to stretch our limbs in the exercise +yard for about fifteen minutes. No steel-bound rules and regulations +such as I had experienced at Wesel prevailed here. We were free to +intermingle and to converse as we pleased. This relaxation was keenly +anticipated and enjoyed because it gave us the opportunity to exchange +reminiscences. We learned enough during this brief period to provide +material for further topics of conversation. This, however, was the +experience of our party. Others fared worse and were shut up in single +cells in which, as I had previously done at Wesel, they were compelled +to pace. + +We only shared the large underground cell together at night because of +its sleeping accommodation. We were shut in separate cells during the +day, which prevented interchange of conversation and inter-amusement +during the day except in the exercise yard. But solitary confinement was +rare, and in the majority of cases we learned that the aliens were +placed in small parties of four or five in a single cell. After a few +days our party was swelled by five new arrivals from different parts of +Germany. We were a cosmopolitan crowd, comprising every strata of +society, from wealthy men down to stable lads. One boisterous spirit, a +Cockney, confessed far and wide that he had once suffered imprisonment +at home for horse-stealing, and he did not care a rap for anything or +anybody. He was always bubbling over with exuberant merriment and was +one of those who can project every situation into its relative humorous +perspective. Another prisoner was an Englishman who had been resident in +Germany for twenty-five years, and at the time of his arrest occupied a +very prominent position in one of the foremost banking institutions. + +This man felt his humiliation acutely. He paced his cell from morning to +night, peevish and nervous, brooding deeply over what he considered to +be an atrocity. He was a well-known man and on intimate terms with many +of the foremost members of the Government and of the Services. He wrote +to every man whom he thought capable of exerting powerful and +irresistible influence upon his behalf, but without any tangible +results. The fact that this man, apparently more Teuton, from his long +residence and associations in the country, than British, had been thrown +into prison brought home to us the thorough manner in which the Germans +carried out their task of placing all aliens in safety. It was +immaterial how prominent the position of the Britisher, his wealth, or +his indispensability to the concern with which he was identified. Into +prison he went when the general rounding up of enemies order was +promulgated. + +The Cockney who had been imprisoned for horse-stealing badgered this +superior fellow-prisoner unmercifully. He was incessantly dwelling upon +the man's descent from a position of comfort and ease to "quod" as he +termed it. He would go up to the prisoner, pacing the exercise yard, and +slapping him on the back would yap: + +"Now then, old sport! Don't get so down in the mouth about it!" + +The prisoner would venture some snappy retort. + +"All right, Cocky! Crikey, you'd look mighty fine stuck up against a +wall with half a dozen bloomin' Prussian rifles looking at yer. Blime if +I don't believe you'd dodge the bullets by caving-in at the knees!" + +A fierce look would be the response to such torment. + +"Gawd's trewth! My fretful bumble-bee, I'd write to old Tight-Whiskers +about it if I was you. Get 'im to come an' bail yer out!" + +At first we wondered who the personality so irreverently described as +"Tight-Whiskers" was, but subsequently we were enlightened. He was +referring to Von Tirpitz, "Th' bloke wot looks arter th' Germin Navy!" + +When the Cockney, who appeared to be downright proud of his ability to +keep his "pecker up," found banter to be unproductive, he would assume a +tone of extreme sympathetic feeling, but this was so obviously unreal as +to be more productive of laughter than his outspoken sallies. + +Once a week there was a sight from which, after my first experience, I +was always glad to escape. On this day the prisoners were taken into the +exercise yard to meet their wives and children. On these occasions when +supplies of food were brought in, some very heart-rending scenes were +witnessed, the little toddlers clinging to their fathers' coat-tails and +childishly urging them to come home, while the women's eyes were wet and +red. + +The sanitary arrangements in Klingelputz were on a level with those of +other prisons. Two commodes, with ill-fitting lids, sufficed for ten +men, and in the underground apartment to which we were condemned, and of +which the ventilation was very indifferent, the conditions became +nauseating. To make matters worse the vile prison food precipitated an +epidemic of acute diarrhoea and sickness, so that the atmosphere within +the limited space became so unbearable as to provoke the facetious +Cockney to declare that "'e could cut it with a knife," while he +expressed his resolve "to ask th' gaoler for a nail to drive into it" to +serve as a peg for his clothes! But it was no laughing matter, and we +all grew apprehensive of being stricken down with some fearful malady +brought on simply and purely by the primitive sanitary arrangements. +Only once a day were the utensils subjected to a perfunctory cleansing, +a job which was carried out by the criminals incarcerated in the prison. + +These criminals would do anything for us. The first night they tapped at +the door to our cellar, and, peeping through the cracks, we saw a number +of these degraded specimens of German humanity in their night attire. +They had heard who we were and begged for a cigarette. We passed two or +three through the key-hole. The moment a cigarette got through there was +a fearful din in the fight for its possession, culminating in a terrific +crashing. The gaoler had appeared upon the scene! Quietness reigned for +a few minutes, when they would stealthily return and whisper all sorts +of yarns concerning the reasons for their imprisonment in order to +wheedle further cigarettes from us. + +We were "clinked" in Klingelputz, as the Cockney expressed it, on +November 6, 1914, and were kept in a state of terrible suspense. At +last one morning the prison officials entered and called out the name of +the three managers of the large works at the village in which K---- +resided, who had been imprisoned with us. My friend and I naturally +expected that their order for release had arrived, and we waited +expectantly for their return to congratulate them, since their release +would be a happy augury for us. They returned shortly, laden with bulky +parcels of food which had been sent to them, and we all sat down to a +Gargantuan spread. But we had scarcely started the meal when the gaoler +entered and calling our names, ordered us to follow him to the office. +Here we had to answer to our names once more. Then the Governor, in a +sonorous voice, went on: + +"Gentlemen! You are free men. Passes will be re-issued to you, but you +will have to go to the Polizei Prasidium to have the requisite papers +prepared." + +At this intelligence we became wildly excited. K---- had been +anticipating such a development, but the process of deciding the issue +had been protracted from the slow pace and roundabout journey which such +matters have to take through the German Circumlocution Office. We +started off to the Prasidium, escorted, strange to say, by the two +officials who had arrested us at K----'s residence, and with whom my +friend was now conversing gaily. As we passed the cages the English boys +caught sight of me, and there were frantic yells of congratulation and +good wishes upon our good fortune. + +Reaching the Prasidium we were ushered into an outer room, the two +officials proceeding into an inner room armed with our papers. While we +were waiting K---- turned to me and remarked: + +"I hope they'll get us fixed up jolly quickly. Those two officers told +me that to-morrow all aliens are to be sent from Klingelputz to the +internment camp at Ruhleben. If we get our 'passes' we shall dodge that +excursion very neatly!" + +While we were talking the two officials came out and hurriedly left the +building. They did not glance at us, and from their bearing I surmised +that something had gone wrong at the last minute. I turned to my friend. + +"Did you notice those fellows' faces? They looked pretty solemn. I'll +bet you something's in the wind, and it won't be to our advantage." + +At that moment we were summoned into the inner office. The official +called out our names, to which we answered, mine being the last. + +"Ach! Ma-hone-i!" he exclaimed, "Englische Spion! Eh?" + +I acknowledged the accusation. Although I was fully accustomed to the +repetition of these words by now, since they were hurled at me at every +turn, they were beginning to become somewhat irksome. Upon each occasion +when the interrogation was flung out for the first time by a new +official, it was delivered with a strange and jarring jerk. + +"Well, you were to be free on 'passes,' but the papers are not in order. +They have been sent from the wrong place. They should have come from +Coblentz. So they will have to be returned to be dispatched through the +correct channel!" + +How we cursed that German Circumlocution Office and this latest +expression of Teuton organisation. The papers were correct, but because +they had happened to come from the wrong office they were to be sent +back to be re-dispatched from Coblentz, although they would not suffer +the slightest alteration or addition in the process. Prussian red-tape +was going crazy with a vengeance. + +We were escorted to a cell in the basement of the Prasidium. Were we +going to be kept here until the papers came to hand again? However, +seeing that the trip would take some days, this was scarcely likely +unless something extraordinary supervened. While we were discussing this +latest and totally unexpected _denouement_ we heard the low rumbling of +heavy wheels. K---- cocked his ears with an acute tension. + +"Hark!" he blurted out. "Damn it all, Mahoney, that's the 'Black Maria!' +We are going back to Klingelputz or somewhere else!" + +It was indeed the Teuton "Black Maria," and we were hurried upstairs to +be tumbled into it. It was a dismal vehicle, there being barely +sufficient space to accommodate our party, which had been further +encumbered by two German demi-mondaines, who had been arrested for some +infraction of the German law as it affected their peculiar interests. We +were so tightly packed that we had to stand sideways, and I amused +myself by working out the allowance of air space per person. It averaged +about fourteen cubic inches! + +We rumbled into the courtyard at Klingelputz, dejected and somewhat ill +of temper at our disappointment. We were worrying because apparently the +alien prisoners were to be dispatched to Ruhleben on the morrow. Unless +we received our "passes" in time the chances were a thousand to one that +we should be doomed to the self-same camp. + +As we re-entered the prison we were greeted with a deafening yell. It +came from the caged British prisoners. + +"Hullo, boys! What cheer, Mahoney!" they shrieked. "Have they dished you +again? Thought you were going home? Well, we're mighty pleased to see +you back at the 'Zoo'!" and there was another wild exhibition of simian +acrobatics upon the bars for our especial amusement. + +But I had become so inured to the juggling tactics of Prussian +officialdom that I was far from showing my inner feelings of chagrin. I +entered into their banter as energetically, and with a parting "See you +to-morrow, boys!" vanished down the steps with their frantic hails +ringing in my ears. + +The following morning we were marshalled, and as K---- had been +dreading, the worst had happened. We were consigned "British Prisoners +of War for internment at Ruhleben!" Home was now farther from me than +ever! + + + + +PRISON FOUR--RUHLEBEN + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE CAMP OF ABANDONED HOPE + + +It was 4.30 in the morning of November 12 when the blare of the bugle +echoed through the long, dreary passages of Klingelputz Prison. To the +British prisoners--in fact to all the aliens--that crash was of fearful +import. + +We were commanded to parade at 5 a.m. in one of the long upper corridors +flanked on either side by cells. We were formed in a double line, and as +our names were called we had to step forward. The roll-call was bawled +out, not once, but half a dozen times to make positive it had been read +correctly. Then we were counted, also some half-a-dozen times, to assure +the totals tallying. + +These preliminaries completed, preparations for our transference to +Ruhleben were hurried forward. We packed up our belongings, together +with all the food upon which we could place our hands, and re-lined up. +Under a strong guard we were marched to Cologne station. On the way, +several of us, anxious to communicate with our friends and relatives, +notifying them of our new address, dropped post-cards into the roadway. +The idea was to attract the attention of the guards to them, and then by +bribe to induce them to place them in the post. But the officers were +too eagle-eyed. They evidently anticipated such a ruse and accordingly +kept the soldiers under severe surveillance. One soldier who picked up a +post-card, which I had dropped in this manner, was caught in the act and +received a terrifying rating on the spot. Thus we who dropped the cards +had to rely upon the tender mercies and good-natured feeling of whoever +chanced to pick them up to slip them into the post, but I fear very few +were dispatched. + +We were huddled into the train at Cologne, but it was not until 8.30 +that we steamed out of the station. We travelled continuously throughout +the day until we reached Hannover at 9 in the evening. During the +journey, those who had exercised the forethought to bring food with them +had every reason to congratulate themselves, because this was all upon +which we had to subsist during the twelve and a half hours' travelling. +The authorities did not furnish us with so much as a crust of bread or a +spoonful of water. Moreover, if we chanced to pull up at a station where +refreshments of any kind might have been procurable, we were not allowed +to satisfy our cravings. At one stop, owing to one of our comrades +falling ill, we asked the Red Cross for a drop of water. We paid a +mark--one shilling--for it, but after taking the money they merely +jeered, spat at us, and refused to respond to our request. + +At Hannover we were permitted to buy what we could, but I may say that +it was very little because the buffet attempted to rob us unmercifully. +A tiny sandwich cost fourpence, while a small basin of thin and +unappetising soup, evidently prepared in anticipation of our arrival, +was just as expensive. Still the fact remains that throughout the whole +railway journey the German authorities never supplied us with a mouthful +of food. + +After a wait of three hours at Hannover the train resumed its journey, +reaching the station adjacent to the camp at Ruhleben at 6.0 a.m. Thus +we had been confined to our carriages for 21-1/2 hours, suffering +intense discomfort from the stifling atmosphere and our cramped quarters. + +Our first impression of Ruhleben was by no means inspiriting. The camp +had been started some two or three months previous to our arrival on +November 14th, 1914, but it was in a terribly chaotic condition. German +method and organisation recorded a dismal and complete failure here. + +Having reached the grounds, and registration completed to the +satisfaction of the authorities, we were marched off to our quarters. +The party to which I was attached was escorted to a stable which was of +the ordinary single floor type, characteristic of these islands, with a +row of horse-boxes and a loft for the storage of hay and other +impedimenta above. The horse-boxes measured ten feet square and had only +been cleaned out perfunctorily. The raw manure was still clinging to the +walls, while the stalls were wet from the straw which had been recently +removed. Indeed in some stalls it had not been cleared out. + +The atmosphere had that peculiarly pungent ammonia smell incidental to +recently tenanted stables. The prisoners who were allotted to those +stalls in which the wet straw still remained were compelled to lie down +upon it so that they had a far from inviting or savoury couch. Yet there +were many who preferred the unsalubrious and draughty stalls to the loft +overhead, and prices for the former ruled high, as much as 100 +marks--L5--being freely given for this accommodation. This speculation +in the quarters for the prisoners constituted one of the greatest +scandals of the camp during its early days, inasmuch as it acted +unfairly against those who were "broke." Who pocketed this money we +never learned, but there was a very shrewd suspicion that certain +persons were far from being scrupulous and did not hesitate to pursue +their usual shark tactics, even under such circumstances. + +K---- and myself were compelled to shake ourselves down in the loft. It +was reached by a creaking and crazy wooden staircase. Gaining the upper +regions we nearly encountered disaster. The loft was practically void of +natural illumination, the result being a kind of perpetual dismal +gloom, which to us, coming out of the broad daylight, appeared to be +darkness until our eyes grew accustomed to it. + +The floor was of stone or concrete and in the centre of the space the +height from floor to the highest point of the gable roof was about 7 +feet, sloping to 4 feet 6 inches at the sides. + +The authorities cannot be credited with being liberal in assigning us +space. The roof rafters were spaced 10 feet apart and between each two +of these five men had to shake down their beds. Thus each was given a +space 2 feet in width by 6 feet in length in which to make himself at +home and to stow his belongings. The quarters were so cramped that to +dress and undress it was necessary to stand in the centre of the gangway +which ran down the middle of the loft. Once in bed it was almost +impossible to turn over. To make matters worse the roof was far from +being watertight and when a heavy shower swept over us the water would +trickle and drip through, while the slits in the wall allowed the wind +to whistle and rush into the loft with ear-cutting force. + +When we entered into possession the floor was perfectly bare, but we +were given a miserable allowance of trusses of straw, each of which was +divided up sparingly between so many men. This we threw loosely upon the +floor to form a couch, but the allowance was so inadequate that no man +could keep himself warm, because the cold from the stone drove through +the thin covering, while it was quite out of the question to find +comfort. + +Only a few blankets were served out. I, myself, made eighteen distinct +applications for one, but was denied the luxury, if such it can be +called, until eleven months after my arrival at the camp. Had it not +been for the generosity of K----, who freely gave me one of his +blankets, coupled with one or two overcoats which I secured as a result +of my trading operations in the camp, to which I refer later, I should +have been compelled to face the bone-piercing, marrow-congealing wintry +weather without the slightest covering beyond the clothes in which I +stood. Those who, unlike me, were lacking a liberal friend, lay +shivering, depending purely upon the warmth radiating from one another's +bodies as they laid huddled in rows. + +We protested against this lack of blankets to the United States +Ambassador, time after time, but it was of little avail. The authorities +persisted in their statements that a blanket had been served out to +every man. In fact it was asserted in the British papers, as a result of +the Ambassador's investigations, that each man had been served with two +blankets. But for every man who did possess two blankets there were +three prisoners who had not one! The authorities endeavoured to shuffle +the responsibility for being without blankets upon the prisoners +themselves, unblushingly stating that they had been careless in looking +after them, had lost them, or had been so lax as to let them be stolen. +If the Ambassador had only gone to the trouble to make a complete and +personal canvass he would have probed the matter to the bottom. If a +parade with blankets had been called, the German Government would have +been fairly trapped in its deliberate lying. + +About ten months after I entered the camp, blankets were purchasable at +the camp stores. They cost us nine shillings apiece and they were not +our exclusive property. When a prisoner received his release he was not +permitted to take his blanket with him. Neither had it any surrender +value. It had to be left behind. If the prisoner could find a purchaser +for it he was at liberty to do so, but if no sale could be consummated +then it had to be presented to a comrade. The blanket was not allowed to +leave the camp because it contained a certain amount of wool! + +The food supplied by the authorities did not vary very pronouncedly from +what I had received in other camps, but if anything it was a trifle +better, especially in the early days, when Germany was not feeling the +pinch of the British blockade. For breakfast there was the eternal acorn +coffee and a hunk of black bread. The mid-day repast comprised a soup +contrived from potatoes, cabbage, and carrots with traces of meat. One +strange mixture which the authorities were fond of serving out to us was +a plate of rice and prunes garnished with a small sausage! I invariably +traded the sausage with a comrade for prunes, this so-called German +dainty not appealing to my palate in the slightest. After a while, +however, this dish vanished from the limited menu. Tea was merely a +repetition of the morning meal. + +Our first emphatic protest was in connection with our sleeping +accommodation in the loft. A representative came from the American +Embassy and we introduced him forthwith to our sleeping quarters. We not +only voiced our complaints but we demonstrated our inability to get warm +at night owing to the cold floor striking through the straw. He agreed +with us and ordered the authorities to provide us with sleeping +arrangements somewhat more closely allied to civilized practice. The +Germans obeyed the letter but not the spirit of the Representative's +recommendations. They sent us in a few boards spaced an inch or two +apart and nailed to thin cross battens. In this way our bodies were +lifted about two inches off the floor! + +The straw when served out to us was perfectly clean and fresh, but it +did not retain this attractiveness for a very long time. The soil in the +vicinity of Ruhleben is friable, the surface being a thick layer of fine +sand in dry, and an evil-looking slush in wet, weather. As the prisoners +when entering the barracks were unable to clean their boots, the mud was +transferred to the straw. Not only did the straw thus become extremely +dirty but the mud, upon drying, charged it heavily with dust. When a +tired man threw himself down heavily upon his sorry couch he was +enveloped for a few seconds in the cloud of dust which he sent from the +straw into the air. Whenever we attempted to shake up our beds to make +them slightly more comfortable, the darkness of the loft was rendered +darker by the dense dust fog which was precipitated. Naturally violent +coughing and sneezing attended these operations and the dust, being far +from clean in itself, wrought fearful havoc with our lungs. I recall one +prisoner who was in perfect health when he entered the camp, but within +a few weeks he had contracted tuberculosis. He declined so rapidly as to +arouse the apprehensions of the authorities, who hurriedly sent him home +to Britain. + +After lying upon this bare straw for three months we were given some +coarse sacking and were peremptorily ordered to fill these bags with the +straw. This task gave the sand and dust a spirited opportunity to +penetrate our systems. Had a stranger outside the building heard our +violent coughing he would have been pardoned had he construed our loft +to be a hospital for consumptives. + +We had been lying for quite six months upon this straw when we were +suddenly paraded to receive the order to re-appear a quarter of an hour +later with our beds. Re-parading we were commanded to empty the sacks to +form a big pile, and it was a repulsive-looking accumulation. But we +observed this straw was collected and carted away very carefully, +although at the time we paid little attention to the incident. + +Naturally we concluded that we were to be given a supply of new straw, +and not before it was wanted. But we were not to be treated as milksops. +We were marched off to the railway station where there was a quantity of +wooden shavings which we were told to pack into our sacks. When we +attacked the bundles we recoiled in horror. The material was reeking +wet. The authorities might just as well have served us with soddened +sponges. + +What could be done? Visions of rheumatic fever and various other racking +maladies arising from sleeping upon a wet bed haunted us. However, the +day being fine we rapidly strewed the bedding material out in the hope +that the sun would dry it somewhat. This precaution, however, was only +partially successful. Our couches were damp that night. + +We thought no more about the straw which we had been compelled to +exchange for the shavings until we learned that a German newspaper was +shrieking with wild enthusiasm about Teuton resourcefulness and science +having scored another scintillating economic triumph. According to this +newspaper an illustrious professor had discovered that straw possessed +decidedly valuable nourishing qualities essential to human life, and +that it was to be ground up and to enter into the constitution of the +bread, which accordingly was now to be composed of at least three +constituents--wheat-meal, potato flour, and straw. Some of us began to +ponder long and hard over the straw which had so suddenly been taken +away from us, especially myself, as I had experienced so many of the +weird tactics which are pursued by the Germans in their vain efforts to +maintain their game of bluff. + +I asked every member of our party, in the event of discovering a foreign +article in his bread, to hand it over to me because I had decided to +become a collecting fiend of an unusual type. Contributions were +speedily forthcoming, and they ranged over pieces of dirty straw, three +to four inches in length, fragments of coke, pieces of tree-bark, and +odds and ends of every description--in fact just the extraneous +substances which penetrated into our loft with the mud clinging to our +boots and which, of course, became associated with the loose straw. I +cherished this collection, which by the time I secured my release had +assumed somewhat impressive proportions. I left these relics in safe +keeping near the border, and they will come into my hands upon the +conclusion of the war if not before. + +From these strange discoveries I was prompted to make inquisitive +enquiries. I discreetly and in apparent idleness cross-questioned the +guards and any other sources of information which were likely to prove +fruitful. My interrogations were so seemingly innocent as to draw +immediate and comprehensive replies. Stringing these fragments of +information together, it was impossible to come to any conclusion other +than that I had formed in my own mind, namely, that the straw upon which +we had been lying for six months had been whisked off to the granary and +had re-appeared among us in the guise of the staff of life! It was not +conducive to our peace of mind to think we had probably been eating our +beds! + +[*large gap] + +During the early days, owing to the insufficiency of nutritious food, +we were hard-pressed. There were no canteens, but presently these +appeared and we were able to purchase further limited supplies of food, +at an all but prohibitive price I might mention, because the rascally +German speculators had paid heavily for the privilege of being able to +fleece the British. When, at a later date, we received a weekly +allowance of five shillings, the plight of everyone became eased +materially, although, unfortunately, this sum went a very short way +owing to the extortionate prices which prevailed. + +One particularly atrocious scandal was associated with the arrival of +some big crates of comforts sent out to us by one of the philanthropic +missions at home. The local stores suddenly blossomed forth with a huge +and extremely varied stock of wearing apparel--mufflers, socks, and +other articles of which we were in urgent need. I, among others, did not +hesitate to renew my wardrobe, which demanded replenishment, +particularly as the prices appeared to be attractive. We were ignorant +as to the origin of this stock, but it did not trouble our minds until +my purchase of a pair of socks. This precipitated an uproar, because +within one of the socks I found a small piece of paper on which was +written, undoubtedly by the hand which had diligently knitted the +article, "With love from----. To a poor British prisoner of war in +Germany," followed by the name of the Mission to whom the articles had +been sent, doubtless in response to an appeal. + +This discovery revealed the maddening circumstance that what had been +sent out to Ruhleben for free distribution among the prisoners was +actually being sold. There was an enquiry which yielded a more or less +convincing result according to one's point of view. + +There was also an outcry over the crates in which these articles were +sent to us. The party of which I was a member had removed from the loft +to a horse-box beneath which had been vacated. When we entered this +attractive residence the walls were still covered with manure--they +were not given a dressing of whitewash until later--while lying upon the +bare floor, with only a thin sack of doubtful shavings between us and +the stone, did not heighten our spirits. But as we were becoming +reconciled to our captivity, we decided to make our uninviting stall as +homely as we could. We decided upon a wooden bed apiece. The +authorities, after persistent worrying, only partially acceded to our +demands by providing three primitive single beds for occupation by six +men. + +As we could not persuade the authorities to serve us with a bed apiece, +we decided to build the three extra beds ourselves. But we were faced +with the extreme difficulty of procuring the requisite wood! The +authorities had none to give away and very little to sell. When we saw +these empty packing cases, which were of huge dimensions, we thought +luck had come our way at last, so we approached the proprietor of the +stores for permission to break them up. But to our disgust he informed +us that he had already parted with them--for a consideration we +discovered afterwards. Two had been secured by a German sentry in the +camp to be converted into wardrobes, while the others were in the hands +of the camp carpenter. We approached this worthy, but he ridiculed the +suggestion that he should give some of the wood to us for our intended +purpose. We could _buy_ the boards if we liked. As there was no +alternative source of supply we did so, and the price of purchase showed +that the carpenter cleared nine shillings on each crate! With much +difficulty we built our three extra beds between us, but the outlay for +materials alone was eighteen shillings! + +The cold during the winter affected us very severely because the barrack +was absolutely devoid of any heating facilities. When the snow was +carpeting the ground to a depth of from six to eight inches, and the +thermometer was hovering several degrees below zero we lay awake nearly +the whole night shivering with cold. Indeed on more than one occasion, +I with others, abandoned all attempts to sleep and trudged the loft to +keep warm. + +We appealed to the American Ambassador in the hope that he would be able +to rectify matters. When he came upon the scene there was another +outburst of indignation. He ordered the authorities to instal a heating +system without further delay. By driving through our sole protector in +this manner, we, as usual, received some measure of respite. But the +heating was useless to those living in the horse-boxes. The side +partitions of the latter were not carried up to the ceiling, but a space +of some two feet was left. To protect ourselves from the fierce +ear-cutting draught which swept through the stables we blocked these +spaces with brown paper. But the means which somewhat combated the +onslaughts of the draughts also shut out the heat, so that, in our case, +and it was typical of others, we really did not benefit one iota from +the "complete heating system" with which, so the German press asserted, +Ruhleben Camp was lavishly equipped. + +Christmas Day, 1914, was an unholy nightmare. Our fare could not, by any +stretch of imagination, be described as Christmassy. We had several +pro-Germans among us--they preached this gospel in the hope of being +released if only on "passes," but the thoroughbred Prussian is not to be +gulled by patriots made-to-order--and they kept up the spirit of Yule +Tide with candles and what not, somewhat after the approved Teuton +manner. It was impressive, but so palpably artificial and shallow as +merely to court derision and mockery among the Britishers. + +The great meal of the Day of Days was a huge joke! One barrack received +what might be excusably described as something like a chop, with +potatoes and gravy. The next barrack had a portion of a chop and +potatoes, but no gravy. By the time this barrack had been served +apparently all supplies had been exhausted, thanks to the wonderful +perfection of German method, organisation, and management. The result +was that a third barrack had to be content with a raw rasher of bacon, +while a further barrack received only potatoes swimming in a liquid +which was undoubtedly set down officially as gravy. But barrack six got +nothing! This barrack is occupied by members of the Jewish persuasion, +but only those who partook of Jewish food received anything to eat that +day. The Jews generally fared better, because they were tended by the +Rabbi, who indeed exerted himself untiringly upon their behalf. He drove +into the camp every day in his motor car, accompanied by his wife, and +they went diligently around the members of their flock, ascertaining the +requirements of each man, and doing all in their power to satisfy him so +far as the rules and regulations of the camp permitted. The Jews who +supported their Rabbi had no complaint to offer on the score of food, +because they received it in variety and plenty through the munificence +of their co-religionists in Berlin. + +In the evening we attempted a sing-song to keep up the spirit and +atmosphere of the season as far as practicable within our modest +limitations, but this was promptly suppressed by our task-masters. We +were compelled to spend the evening in miserable silence or to crawl +into bed to muse over our unhappy lot. So far as Ruhleben was concerned, +the sentiment of "Good-will to all men" had sped by on the main line, +and had forgotten all about us poor wretches in the siding. + +While in Cologne on "passes" I and my friends frequently learned from +the _Berliner Tageblatt_ and other leading newspapers that the foremost +artistes performing in Berlin paid visits to Ruhleben in the evening to +amuse the prisoners. At that time we were somewhat prone to envy the +good time our compatriots were evidently having at the internment camp +and the bed of roses upon which, according to the press, they were +lying. But when we entered the camp and made enquiries, we discovered +that the newspaper assertions were not merely gross exaggerations, but +unblushing fabrications. + +To satisfy ourselves upon this point we went to the corner of the camp +where the delightful entertainments were said to be given, but the only +artistes we discovered were a dozen hungry prisoners trying to coax a +tune out of a rebellious mouth organ! Our belief in German statements +received another shattering blow. During my twelve months in this camp I +never caught a glimpse of or heard a note from an eminent German +impressario or artiste of any description. All the amusements we ever +obtained were due to our own efforts, and I am glad to say that they +evidently were vastly superior to any that the much-vaunted city could +offer to its estimable citizens. At least this was the only impression +we could gather from the statements of visitors who were occasionally +permitted to attend our theatrical and vaudeville performances and +concerts. We had nothing for which to thank the Germans in the way of +diversion than we had in any other direction. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +ORGANISING THE COMMUNAL CITY OF RUHLEBEN + + +When I reached the internment camp it was in a wildly chaotic condition. +Every semblance of management was conspicuous by its absence, while the +German authorities never lifted a finger or uttered a single word +towards straightening things out. Some of the enlightened spirits among +us maintained that the Germans would not assist us, but it is my firm +impression that they could not: it was a problem beyond their +capacities. Such a state of affairs seems remarkable when one recalls +how persistently the Teuton flaunts his vaunted skill in organisation, +scientific management and method before the world at large. As a matter +of fact it is only when one secures a position behind the scenes in +Germany, to come into close contact with the Hun as he really is, when +he has been stripped of the mask and veneer which he assumes for parade +and to impress his visitors, that the hollowness of the Teuton +pretensions is laid bare in all its ghastly nakedness. + +The result in Ruhleben camp was terrible. It was every man for himself +and the Devil take the hindmost. If one, in desperation, approached the +authorities for a word of suggestion to improve this or that, +officialdom merely shrugged its shoulders and candidly admitted +impotence to recommend a remedy. So we had to depend essentially upon +our own exertions and initiative. + +Each barrack elected a captain, whose position was somewhat analogous to +that of the Governor of a State, while over the camp as a whole reigned +a super-captain. Seeing that there were several thousand prisoners at +the time of my arrival on November 12, 1914, accommodated in twelve +barracks, which presented a ghastly exhibition of congestion, and that +neither law nor order, except as interpreted and maintained by the rifle +and the bayonet of the unscrupulous German sentries, prevailed, the +necessity to turn the colony inside out and to inaugurate some form of +systematic control and operation was only too obvious. + +In the early days we were entirely dependent upon the authorities for +our food supplies, and they were invariably inadequate, while still more +often the victuals were disgustingly deficient in appetising qualities. +There were no facilities whatever for supplementing the official rations +by purchases from a canteen such as we had enjoyed for a time at +Sennelager. At last a German _frau_, animated by desire to improve the +shining hour at the expense of the interned civilians, opened a small +booth where some extras such as we so urgently desired could be +procured. This booth, about as large as the bathing machine common to +our seaside resorts, was situate in the centre of the camp. The +diminutive dimensions of the "shop" prevented the woman carrying +extensive stocks, and, as a rule she was cleared right out before +mid-day. Her specialities were sweets, fruit, canned foods, herrings, +and such like, but in extremely limited quantities. + +This shop became known throughout the colony as the "Pond-side" stores, +and the nickname was apt. Why, constitutes a little story in itself. It +virtually occupied the centre of the main thoroughfare, and certainly +became the busiest corner in the community. But at this point the land +made a sudden dip. Consequently, when we were visited by rainstorms, and +it _does_ rain in Germany, rendering a British torrential downpour a +Scotch mist by comparison, the rain water, unable to escape, gathered in +this depression, forming a respectable pond, with the booth or stores +standing, a dejected island, in the middle. + +If the storm were unduly heavy this pond assumed imposing dimensions. +One day I decided to measure it, so arming myself with a foot-rule I +waded deliberately through its length and width with my crude measuring +device to find that it was 133-1/2 feet long by 25 feet wide, and ranged +from 6 inches to 2-1/2 feet in depth. While engaged in this occupation I +was surprised by an officer, who, catching sight of my rule, sharply +demanded what I was doing? I told him frankly, and there was a lively +breeze between us. + +[*large gap] + +Naturally one will ask how it was that such a pond could form in the +heart of the camp. To the British mind, saturated as it is with blind +faith in German superior abilities in every ramification of human +endeavour, it may seem incomprehensible, and the formation of the lake +may be charitably attributed to the rain-water drainage system becoming +choked, thus effectively preventing the escape of the water. But there +was no drain to cope with this water, and what is more to the point the +nuisance was never overcome until the British prisoners themselves took +the matter in hand. + +When the water was lying in this depression a trip to the Stores became +an adventure. To obviate the necessity of wading through the noisome +water we secured a plank gangway upon boxes and barrels. The pathway +thus formed was only a few inches in width and precarious. The gangway +ran out from one bank to the stores, thence on to the opposite bank, so +that it was possible for the men to pass to the shop and to dry land in +single file. If one were at the extreme end of the queue one might +confidently expect to wait from two to three hours before reaching the +shop, only then to be disappointed because it had been cleared out of +everything edible. + +When the water was up, the German _frau_, acting as shopkeeper, would +perch herself on a box or barrel with the murky fluid swishing and +snarling around her, because her stores always suffered inundation at +such times. Walking the plank to make a purchase was highly exciting and +mildly diverting. No little effort was required to maintain one's +balance, while time after time the crazy foundations, as represented by +the boxes and barrels, would give way, precipitating a long string of +patient customers into the dirty water. + +The inadequacy of these stores was felt very severely. At last, after a +short and determined deliberation, it was resolved to run the colony +upon communal lines. This was the only feasible form of control in order +to protect the prisoners against scandalous robbery, extortionate +prices, and to ensure a sufficiency of the essentials which were in such +urgent demand. A simple, although comprehensive form of civic government +was drawn up, involving the formation of educational facilities, a +police force, a fire brigade, the establishment and maintenance of shops +and canteens, all of which were operated by the community for the +benefit of the community, the receipts being pooled in the camp +treasury. + +Such a system was absolutely imperative. Some of the prisoners were +without money and were denied the receipt of contributions from home, +their relatives and friends doubtless being too poor to help them. +Naturally these luckless prisoners were speedily reduced to extremely +straitened circumstances and distress among them became very acute. +Furthermore parcels of clothing and other articles were being sent in +bulk, addressed merely to the camp as a whole, instead of to +individuals, the objects of the senders being the fair and equitable +distribution of the articles among the prisoners indiscriminately. The +handling of these supplies led to frequent and unblushing abuses, the +men who were not in need of such contributions receiving them at the +expense of those who sorely wanted them. + +After our civic government had been reduced to practical application and +was working smoothly, the task of distributing these unaddressed bulk +supplies was entrusted to the captains of the barracks. The captain was +selected for this responsibility because he knew all the deserving cases +in his own party and was able to see they received the alleviation of +their distress. When a crate of goods came in the captain compiled a +list setting out the names and precise needs of every man in his party. +If you were in a position to do so you were expected to pay a small sum +for the articles, the price thereof being fixed, although you were at +liberty to pay more if you felt disposed. This money was paid into the +camp treasury. But if you were "broke," no money was expected. +Consequently every man was certain to secure something of what he +needed, irrespective of his financial circumstances. + +The camp government also embarked upon trading operations. Shops were +erected, one or two at a time, until at last we had a row of emporiums. +The requisite material was bought from the Germans or from home with +money drawn from the camp treasury. It must not be forgotten that the +Teuton authorities resolutely refused to supply us with a single thing, +declined to participate in any improvements, and refused to contribute a +penny to defray the cost of any enterprise which was considered +imperative to ameliorate our conditions. Indeed they robbed us right and +left, as I will narrate later. By building shops in this manner we were +able to boast a Bond Street, from which in a short time radiated other +thoroughfares which were similarly christened after the fashionable +streets of London--we had a strange penchant for the West-End when it +came to naming our streets. The result is that to-day Ruhleben can point +to its Fleet Street, its Trafalgar Square, and so on. + +Goods were purchased for the various departments according to the +specialities of the shops--boots for the bootshop, clothes for the +clothiers and groceries for the provision stores. The communal +government selected competent men to take charge of these establishments +at a weekly salary of five shillings. Every shop in the camp, with the +exception of a very few, such as mine in which I specialised in +engraving, the ticket-writers and so forth, belonged to the community +and were run by the community for the benefit of the community. No +prisoner was permitted to launch out upon his own account as a +shopkeeper if he intended to deal in a necessity. Only those trades +which involved no stock or might be described as luxuries were permitted +to be under individual management for individual profit. + +As the inter-trading in the camp developed we were able to purchase +large stocks of essentials, and it was astonishing to observe the +prosperity with which our trading endeavours flourished. Great Britain +has always been contemptuously described by our commercial rivals as a +nation of shop-keepers, and in Ruhleben Camp we offered our German +authorities, right under their very noses, the most powerful +illustration of this national characteristic, and brought home to them +very conclusively the fact that our national trait is no empty claim. +Thousands of pounds sterling were passed over the counters every week. + +While the shops dealt only in what might be termed necessities for our +welfare, we were able to procure almost any article we desired. A +"Special Order Department" was created to which we took our orders for +special articles not stocked in the camp. If the order, upon scrutiny by +the authorities, was deemed to be reasonable and did not infringe the +prohibited list, the arrival of the goods in due course was certain. + +The value of this system of managing the colony may be illustrated from +one example, typical of many, which reflects credit upon the captains +and civic organising committee. Butter was a luxury and could not be +purchased in the camp for less than 3s. 2d. per pound. Yet this figure +was decidedly below that ruling in the shops of Berlin for this article +of food. Under these circumstances one might wonder how we were able to +sell butter at a cheaper figure than the native tradesmen, and readers +might be disposed to entertain the opinion that here, at all events, we +did receive a valuable concession from the German authorities. But it +was no such thing. The camp treasury secured a quotation for butter and +at once realised that the terms were far too high for the prisoners as a +whole. Consequently they decided to place this and margarine upon sale +at attractive and possible prices. The purchasing department was +allotted a certain figure for purchasing, but as this was insufficient +the difference in the prime cost was taken from the common fund. Hence +we never paid more than 3s. 2d. per pound retail in the camp, although +the price was soaring in Berlin, so long as the article was obtainable. +This division of the cost between the communal shop and the common fund +brought butter within the reach of those who otherwise would have had to +be content with dry bread, because very few of us could have afforded +the luxury had Berlin prices prevailed in Ruhleben. Incidentally the +price of butter serves to convey a tangible idea of the economic +conditions reached in Germany and that within nine months of the +outbreak of hostilities! + +When the prisoners discovered that they could obtain the majority of +things which serve to make life bearable even under depressing and +oppressive conditions they commenced to launch out in the acquisition of +things for improving creature comfort. With the money drawn from the +banks and other institutions they purchased beds, cupboards, utensils, +electric reading lamps, clothes, and what not to render their living +quarters attractive and to improve their personal appearance and +conditions. This extra work threw a heavy strain upon the clerical +department which, within a short time, demanded organisation. The +position of auditor was assumed by J----, who gathered a competent +staff, and they worked like Trojans on behalf of the camp. Many times, +while on night patrol as a policeman, I found J---- and his assistants +burning the midnight oil at 1 a.m., straightening out the accounts and +posting the books of the treasury. He and his staff deserve the greatest +credit for the high-spirited manner in which and the hours they worked +on behalf of their fellow-prisoners. + +The shop-keeping industry received a decided impetus when the British +Emergency Relief Fund was inaugurated. Under this scheme, five shillings +per week were paid regularly through the American Embassy to all +prisoners who were in need of financial assistance. + +[*large gap] + +Notwithstanding the elaborate precautions which had been brought into +operation to ensure that this relief should get only into deserving +hands, the fact remains that up to the day of my departure it was being +paid directly into the pockets of some of our enemies. The scheme had +been brought into operation some little while, when one morning, upon +parade, the authorities requested all those who sympathised with the +German cause to step out. Many, doubtless thinking that here was the +opportunity to secure preferential treatment or the golden chance to +obtain release from the Prison Camp of Abandoned Hope, answered the +call. The numbers were appreciable, but as they advanced from the lines +they were assailed by vicious hooting, groaning and hissing from the +others who were resolved to maintain their patriotism at all hazards. +Still it was an excellent move upon the part of the Germans. It +eliminated dangerous enemies from our midst. + +But if the pro-Germans, now chuckling merrily and rubbing their hands +with childish delight, considered their release to be imminent they +received a very rude awakening. The German authorities are not readily +gulled. To them a pro-German is every whit as dangerous as an avowed +enemy. They merely marched these traitors to another part of the camp +where they were forced to re-establish themselves in their own isolated +barrack quarters. They received no improvement in treatment or food. The +only difference between the two divisions of what is now described as +the "split camp" is that whereas the true Britishers are free to sing +"Rule, Britannia," "God Save the King," and other patriotic songs, the +traitors have to while away their time singing "Die Wacht am Rhein," +"Deutschland Uber Alles," and other German jingo melodies. + +The position of the traitors became aggravated a little later, when they +learned that the German authorities were quite ready to release them +upon one simple condition--that they joined the German Army! I am +ashamed to say that some of them even took advantage of this infamous +avenue of escape. But the majority, after their dropped jaws and long +faces resumed their normal positions, thought they might just as well +change their national coat once more. + +Some of these scoundrels, after openly enlisting under the German +banner, did not disavow their pension but coolly continued to draw the +five shillings per week. Moreover, in one instance at least, one of +these scapegoats after declaring his pro-German proclivities was enabled +to return to England as an exchanged prisoner. I could reveal +unpalatable truths concerning the laxity of our authorities in dealing +with the exchange of prisoners, but the moment is not opportune. + +One day one of these renegades came to my booth to have some engraving +carried out. He asked me a price and I quoted half a crown. To my +surprise he urged me to make it five shillings. Somewhat astonished I +suggested that the work was not worth five shillings and that my +estimate was perfectly fair. + +"Oh, it doesn't matter," he replied, laughing gaily. "I draw five +shillings from the British Prisoners' Relief Fund, which I never spend +because I don't want it, and one week's draw might just as well pay for +this job!" + +I was so exasperated by this cool confession from the "P.-G."--our +colloquialism for a pro-German--that I whipped round my bench and +confronted the amiable traitor. We commenced to argue, I told him what I +thought about him, words grew hot and soon the fur commenced to fly. He +landed out at me and then I pitched into him unmercifully. It was +useless for him to appeal for help. We knew every "P.-G." among us and +he was now fairly in the hands of the Philistines. My colleagues merely +gathered round, jeering and cheering like mad as I got some stinging +blows home. The renegade subsequently slunk off rather badly battered, +only to act quite up to his traitorous principles. After being thrashed +in fair fight he crawled off to one of the German officers to whom he +explained in a wheedling, piteous voice that he had been assaulted and +went in fear of his life. + +The officer came over to me and accused me of fighting. I explained the +whole circumstances, emphasising the fact that the sneaking, drivelling +humbug was drawing five shillings from the British Pension Fund and yet +was parading and voicing his anti-British sentiments far and wide, when +there were many admitted and honourable British prisoners walking about +and in greater need of the money. The officer was evidently impressed +with my point of view and undoubtedly concurred in my contention that my +attitude was perfectly justified. + +At all events he unostentatiously and unconsciously betrayed his opinion +of a pro-German. He never uttered a word of reprimand to me; the +discomfited "P.-G." was advised to make himself scarce; and although I +had been guilty of the grave offence of fighting I never heard another +word about the incident. It is evident that the officer in his own mind +concluded that the less he said about the episode the better. Still I +had got satisfaction. I had given one of our enemies a drubbing which he +would not forget in a hurry. + +Yet the one fact remains. At the time I left the camp there were several +of these whimpering, cold-footed, British Judas Iscariots still drawing +unblushingly their five shillings per week! I might add that this +constituted one of the greatest scandals of the camp, and precipitated a +feeling of smouldering rebellion, not against the German authorities, +but against the traitors who did not refrain from attempting to +fraternise with us after the diabolical repudiation of their +nationality. It was fortunate these back-boneless, long-faced and +drooping-mouthed Britons were forced to live away from us; otherwise I +am afraid there would have been some tragedies and endless fighting. + +Another rule of the camp somewhat grated upon our nerves. We opened +several canteens which we stocked with our own goods, and operated upon +communal lines so that the prisoners might secure ample food-stuffs. +Naturally these articles were sold to the men at the lowest possible +prices. But to our dismay we learned afterwards that they might have +been sold at a lower figure had the German military not demanded a +commission, or perhaps it should be called a "royalty" upon the turnover +of 7-1/2 per cent.! This applied equally to the "Special Order Department," +and I am afraid, if the subject were probed to the bottom, it would be +found that every article sold in Ruhleben--fully ninety per cent. of +which probably would be construed as articles saleable from the canteen +if shops were unavailable--contributes its toll of seven-and-a-half per +cent. to the German authorities. When one recalls the thousands sterling +which pass through the shops and canteens during the course of the week, +the German officials must have derived a handsome revenue from this +iniquitous practice. If all the camps were mulcted in the manner of +Ruhleben, looking after the British prisoners must be an extremely +lucrative occupation. + +This scandalous impost hit us at every turn. It meant that we had to pay +for every article and through the nose at that. For instance, the Camp +Committee laid down a house equipped with four large boilers to supply +boiling water, which we had to fetch, and with which we were able to +brew beverages and soups in the secrecy of our barracks. We purchased +this convenience, of which the Germans took a proportion, so that we +really paid a prohibitive price for the water which we consumed! _The +supply of hot water, no matter for what purpose, was construed by the +Germans as coming within the business of the canteen!_ Shower baths were +also introduced, the cost being defrayed out of the camp treasury. I +wonder if the British authorities follow a similar practice among the +German internment camps in this country? It is an excellent method of +making the prisoner pay for his own board and lodging. + +The educational classes proved a complete success. Almost every language +under the sun could be heard among the prisoners. The classes were +absolutely free, of course, although you could contribute something, if +you desired. Individual tuition was given, but in this instance the +tutors were free to levy fees. The mastery of languages became one of +the most popular occupations to pass the time. I myself had a class of +dusky members of the British Empire, drawn from various Colonies, and +speaking as many dialects, to whom I undertook to teach English, +reading, writing, drawing, and other subjects. At the time the class was +formed, they could only muster a few English words, conducting +conversation for the most part by signs and indifferent German. But my +pupils proved apt and industrious, and by the time I left they had +mastered our tongue very effectively, as the many letters they sent me, +before leaving Ruhleben, striving to thank me for what I had done, +testify. + +Camp life was not without its humour. Around the boiler-house stretched +a large wooden hoarding which served as a notice-board. Every day there +were posted the names of prisoners, set out in alphabetical order, for +whom parcels had arrived. The remaining space was covered with +advertisements of a widely varied order. The humour unconsciously +displayed upon that board probably has never been equalled in the pages +of a humorous journal yet printed. It is impossible to narrate every +quaint announcement as they were so prolific, but I have never +forgotten some of them. One I recall was an advertisement of a tutor +setting forth his terms for teaching English. But only one word in the +announcement was spelled correctly! Another, posted by a sailor, ran, +"_Talking Parrot for Sale._ Guaranteed _not_ to swear!" It remained up +for three days and apparently there was nothing doing. Such an article +was evidently a drug upon the Ruhleben market. After the bird prisoner +had been in the camp a while the advertisement re-appeared, but the word +"not" was blotted out! The advertisement disappeared almost instantly, +which led one to surmise that someone had purchased Polly to repeat +Ruhleben conversation at a later date, beside the fireside of an +Englishman's home, as a reminder of the times and the vernacular of a +German prison camp. + +The various reports which have been published in the German and British +newspapers from time to time, relative to life at Ruhleben, have dwelt +at length upon the social amenities of that imposing colony. People at +home have read about the tennis courts, our football field, the theatre, +and other forms of recreation. Possibly they think that the Germans have +been very generous and sympathetic in this direction at least. But have +they? For the use of a section of the cinder track to serve as tennis +courts the German authorities demanded and received L50! We paid them +another L50 for the football field, while for the use of the hall under +the Grand Stand which had never been used since the outbreak of war, and +which we converted into a theatre, we were forced to hand over a third +L50. The camp treasury met these demands, and probably an examination of +the books would reveal many other disbursements of a similar character +for other facilities. The Germans have never spent a penny on our +behalf, and have never given us anything. + +When the camp is broken up and the prisoners are released, there will be +a pretty problem for some person to unravel. By now Ruhleben has the +appearance of a healthy and thriving little town. The prisoners have +toiled unceasingly to improve their surroundings. When we entered into +occupation of our horse-box, its solitary appointment was the manger. We +needed a shelf, and had to pay heavily for the wood. As time went on our +ingenuity found expression in many other ways. We made tables, chairs, +wardrobes, sideboards, and other furniture. In some instances these +embellishments were purchased from German firms. The result is that +to-day some of the quarters are as attractive and as comfortable as a +flat. When the camp is broken up these articles will have to be left +behind. Although under the hammer prices will and must rule low, in the +aggregate many thousands of pounds will be realised. What is to be done +with this money? Who is to have it? Scores of buildings have been +erected with money drawn from the common fund. Is any compensation going +to be paid by the German authorities for the fruits of our labour and +ingenuity which will fall into their hands? We have paid for all the +materials used out of our own pockets, and the work carried out upon +these lines already represents an expenditure of tens of thousands +sterling. Are the prisoners to lose all that? + +The community is run upon the most rigid business-like lines. Nothing is +given away at Ruhleben. This explains how we have built up such a +wealthy camp treasury. The Camp Authorities govern the concerts, +theatrical and vaudeville entertainments, troupes, band, newspapers, +programmes--in short everything. Individual enterprise has but a +negligible scope in Ruhleben. The initial outlays have admittedly been +heavy, but the receipts have been still larger, so that there must be a +big balance somewhere. It has not all been spent, and the question +arises as to what will be done with the accumulated funds. + +To convey some idea of the possible and profitable sources of income it +is only necessary to explain the system of handling the prisoners' +parcels. These are sorted in a large building. I learned that a parcel +was waiting for me by perusing the notice-board. I presented myself at +the office window to receive a ticket which I exchanged for the parcel, +the ticket serving as a receipt for due delivery. But the ticket cost me +one penny! Seeing that the average number of parcels cleared every day +is 3,000, it will be seen that the sale of the necessary tickets alone +yields roughly L12 per day or over L4,000 a year. Recently the price of +the ticket has been reduced fifty per cent., but even at one halfpenny +the annual income exceeds L2,000. This one branch of business must show +a handsome profit, and there are scores of other prosperous +money-yielding propositions in practice in the camp. + +No matter how spendthrift the treasury may be the accumulated funds must +now represent an imposing figure, because, with only one or two +exceptions, everything is run at a profit. Will the camp treasury carry +the precepts of communal trading to the logical conclusion? Will it +distribute the accumulated funds among the prisoners, pro rata according +to the term of imprisonment, at the end of the war? If that is done it +will serve as some compensation for the break-up of homes in Britain and +other countries which has taken place, because those who were left +behind were deprived--through no fault of aught but the German +authorities and their ridiculous regulations--of their wage-earners. + +As the result of frequent representations the German authorities +permitted us to inaugurate our civil police force for the maintenance of +law and order throughout the camp. After this force came into being and +had proved satisfactory, the military guards were withdrawn, and we were +encircled only by the cordon of sentries outside. We suffered no +military interference whatever. The force, of which I became a member, +numbered forty all told. Our badge of office was an armlet--blue and +white bands similar to that worn by the British constabulary, and +carried upon the left wrist over our private clothes--together with a +button inscribed "Police. Ruhleben Camp." The selection of the police +force was carried out upon extremely rigorous lines to ensure that only +the most capable men were secured for this exacting duty. We patrolled +the camp night and day, the duty under the former conditions being two +hours, at the conclusion of which we reported ourselves to the police +station, and then proceeded to our barracks to rest, waking up our +successor on the way, who thereupon went on duty. + +All things considered the camp was extremely well-behaved, the British +naturally being amenable to discipline. One or two thefts occurred, the +offenders, when caught, being handed over to the German authorities to +receive punishment. At times there were manifestations of rowdiness, but +they were speedily and readily quelled. The police required to be +unconscionably patient, tactful, and sympathetic, because we were all +chafing under restraint, and our nerves were strained, while tempers +were hasty. Indeed, the German authorities marvelled at the manner and +the ease with which we kept the camp upon its best behaviour, and I +think we taught them many valuable lessons concerning the enforcement of +law and order without the parade of any force or badgering, judging from +the assiduity with which they studied our methods. Even the +"drunks"--and they were not strangers to Ruhleben, despite the fact that +alcoholic liquor was religiously taboo, the liquor being smuggled in and +paid heavily for, a bottle of Red Seal costing fifteen shillings--never +gave us the slightest cause for anxiety. + +One day there was a serious explosion of discontent. We had been served +at our mid-day meal with a basin of evil-looking skilly. We took it +back, and protested that we ought not to be served with prison fare. + +"Skilly?" repeated the cook. "That isn't skilly. It's Quaker Oats." + +"'Strewth!" yapped a sailor, "That's the bloomin' funniest Quaker Oats +I've tasted. Quaker Oats will keep you alive, but that bloomin' muck 'd +poison a rat!" saying which he disdainfully emptied the noisome contents +of his basin upon the ground. + +We were told we should get nothing else, which infuriated us. We +gathered round the cook-house, and the discontented, grumbling sailors +and fishermen, unable to make any impression by word of mouth, commenced +to bombard the kitchen with bricks, stones, and clods of earth. The +fusillade grew furious, and the cat-calls vociferous. + +The turmoil had been raging for some time when a mounted officer dashed +up. Securing silence he ordered us all into barracks. There was an +ominous growl. Then he told us he had brought a battalion of soldiers +and a machine gun section from Spandau, and if we did not disperse in +five minutes he would fire on us. + +We looked round, thinking he was bluffing, but there, sure enough, were +the soldiers with their rifles ready, and we discovered afterwards that +the machine guns had been brought up to the gates ready for use at a +moment's notice. We shuffled for a few minutes, frowning, glowering, +mumbling, cursing and swearing, but as the Germans always mean what they +say, we sullenly moved off as ordered. Still the protest bore fruit; no +further attempts were made to serve us with that fare. + +The highways of the camp were in a deplorable condition. They were +merely tracks trodden down by our feet and carts, heavily rutted, +uneven, and either a slough of mud and water, or a desert of dust, +according to the weather. We persistently urged the German authorities +to improve these roads, but they turned a deaf ear to all our +entreaties. + +At last the Camp Authorities decided to carry out the work themselves. +There was a call for labourers, who were promised a steady wage of five +shillings per week. Although enrolled in the first instance to build +roads, this force was afterwards kept on as a working gang to carry out +any jobs which became necessary. These men laid out and built an +excellent road system, following the well-accepted British lines with a +high camber and a hard surface so that the water could run into the +gutters. + +These roads aroused intense interest among our captors. They used to +come in and follow the men at work, studying the method of building up +the fabric, and upon its completion they inspected and subjected it to +tests. A little later they coolly sent in a request to the road-builders +to go outside to continue urgent work of a similar character. However, +investigation revealed the disconcerting fact that these men were +required to take the places of those Germans generally associated with +this task, who had been called up for service at the front. Needless to +say the suggestion met with a unanimous and determined refusal. + +As time went on our conditions became worse. Bread became unobtainable +at almost any price. Pathetic advertisements commenced to steal upon the +notice-board, some of which I vividly remember. One in particular +revealed a poignant story of silent suffering. It ran "Good Swan +Fountain Pen. Will exchange for loaf of bread." Yet it was only typical +of scores of others couched in a similar vein. All sorts of things were +offered in exchange for food. Our treasury redoubled its efforts, but +food could not be got even at famine prices. This was early in March, +1915, so that the country was speedily being compelled to concede the +strangling force of the British blockade. + +One morning we were paraded, and every man was ordered to produce any +bread he might have in his possession. Some of us had been storing the +official rations against the rainy day which we felt must come sooner or +later. This had to be surrendered. The guards also carried out a +thorough search to assure themselves that none had been left behind or +concealed under beds. When the bread had been collected the authorities +calmly cut it up and served us with a small piece each--that is they +gave us back a portion of what was already our property, and which we +had not eaten merely because we had been making ourselves content with +purchases from the canteens. + +This proceeding brought home to us the vivid prospect of being reduced +to a perilous position within a very short time. So in our letters home +we emphasised the need to send us bread and other food-stuffs. As about +three weeks elapsed before we received a loaf after it had been +dispatched, we kept it another week, then soaked it in water and took it +to the cook-house to be re-baked, for which we were charged one penny. + +Some of the unfortunate members of the party had no bread come from +home. But with true camaraderie those prisoners who were in the land of +plenty invariably divided their prizes, so that one and all were reduced +to a common level. In this way considerable misery and discontent were +averted. Of course, when stocks ran out, we had to revert to the +official rations. Here and there would be found a few hard-hearted and +unsympathetic gluttons. They would never share a single thing with a +comrade. A prisoner of this type would sit down to a gorgeous feast upon +dainties sent from home, heedless of the envious and wistful glances of +his colleagues who were sitting around him at the table with nothing +beyond the black bread and the acorn coffee. He would never even proffer +a spoonful of jam which would have enabled the revolting black bread to +be swallowed with greater relish. + +There is one prisoner of this type whom I particularly recall. He had +plenty of money in his pockets, and was the lucky recipient of many +bulky hampers at regular intervals. Yet he never shared a crust with a +less fortunate chum. But this individual did not refuse the opportunity +to trade upon the hospitality of a fellow-prisoner when he himself was +in a tight place. He became the most detested man in the camp, and to +this day, with the rest of his selfish ilk, he suffers a rigid boycott, +and at the same time is the target of every practical joke which his +colleagues can devise. To quote the vernacular, we had "_Some_ jokes +with him," and often stung him to fury, when we would laugh mercilessly +at his discomfiture. + +At the time I left the camp the outlook had assumed a very black aspect, +and now we hear things have reached a climax. Money is worse than +useless now because it can purchase nothing. The prisoners are reduced +to subsist upon what meagre rations the authorities choose to dole out +to them, and essentially upon what they receive from home. Starvation +confronts our compatriots suffering durance vile in Ruhleben. The dawn +of each succeeding day is coming to be dreaded with a fear which baffles +description because it is unfathomable. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +HOW I MADE MONEY IN RUHLEBEN CAMP + + +The aimless life, such as it was generally pursued in Ruhleben Camp, +became exceedingly distasteful to me. It conduced to brooding and moping +over things at home, to fretting and becoming anxious as to how one's +wife and family were faring? While recreation offered a certain amount +of distraction, it speedily lost its novelty and began to pall. There +were many of us who were by no means sufficiently flush in pocket to +indulge wildly in amusements, and yet money was absolutely +indispensable, because with the sinews of war we were able to secure +supplementary food from the canteen. + +Some of the methods which were practised to improve the shining hour +were distinctly novel. There was a young Cockney who, upon his return +home, will undoubtedly blossom into a money-making genius, that is if +his achievements in Ruhleben offer any reliable index to his +proclivities. He would gather a party of seventy or eighty prisoners +round him. Then, producing a five-mark piece, he would offer to raffle +it at ten pfennigs--one penny--apiece. The possibility of picking up +five shillings for a penny made an irresistibly fascinating appeal. It +struck the traditional sporting chord of the British character and a +shower of pennies burst forth. The deal was soon completed, and everyone +was content with the result. Someone bought the five-shilling piece for +the nimble penny, while the Cockney chuckled with delight because he had +raked in some seven shillings or so for his five mark piece! + +When I decided to experiment in commerce I was in some doubt as to what +would offer the most promising line. After due reflection I decided to +start as a launderer, specialising in washing shirts at ten pfennigs, or +one penny, apiece. A shirt dresser was certainly in request because the +majority of the prisoners, possessing only a severely limited stock, +were compelled to wear the one garment continuously for several weeks. +At the end of that time it was generally discarded once and for all. But +the shirts I found to be extremely soiled, and demanded such hard and +prolonged scrubbing, in which operation an unconscionably large amount +of soap was consumed, that I found the enterprise to be absolutely +unprofitable, while I received little else than a stiff, sore back and +soft hands. So this first venture, after bringing in a few hard-earned +shillings, was abandoned. + +Then I undertook to wash up the table utensils, charging a party +twopence per meal. This would have brought me greater reward had I +adhered to my original intention. But one day the member of a party +genially suggested, "We'll toss for it! Twopence or nothing!" I accepted +the offer good-humouredly and--lost! By accepting this sporting +recommendation I unfortunately established a ruinous precedent. The +practice became general, and I, having a wretched run of bad luck, found +that, all things considered, it would be better for my hands and pocket +if I were to look farther afield for some other enterprise. + +My third attempt to woo Fortune was to set myself up as a dealer in +cast-off boots and shoes, my idea being to buy, sell and exchange. To my +chagrin I speedily discovered that this calling demanded unlimited +capital, because it was easier to buy than to sell or to exchange. +Seeing that the average price I was prepared to pay was one shilling per +pair, and the state of excruciating depression which prevailed in this +field, I conjured visions of immense stocks of second-hand boots, +representing a heavy investment of capital, which would lie idle for an +indefinite period. So I retired discreetly from the second-hand boot and +shoe trade to seek more promising pastures. + +While pondering over the situation a happy idea struck me. In my younger +days I had practised engraving, intending to adopt it as a trade. I +devoted some six years to the craft and had achieved a measure of +success and dexterity. Thereupon I decided to launch out in this +direction. Although I felt that my hand had lost some of its cunning +through lack of practice--I had not touched an engraving tool for about +thirteen years--I decided to take the risk, feeling sure that it would +soon return when I settled down to the fascinating work in grim earnest. + +I confided my intention to one or two of my friends, but the majority, +except my bosom chum K----, who is a far-seeing business man, with their +innate shrewdness, wanted to know where I was going to get any custom in +such a place as Ruhleben Camp. I explained that my idea was to engrave +watches, coins, studs links, indeed any article which the prisoners +possessed, thus converting them into interesting souvenirs of their +sojourn in a German prisoners' camp during the Great War. But with the +exception of K---- they declined to see eye to eye with me. Still I was +not to be dissuaded, and consequently decided to commence operations +upon my own initiative. + +I was in a quandary. I had not sufficient capital to buy the necessary +tools. However, K----, as usual, came to my assistance by financing me +to the extent of seven-and-sixpence! This money I laid out upon tools, +[*gap] Now I was confronted with another problem. How was I to keep the +tools in the necessary sharpened condition. The only stone I could +borrow was quite useless for engraving tools, while cutting plays such +havoc with the edges of the tools as to demand frequent recourse to +sharpening operations. However this obstacle did not daunt me. I found +that with a sufficient expenditure of energy I could get a passably +sharp edge for my purpose by grinding the tools on the floor and +finishing them off upon a razor strop which I borrowed. + +Now I had to seek for eligible premises. I sauntered round the camp to +alight upon a tiny vacant building. As it appeared to have no owner, and +was fulfilling no useful purpose I entered into possession. Directly I +had installed myself the authorities came along and unceremoniously +ejected me, bag and baggage. As soon as their backs were turned I +re-entered into occupation. I was thrown out a second time, but still as +resolutely determined as ever to continue my project I cast around and +ultimately found an empty kiosk, standing forlorn and neglected, a +silent memory of the brisk racing days at Ruhleben in pre-war times. I +installed myself therein, not caring two straws whether the authorities +endeavoured to turn me out or not. They would have to smash the place +over my head before they evicted me this time, but they were scarcely +likely to proceed to such extreme measures seeing that they would have +had to break up their own property. + +Numerous jealous individuals attempted to eject me time after time but I +sat tight. I remember one tender and amiable official who endeavoured to +convince me that the kiosk and other similar buildings were under his +charge, and that he was responsible for them. As he narrated the +situation I observed that he kept the open palm of his hand extended +before me. When he found this broad hint to be of no avail he ordered me +out of the building. Turning to him I suggested, in as suave a voice as +I could command, that he should accompany me to the "Wachter" to +ascertain the extent of his responsibilities and to have the matter +thrashed out once and for all. Needless to say he declined this +invitation, protesting that it was unnecessary. He invited me to retain +occupation of the kiosk. My bluff completely outwitted the official in +question, while I achieved my end for once without recourse to bribery +and corruption of the official Teuton mind. + +Several subsequent attempts were made to coax me out of my tenancy, but +I may say that in sticking to the building I played the Germans at their +own game. When the guard came up and authoritatively demanded by what +manner of right or permission I had taken possession of the kiosk I +politely referred him to a certain officer in the camp. When the latter, +upon receiving the complaint, interrogated me in a similar vein, I +referred him to another official. When this third individual appeared +upon the scene I switched him off to another officer. By playing off the +officials one against the other in this manner I precipitated such a +tangle among them that no single official could say whether he had or +had not given me permission. While these tactics were being pursued I +was gaining the valuable time I desired, and took the opportunity to +entrench myself firmly in my position. The outcome was that when finally +the matter had been trotted through the Ruhleben German Circumlocution +Office, and my eviction was officially sealed, I warded off the fate by +announcing that I was overwhelmed with engraving orders for the military +officers of the camp. It was a desperate bluff, but it succeeded. +Officialdom apparently decided that I was better left alone, so I +suffered no further molestation. + +The whole of the night before opening my engraving business I sat up +writing flaring signs and tickets to advertise my intentions far and +wide, and soliciting the favour of orders which under my hand would +convert this or that object into a priceless souvenir of our novel +experience. I also canvassed the camp to explain my ideas, and, as I +expected, orders commenced to flow in. The souvenir idea caught on to +such a degree as to compel me to take in two fellow-prisoners, who +evinced an aptitude for the work, as apprentices, and they speedily +blossomed into craftsmen. My first week told me I had struck the correct +money-making line at last. I found I had scooped in 200 marks--L10! +This was not bad for the first week's trading and I entertained no +apprehensions concerning the future. Out of this sum I was able to repay +many little debts I had incurred. + +The business developed so rapidly that an extension of premises became +urgent. I rigged up an addition to the kiosk, but it had to be of a +portable character, so that it could be taken down every evening. As I +found my time was so occupied I reluctantly decided to keep only to the +kiosk. I dressed its interior with shelves and further improved my +premises by contriving show cases for attachment outside. + +When I felt my feet I blossomed out in various directions. I bought a +small stock of odds and ends in the cheap jewellery line, which were +suitably engraved. Button decorations was one line I took up and these +sold like wildfire. There was plenty of money in the camp, some of the +prisoners being extremely wealthy, and this explains why my trade +flourished so amazingly. Indeed, the results exceeded even my most +sanguine anticipations. + +One branch of my fertility nearly landed me into serious trouble. I +fashioned souvenirs out of German coins. I erased the Imperial head and +in its place engraved a suitable inscription. When the defacement of the +money was discovered there was a fearful uproar, but as usual I +contrived to escape the terrible punishment which was threatened. + +Naturally one will wonder how it was I secured my supplies, seeing that +purchases outside the camp were forbidden except through the officially +approved channels. While it is inadvisable for me to relate how I did +secure my varied stocks I may state that I never experienced any +disappointment or even a hitch in this connection. Time after time I was +taxed by military individuals, eager to secure incriminating evidence, +but although they cajoled, coaxed and threatened I could not be induced +to betray my secret. Indeed, at last, I point-blank refused to furnish +any information upon this matter whatever, and with this adamantine +decision they were forced to remain content. Doubtless they had their +suspicions but it was impossible to bring anything home to me and so I +was left in peace. + +From cheap jewellery I advanced to more costly articles. I purchased a +job lot of silver wrist watches from a Jew who had gone "broke," and +these I cleared out within a very short time. I always paid spot cash +and that was an overwhelming factor in my favour. Indeed, my trading +operations became so striking that my name and business proceeded far +beyond the confines of the camp. Within a few weeks of opening my shop I +was receiving calls from men in the camp who were acting as +representatives for some of the foremost Jewish wholesale houses in +Germany, and they were almost fighting among themselves to secure my +patronage. My biggest individual purchasing deal was a single lot of +jewellery for which I paid nearly 1,000 marks--L50! From this, bearing +in mind the difficulties which I had to overcome in securing delivery, +it is possible to gain some idea of the brisk trade I was doing. + +Everything and anything capable of being converted into a souvenir by +the dexterous use of the engraving tool was handled by me +indiscriminately. I bought a large consignment of briar pipes. Upon the +bowls of these I cut a suitable inscription and filled the incisions +with enamel. These caught the fancy of the smokers and I soon found my +stock exhausted. As things developed I became more ambitious, although +not reckless, until at last I had articles ranging up to L30 in price +upon my shelves, in the disposal of which I experienced very little +difficulty. + +My shop became my one absorbing hobby although it boasted no +pretensions. I contrived attractive show cases, some from egg-boxes, +emblazoning the exterior with striking show cards and signs which I +executed in the confines of my horse-box in the barracks after my +comrades had gone to sleep. Not satisfied with this development I +lighted the building brilliantly by means of electric lamps and a large +flame acetylene lamp. + +I did not confine myself to any one line of goods, but handled any thing +capable of being turned into money quickly. In some instances I had to +resort to extreme subterfuge to outwit the authorities. On one occasion +I purchased a consignment of silk Union Jacks for wearing in the lapel +of the coat. I knew full well that if I placed these on sale in my shop +the stern hand of authority would swoop down swiftly and confiscate the +hated emblem without the slightest compunction. So I evolved a special +means of clearing them out and that within a very few minutes. + +I went round to each barrack and button-holed a capable man to undertake +to sell a certain number of the flags among the prisoners domiciled in +his building. On the offer of a good commission the man was ready to +incur great risks, although there was no risk in my plan. Each man thus +received a territorial right as it were, and was protected against +competition. The price was fixed and the arrangements for effecting the +sale carefully drawn up. After the morning parade, the custom was to +dismiss us to our barracks a few minutes before nine o'clock. We were +compelled to stay within doors for some twenty minutes or so. This I +decided to be the opportune occasion to unload my stock. I enjoined +every vendor, when I handed him his stock overnight, to be on the alert +in the morning, and as the clock struck nine to pass swiftly from man to +man with his flags. The favour was a distinct novelty and I was positive +they would sell like hot cakes. + +The scheme proved a howling success. Within five minutes after the +appointed hour every man had been cleared out. The flags were +triumphantly pinned to the lapels of the coats. When the prisoners +re-emerged from the barracks the guards were astounded by the brilliant +display of Union Jacks. The array was so imposing that the authorities +even realised the futility of stopping each prisoner in turn to rob him +of his prize. In this manner I got rid of several hundreds of the little +trophies in one swoop. + +As may be imagined there was an enquiry to ascertain how these flags had +been introduced into the camp. The prisoners were interrogated, but no +prisoner appeared to know anything about the matter. He invariably +retorted that he had purchased it from "some fellow or other" and had +stuck it in his button-hole. Never for a moment did the authorities +suspect that I had anything to do with the transaction. It was out of my +ostensible line, so that I escaped suspicion. The chortling which took +place at the complete discomfiture of the authorities and the manner in +which they had been outwitted is recalled vividly to this day. It was +one of many incidents which served to vary the monotony of camp life. + +[*large gap] + +On August Bank Holiday, 1915, the authorities considerately permitted us +to have a day's junketting. We were to be at liberty to do exactly as we +pleased. Indeed, we were urged to enjoy ourselves thoroughly and we did +not require a second urging. The football ground was converted into a +fair. No restrictions whatever were imposed upon us. The authorities +themselves were so enthused with this concession to us as to give us +several days' notice of their intentions to enable us to make any +preparations we considered fit, while we were not faced with any +obstacles in the rigging up of side-shows, gambling halls and what not. + +The concession was particularly attractive to me, as I recalled that it +was upon the previous August Bank Holiday I had been arrested on the +charge of espionage and consigned to Wesel Prison. The rivalry amongst +us was astonishing, while there were many wonderful manifestations of +fertility and ingenuity. One prisoner spent 1,000 marks--L50--in rigging +up his booth, which was somewhat reminiscent of an Aunt Sally at home. +My two friends, K---- and F----, contrived a golfing game which proved +a huge financial success. I myself rigged up a billiard table on which +was played a very unorthodox game of billiards, and which, because of +its departure from conventionality, created a sensation. It was really a +revival of a game or wheeze which I had learned many years before. + +The billiard table was contrived from the wooden sides to my bed. I +secured them side by side to give a flat surface 6 feet long by 5 feet +wide. Over the upper surface I stretched and tacked down a sheet to form +the cloth. I bought a broomstick and with the assistance of the camp +carpenter shaved it down to form a passable cue, tipping the end with a +small piece of leather cut from my boot. The table was rigged up in the +open air, boxes and barrels serving as the legs, while it was levelled +as far as practicable. There was only one ball. At the opposite end--on +the spot--I placed two match-boxes set at an angle to one another and +just sufficiently far apart to prevent the ball passing between them. +The unusual game was to play the ball at the boxes in such a manner as +to knock both of them over together. It seems a simple thing to do, but +I would merely advise the reader to try it. Probably he will learn +something to his advantage. + +I assumed fancy dress. I secured a big top hat, a pair of trousers much +too baggy and big for me, a swallow-tail coat with tails formed of white +and red strips--a regular Uncle Sam's costume--had a big flaming bow +about twelve inches in width and a ridiculous monocle. I think my +rig-out transformed me into a hybrid of Brother Jonathan, Charlie +Chaplin and an English dude. My dress was completed by a biscuit tin +suspended by a band from my shoulder and in which I rattled my money. On +the face of the tin I wrote-- + + Come along! Come along!! Come along!!! + Always open to make. Always open to lose. + Come along B'hoys! + +I then stood on a box and told the tale characteristic of a man at the +fair for the first time in my life. + +Seeing that I was the only man attired in fancy dress I became the +centre of attraction as I desired and as much among the guards who mixed +and joked with us freely on this Great Day, as among my +fellow-prisoners. It also served as a striking advertisement for my game +of unconventional billiards, which was my intention. My terms were ten +pfennigs--one penny--a shot and round my table the fun grew fast and +furious. It seemed so absurdly easy to knock the two boxes down at once, +but when the billiard experts settled down to the game they found that +only about one shot in fifty proved successful. Indeed the ability to +knock the two boxes over simultaneously was found to be so difficult as +to be exasperatingly fascinating, and as a result of their repeated and +abortive efforts I made money quickly. The table was kept going hard the +whole day, by the end of which I found I had raked in several pounds in +nimble pennies. + +The other side-shows also did excellent business, especially the +gambling tables where roulette was in full swing. At the end of the day +all the roulette boards and other gambling impedimenta were confiscated. +This was the arrangement. But between sunrise and sunset we did not +suffer the slightest interference with our enjoyment and merriment. This +unexpected spell of free action revived the spirits of the prisoners to +a remarkable degree, and we were all warmly grateful to the German +authorities for allowing us to do and to enjoy ourselves exactly as we +pleased for even one brief day. It was a Bank Holiday according to the +British interpretation of the term, and I, in common with all my +fellow-prisoners, must certainly admit that it was the jolliest day I +remember during the whole period of my incarceration, and the _only_ day +on which we were allowed to indulge in sport _ad lib._ and according to +the dictates of our fancies. I mention this concession because I am +anxious to give credit to the Germans where it is due. + +[*large gap] + +I was not only making sufficient money out of my various commercial +transactions to keep myself in clover within the camp, but I was +successful in finding means to remit some of my income, earned in +Ruhleben, to England "To keep the Home Fires Burning." This I considered +to be a distinct achievement, especially as I was making it at the +expense of my captors. + +Only once did I have an acute shock. It was at the time when the Germans +were making such frantic efforts to rake in all the gold upon which they +could place their hands. In my stock was a certain gold article which +had cost me L30, as well as another item also of this metal which I had +secured at the low price of L20. An officer swooped down upon my kiosk +and went through my stock. I trembled as to what would happen when he +alighted upon the two valuable articles. He picked up the first named +article, examined the metal critically, and then asked me how much I +wanted for it. + +"Three marks!" I ventured nonchalantly, with a view to taking him off +his guard. + +"But it's gold," he persisted, staggered at the idea of being able to +buy such an adornment for the trivial sum of three shillings. + +My heart thumped as he held the article hesitatingly. If he offered me +three shillings for it I should be bound to accept it in which event I +should be a heavy loser over the deal. So I went on desperately: + +"Well, if you think it's gold why don't you buy it for three marks? I +will give no guarantee, so don't come back and say it's only metal!" +Then assuming a deprecating tone I continued: "It is got up only for +show. It looks very pretty, but you couldn't give it to a lady!" + +He appeared to be quite satisfied because he replaced it, while when he +picked up the other item I pitched a corresponding yarn. After he had +taken his departure I promptly transferred the two articles to a place +of safety in case he should take it into his head to make another +examination. + +It was on June 1 when I embarked upon my engraving venture, and my two +apprentices and myself were kept hard at it the livelong day, the +pressure of business being so great. My own working hours, so long as +daylight permitted, were from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. About September I +concluded the moment to be ripe to consummate my one absorbing idea--to +get home. I was now in a position financially to complete the plans I +had laid long since. I had to tread warily, but by the end of October I +was secure in my position. Still, although confident of success, I did +not relax my interest in business, because my plans were just as likely +to go wrong as to succeed at the last minute. Moreover at the end of +November I had the intense satisfaction of learning that my profit as a +result of five months' trading was L150! I considered this to be +extremely satisfactory. An average profit of L7 10s. per week exceeded +my rosiest anticipations, and it now seems additionally remarkable when +I recall the limited confines and the restricted clientele of Ruhleben +Camp. But the greatest satisfaction I have is knowing that I completely +outwitted my oppressors, because I was not supposed to trade as I did. +It was a telling example of stolen fruits being the sweetest. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +HOW THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR WAS DECEIVED + + +As is well known the British prisoners in Germany have only one person +within the Central Empires to whom they can appeal for protection, and +through whose good offices alone they are able to secure redress of +their grievances. This is Mr. Gerard, the Ambassador of the United +States of America to Germany. Mr. Gerard has toiled indefatigably and +unremittingly upon our behalf. In his magnanimity and determination to +give a square deal all round, he has made the signal error of +accrediting the Germans with being a highly-developed, civilised, and +cultivated race. + +Unfortunately for Mr. Gerard's sense of duty the German does not accept +the principles of the precept, "Do unto others as you would others +should do unto you," but has evolved a code of his own construction +which is peculiarly Teutonic--"Do unto others as you know others will +not dare or deign to do unto you!" The American Ambassador has always +responded promptly to any calls for his intercession and has ever +listened courteously and patiently to tales of woe. Whenever he has +considered the complaint to be well-founded he has spared no effort to +secure an immediate improvement in conditions. Yet it is to be feared +that many of his recommendations have never been, or have only been +partially and indifferently, carried into effect. + +In his determination to hold the scales of justice evenly Mr. Gerard has +been prone to accept the German at his own valuation. Every prisoner in +Germany to-day knows from painful experience that the Teuton's word +counts for nothing; it is not worth the breath expended upon its +utterance, or the paper upon which it is written. The German is an +unprincipled liar and an unmitigated bluffer, in which art, if such it +may be called, he has become a super-master. + +The German has always laughed, and still is laughing up his sleeve at +the courteous American diplomat. The imperial authorities have never +hesitated to throw dust in his eyes and to outwit him when the occasion +suited their purpose. Indeed, they scheme deliberately and unceasingly +to side-track him and to prevent the true conditions and affairs +penetrating to his knowledge. + +I had one striking instance of this carefully premeditated and +unscrupulous gulling and thwarting of the American Embassy. The +accidental discovery of the circumstance that the baseless charge of +espionage levelled against me was still hanging over my head somewhat +worried me. I ascertained one exceedingly disturbing fact which was +communicated to me within the camp. Had I committed any offence, no +matter how trivial, while in the camps, I should not have been arraigned +upon that particular delinquency, but, in all probability, would have +had the original charge retrumped up against me. I learned that this was +the German practice. Moreover, the old charge was liable to be trotted +out at any odd moment at the caprice of my oppressors. The authorities +had never acquitted me of being a spy. On the other hand they had never +pronounced me guilty. I was forced to accept the former interpretation +from my transference to the internment camps, as if I had been merely a +detained civilian. My reasons for believing that I had been acquitted of +the grave charge were supported by the fact that in Germany, a person +who has been found guilty of espionage, and who escapes the death +penalty, is condemned to solitary confinement in a military prison. + +The charge of espionage being in a condition of suspended animation as +it might be termed, coupled with the fact that no one knew whenever, +wherever, and how it might suddenly be revived to my detriment, did not +conduce to my peace of mind. On one occasion I received a pretty rude +shock. I filled up an application for release upon medical grounds, but +upon being summoned before the authorities I was told point-blank that I +should be kept a prisoner until the end of the war, exchange or no +exchange. + +The uncertainty became intolerable. I wrote a lengthy letter to the +American Ambassador explaining my unfortunate and doubtful position and +expressing the hope that he might be able to bring the matter to a +decision. In common with my fellow-prisoners, I had always cherished the +belief that a letter addressed to the American Embassy was regarded as +confidential and inviolable; at all events was not to be opened, except +with the express permission of the prisoner or the Ambassador. But my +faith was rudely dispelled. I dispatched my communication only to +receive a curt summons to appear before an officer, who bluntly informed +me that my letter could not be sent to the Embassy because it was +sealed. It was handed back to me with the injunction that the envelope +must be left open. + +Now, if letters containing complaints and addressed to our sole +Protector are sent unsealed it is only logical to assume that the German +officials apprise themselves of the character of the "grouse." By so +doing they become as wise as the Ambassador--if the letter ever reaches +him. By having access to all communications, a letter is permitted to go +forward if it suits the officials, but not before they have made a note +of the grievance in order to be able to take the necessary remedial +steps before the Ambassador intervenes. + +In my particular instance I prepared a lengthy explanatory +communication, requesting an audience if at all possible. The letter was +so worded as to compel an acknowledgment, unless the Germans were +disposed to suffer exposure of their methods and duplicity. In due +course a representative appeared. He seemed to have only a hazy +recollection of my communication so I related all the essential details +to him. I was more than positive that the German authorities had filed a +copy of my letter because their attitude towards me changed suddenly and +adversely, and by a strange coincidence this metamorphosis agreed with +the date on which I had dispatched my communication to the Embassy. + +I urged the representative to ascertain whether I had, or had not, been +acquitted of the espionage charge. I particularly desired the official +acquittal in writing from Wesel, because it would be of far-reaching +value in the event of my being haled before the authorities upon some +other flimsy offence. He listened attentively and sympathetically, +appreciated the situation as it affected me personally and promised to +do everything he could on my behalf. But evidently, subsequent +conversation with the Teuton authorities exercised the desired German +effect. A few days later I received a curt acknowledgment saying that my +affair, which was somewhat unusual, was purely one for military +decision. I was also informed that the papers referring to my case were +at Wesel fortress, and I was advised to write direct to the Commandant +at the military centre for them. With this consolation, if such it can +be called, I had to rest content. + +The fact that I have never heard another word upon the subject from that +day to this proves conclusively that the authorities, although doubtless +profuse in their apologies and regrets to the Ambassador over the delay, +and unctuous in their promises to settle the issue immediately, never +really intended to stir another finger in this direction. No one +disturbed the official serenity and forthwith the whole question was +permitted to slide and to be forgotten in accordance with German +machinations. + +Upon the receipt of the ambassadorial letter I was inclined to stir up +the whole issue for all I knew how, but upon second thoughts I refrained +from pursuing the matter any further. I had thoroughly made up my mind +as to the course of action which I would take, and so concluded that it +would be far better from my point of view to "let sleeping dogs lie." I +think my attitude must have completely disarmed the Germans. To them I +assumed an air of complete resignation, but all the time I was working +silently and zealously towards my own salvation. + +At frequent intervals the emissary from the Embassy visited us. He was +invariably received graciously by Baron von Taube, whom we facetiously +dubbed Baron von Facing-both-ways, and other members of his staff to +form as escort through the camp. The representative thus saw and heard +exactly as much as the authorities determined should be the case and +nothing more. Whenever he was disposed to become uncomfortably +inquisitive he was deftly steered clear of the troubled waters. We were +told that we were quite at liberty to speak to the Ambassador if we +desired, but unofficially we were warned to think twice before we took +such a step, the hint being thrown out that it would be better for us to +refrain from talking to him unless first questioned. The shallowness of +the official decree was vividly brought home to us when we were forcibly +confined to barracks, and this frequently occurred while the +ambassadorial visitor was in the camp. + +On one occasion complaints concerning the living quarters were made. The +representative came and explained the object of his mission to the +Commanding Officer. Ostensibly this worthy was overwhelmed with surprise +at any such grievance having been formulated, although, as a matter of +fact he knew full well why the representative had called, owing to the +rule concerning all letters being posted unsealed. + +The Commanding Officer protestingly laughed at the suggestion that the +living quarters were untenable. But there! The representative could see +for himself. With every semblance of complete complaisance the +representative was escorted into the camp. With unassumed unconcern, but +with deliberate intention, he was accompanied to Barracks 1 or 2, to see +with his own eyes a typical illustration of the living quarters provided +within the camp. + +The situation was exceedingly ludicrous, although it was of considerable +moment to us who had lodged the complaint. The representative could not +have been taken to more convenient buildings from the German point of +view. They are the show-barracks of Ruhleben, and certainly are +excellent specimens of the prisoners' quarters. They indubitably served +as a powerful illustration of how prisoners could make themselves +comfortable. They were held up far and wide throughout Ruhleben as a +pattern for all others to copy. One and all of us would willingly have +emulated this attractive model--_if we had possessed the money to spend +upon luxuries!_ Barrack No. 2 is the domicile of the _elite_ and wealthy +of Ruhleben. The prisoners, flush of funds, have been permitted to +gratify every whim and fancy. They have expended large sums of money +upon the purchase of furniture and knick-knacks, the result being +favourably comparable with a smart and fashionable flat, that is if a +flat can be squeezed into a horse-box ten feet square! + +The representative was solemnly assured that these barracks were only +typical of the other buildings in the camp. But had the American visitor +walked a few dozen yards upon his own initiative, to enter Barrack 3 or +5, he would have received a convincing demonstration of unprincipled +German lying. There the inmates were compelled, willy-nilly, to lie upon +the floor. At that time beds had not been served to more than one-half +of the prisoners. + +During one of these visits the prisoners of Barrack 6 defied authority. +They had petitioned the officials incessantly to improve their quarters +but to no purpose. The cause for the greatest discontent was the +absolute lack of light. The loft was nothing more nor less than a "Black +Hole." On this occasion the tenants had been sent to barracks with the +strict injunction that they were not to come out again until the +ambassadorial inspection had been completed. But the prisoners were not +disposed to permit this deliberate hoodwinking of our protector to +continue indefinitely. The representative had been taken to a typical +[_sic_] barrack to observe the appointments and to satisfy himself +concerning the German efforts which had been made to render the tenants +comfortable. As usual he found no apparent justification for the +complaints which had been made. + +He was being escorted to inspect some new latrines which had recently +been completed. To reach the latter point he had to pass Barrack 6, in +which the boys were on the alert to seize the opportunity for which they +had been waiting quietly. When the representative was but a few yards +distant up went the shout in unison, "Come and see our barrack! Come and +see our barrack!" + +The guards endeavoured to smother the hail, but for once they were too +slow. The representative heard the cry, stopped, and doubtless impressed +by the vehemence of the invitation, expressed his intention to make an +investigation. I mention this incident to emphasise the point that the +Embassy was always ready to deal fairly with the prisoners, and to prove +that a great deal more would have been done on our behalf had the +visitors been given a freer hand. + +The chagrin of the German entourage escorting the ambassadorial deputy +was amusing to observe. Behind his back they frowned, glowered, and +glared fiercely, shook their fists, and muttered stifled incoherent +curses, but when he turned to them they assumed a meekness and +pleasantry which quite disarmed suspicion. Still, their anger, as they +followed him into the building, was so intense as to defy being masked +and afforded us, who were witnessing the episode, the most complete +satisfaction and ill-disguised delight. + +The expected happened. The representative entered Barrack 6. He climbed +the rickety staircase leading to the loft with difficulty to dive into +the "Black Hole." He condemned it in unmeasured terms. Apparently he +realised how neatly he had been hoodwinked, he became furious, and in +tones which brooked no argument or discussion, ordered the instant +removal of the prisoners to more congenial surroundings. The officials +were beside themselves with rage at the turn which events had taken, but +they hesitated to give offence. They were profuse in lame excuses and +pleaded that the accommodation in this loft was only temporary. The +German interpretation of the word "temporary" may be gathered from the +fact that this particular loft had been occupied for nearly six months. +But the representative gained the day. The loft was forthwith vacated +and subsequently, when certain improvements had been carried out, was +used only as a schoolroom. + +About March, 1915, as previously narrated, we commenced to experience a +severe shortage of bread. We were not receiving sufficient of the staff +of life to keep us alive. The representative drove into the camp one day +to investigate some other matter. When he had departed upon his mission, +accompanied by the inevitable entourage, some of us gathered around his +motor-car which was covered with dust. While one or two were chatting +with the chauffeur one of the party slipped a letter, pointing out our +dire straits and describing how famished we were, beneath the +ambassador's seat, and in such a manner as to compel his attention upon +re-entering the automobile. Another prisoner, with his finger, scrawled +in the dust upon the rear of the tonneau, "We want bread!" while other +notices were chalked up in commanding positions, so as to arrest instant +attention, "For God's sake, give us bread!" + +When the German guards spotted the flaming appeal upon the rear of the +car they fussed up in indignant rage. One advanced to obliterate the +damning words, but the chauffeur whipped round the car. He caught sight +of the mute request, and intercepting the officious sentry remarked:-- + +"You mustn't touch this car! It's the property of the United States +Government!" + +The guard pulled himself up sharply, glaring fiercely and evidently +contemplating defiance of the warning. The chauffeur was a white man. He +eyed us quizzically for a moment or two. Realising from our faces that +we were not playing a joke, but ventilating a serious grievance, he +stood between the officious sentry and the vehicle until the +representative returned. The Embassy car drove out of the camp with the +letters still staring out in a gaunt appeal from the thick dust. +Evidently the chauffeur drew the representative's attention to our cry, +while it is only reasonable to suppose that the emissary from the +Embassy discovered the letter which we had secreted beneath his seat, +because an improvement in the allowance of bread immediately ensued. + +And so it went on. No trick was too knavish or too despicable to prevent +our guardian learning the truth concerning our plight. He very rarely +walked about unaccompanied. Tongue in cheek, the Germans, who always +were cognisant of the object of his visit, and who had always taken +temporary measures to prove the grievance to be ill-founded, strode +hither and thither with him, throwing knowing glances and winks among +themselves behind the representative's back. Doubtless it was the +successful prosecution of these tactics which persuaded the Embassy to +believe that the majority of our complaints were imaginary and arose +from the circumstance that the inhabitants of Ruhleben would persist in +ignoring the fact that they were the victims of war and not pampered +pets. + +One of the most glaring instances of the effective manner in which the +Germans sought to disarm and to outwit an official visitor was narrated +to me by a fellow-prisoner who had been transferred from Sennelager to +Ruhleben. I conclude that the incident must have happened, during the +interregnum when I was "free on Pass" in Cologne. I cannot vouch for the +accuracy of the statement, but I do not think there is the slightest +reason to doubt the word of our compatriot, because he was in Sennelager +at the time and actually passed through the experience. Furthermore it +is typical of Teuton methods in matters pertaining to the treatment of +prisoners. + +X---- stated that, despite the havoc wrought during the "Bloody Night" +of September 11, all the prisoners were still herded on the field at +Sennelager until long after my departure. They were exposed to the heavy +rains and were all reduced to a miserable condition. Suddenly an order +came up commanding all prisoners to return instantly to their old +barracks. This sudden manifestation of a humane feeling upon the part of +the Commandant provoked widespread amazement. What had happened? + +The surprise of the prisoners became accentuated when they regained the +permanent buildings which had formerly comprised our home. They were +hurried into their quarters and shaken down with incredible speed. Fires +were set going and the unhappy prisoners made themselves comfortable +confident that their trials now were over, and that they were destined +to prolonged residence under weathertight roofs. + +The following day an august visitor arrived at the camp. Whether he was +an emissary from the American Embassy or not my informant was unable to +say, for the simple reason that no one knew his identity, and every +precaution was observed to prevent any information upon this matter from +becoming known among the prisoners. Be that as it may he made a detailed +tour of the camp, investigating the arrangements and accommodation +provided for the hapless inhabitants' welfare. Under no circumstances +whatever were the British prisoners permitted to speak to the mysterious +stranger. Any attempt in this direction was sternly and forcibly +suppressed by the guards who swarmed everywhere. Evidently, judging from +his demeanour, the stranger was deeply impressed--and satisfied--with +what he saw with his own eyes. + +But the moment he had left the camp the prisoners were paraded and +re-transferred to the field. This story, if accurate, and I see no +reason to doubt its veracity, is interesting from one circumstance. When +we were summarily turned out upon the field by the inhuman Major Bach, +he advanced as his reason for such action that vast numbers of German +recruits were momentarily expected, and that the buildings were required +to house them. But according to the foregoing incident the barracks were +still empty. The lying Commandant of Sennelager Camp was thus condemned +out of his own mouth, while the minute precautions he observed to +prevent the mysterious stranger from learning a word about our +experiences on the field proves that he merely turned us out into the +open, herded like animals in a corral, to satisfy his own personal +cravings for dealing out brutality and torture. + +But the most glaring example of German duplicity and astuteness in +throwing our protector off the track provoked Ruhleben to hilarious +merriment, despite the seriousness of our position. Leastways, although +the Teutons may have regarded the movement as one of serious intention, +we regarded it as a deliberate piece of hoodwinking. One morning we were +solemnly informed that the authorities had completed arrangements +whereby every prisoner was to receive a good substantial meat meal once +a week. It was to comprise a chop, potatoes, some other vegetable, and +gravy. It sounded so extraordinarily luxurious and appetising as to +provoke incredulity and caustic comment. Those who, like myself, had +suffered internment in other camps and who had become thoroughly +grounded in Teuton shiftiness and trickery divined that something +unusually crafty and cunning was afoot. + +I might mention that by this time Ruhleben comprised a small town of +twenty-three barracks housing a round 4,000 prisoners. This represented +an average of 174 men to a barrack, although, as a matter of fact, some +of the buildings accommodated over 200 men. The culinary arrangements +were fulfilled by only two kitchens. Now, the problem which presented +itself to the minds of the more sophisticated and suspicious prisoners +was this--How would the authorities grapple with the preparation and +serving of 4,000 chops in one day with the cooking facilities available? +Were we to be treated to another staggering example of Germany's +wonderful powers of organisation and management? + +The glamour of the proposition suddenly disappeared. We learned that the +"tuck-in" was not to be general throughout the camp on a certain day. +The delight was to be dealt out in instalments, and in such a manner +that so many men would be able to partake of the gorgeous feast upon +each successive day of the week. + +So far so good. We in Barrack 5 were among the first to receive the +promised meat meal, which we had been anticipating with ill-disguised +relish. It reached us on the Tuesday. The meal was swallowed greedily +and keenly enjoyed, although the meat was of inferior quality. But I +never saw another chop in our barrack for a month! Crash went another +alluring Teuton promise. + +We became inquisitive and to our amusement learned what the more shrewd +and doubting among us had suspected. Sufficient chops were being cooked +every day to ensure so many men regularly receiving the meat meal. Every +man received his chop as promised although he was perhaps compelled to +wait an inordinate time for his turn. As there were twenty-three +barracks with two kitchens to fulfil their demands meat dinners were +being prepared every day. Indeed, the Germans appeared to be always +cooking chops! + +It was a masterpiece of German cunning. Whenever a visitor, animated by +desires to ascertain how the prisoners were being treated, visited the +camp he was piloted to the kitchen. There could be seen an imposing +array of chops sizzling and spitting gaily, and emitting an appetizing +aroma. Were prisoners of war ever treated so sumptuously as those at +Ruhleben? The visitor was gravely assured that the chops he saw +represented but a portion of what were being prepared for the prisoners, +in which statement the Germans were perfectly correct, but they artfully +refrained from saying that only a certain number of men received the +dainty dish each day, the idea being to convey the impression that this +was merely the daily routine for the whole of the camp. + +It did not matter when the American representative or any other visitor +came into the camp--chops were being cooked. The visitors naturally +concluded that we were being treated in a right royal manner, and one +quite in accordance with the most noble traditions of the German nation. +It never occurred to these visitors, apparently, to make enquiries among +the prisoners to ascertain how they enjoyed their _daily_ meat meal? Had +they done so they would have been surprised. + +The German explanations were so verbose and ostensibly so sincere as to +be received without the slightest cavil. Naturally our task-masters +studiously declined to extend any enlightenment upon the matter, +preferring to lull the visitors into a false haven of credibility. +Unfortunately we discovered that we had to pay indirectly for the +delectable dainty and Teuton liberality--the dinners upon the other days +steadily grew worse in quantity, quality, and variety! + +We all admire the unceasing efforts which the American Ambassador has, +and still is exerting upon our behalf, and we are extremely thankful for +the many and far-reaching improvements he has wrought. His work is one +of extreme difficulty, demanding unremitting patience, tact, and +impartiality. It must be remembered that he was submitted to an +unceasing bombardment of complaints from 4,000 prisoners, overwrought +from their incarceration, and ready to magnify the slightest +inconvenience into a grievance. + +Unfortunately his task is aggravated by the unprincipled lying, +bluffing, and crafty tactics of the German authorities. They have no +more compunction in fooling the American Ambassador than they have in +depriving the prisoners of sufficient food to keep body and soul +together. The task of Mr. Gerard in the immediate future is certain to +become more perplexing, intricate, and delicate, but we hope that he +will prove equal to the occasion. + + * * * * * + +Early in November, 1915, my arrangements for leaving Ruhleben were so +far advanced that I could scarcely restrain my excitement. On December 6 +I disposed of my business. It was of no further use to me. The day for +which I had been waiting so patiently and longingly had dawned at last +and-- + +_I got home safely!_ + +Although arrested and tried upon the false, frivolous, trumped-up charge +of being a British spy, I have never been acquitted of that indictment. +It still hangs over my head. + +Shortly after reaching home I received a letter from a friend with whom +I had been interned. He secured his release some months before I shook +the dust--and mud--of Ruhleben from my feet. On the day we parted he +sympathised deeply with me at the prospect of being condemned to +languish in the hands of the enemy until the clash of arms had died +down. I did not seek to disillusion him, although, even at that time, I +had made up my mind to get away by hook or by crook. + +This former fellow-prisoner had heard of my safe return to my own +fireside. The envelope contained nothing beyond his visiting card, +across the back of which he had scrawled, "How the devil did you get +out?" + +But that is another story. + + + +The London and Norwich Press Limited, London and Norwich, England + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SIXTEEN MONTHS IN FOUR GERMAN +PRISONS*** + + +******* This file should be named 18134.txt or 18134.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/1/3/18134 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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