Monday. August 12th. We have been asked to write cheques covering the amount of our canteen bills; this we have refused to do, as we have Rastatt cheques uncashed since May 6. Much wind-up!
12 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Tag: Graudenz
11 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Sunday. August 11th. Last night, after lights out, various people started cheering, and the cheering gradually increased, until the majority of this block put their heads out of the windows, and yelled. The immediate result was a party of armed guards trotting round the corridors. The ultimate result was an officer coming round to each room this morning asking how many bottles of wine we had had the previous evening. As the whole room had only had a half bottle, we felt rather hurt. They don’t seem to understand ragging.
10 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Saturday. August 10th. Yesterday night after lights’ out the occupants of the several R.F.C. rooms gave voice in song, not altogether melodious, but very unanimous. We succeeded in annoying not only the guards, but especially the people next door, who indulged this morning in all kinds of heavy sarcasm and ended up by being offensive, as usual, about the R.F.C. This afternoon, as the little girls say, ‘we don’t speak’
7 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Wednesday. August 7th. Wrote home interesting facts [code] as to the abundance of food. The varicose vein seems to be diminishing in size, happily.
We seem to be coming in lately for a large amount of vegetable soups; fresh vegetables, chiefly turnips and mangels; my particular abomination of course. It is usually nick-named Fresh Fruit – amongst us. Nowadays I only visit the dining hall for barley, semolina, and potatoes.
6 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Tuesday. August 6th. Both yesterday and today got bread parcels from Copenhagen readdressed from Hannover. Dad or the R.A.F. must be responsible, for I only wrote them since being here.
5 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Monday. August 5th. Seemed to have started a varicose vein in the stomach. Hope it’s not going to do anything serious. Still, it’s not particularly painful. What a Bank Holiday!!
3 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Saturday. August 3. First day of the advanced French class. Our instructor, or teacher rather, a Second Lieut. named Ardagh, is an M.A. of England and France, and speaks English, French, German and Italian fluently. He was born in France and invariably thinks in French. A first class man for the job. Gave us a dictation today, in which I was top with 4 mistakes, but some others had as many as 27. I foresee some weeding out. The rest of the day was chiefly remarkable for an omelette!! made from Cooks Farm Eggs and Golden Syrup.
I think I must have dropped in weight from nearly 13 stone to less than 10, but I’m getter fitter rapidly now. Similarly, with our increased grub, we become more civilised again. We have indulged in a small china cruet, more plates. We put the jam on our plates, and don’t dip out of the pots. No question about it, hunger drives man down to the level of beasts. Wait till I tell you about Rastatt.
2 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Friday. August 2. Red letter day. Got my first letter from Dad, full of news. Bucked me up no end; a letter sent to Karlsruhe. Miller got his first parcel from Scottish Rifles Fund. It will be jolly convenient if he gets all his from them as it will give us such variety, mine being R.A.F.
1 Aug 1918: POW Graudenz
Thursday. August 1st. Played and lost one of the keenest games of chess I’ve ever had, against one Haddon. Lasted 2¾ hours. Adjourned twice. Thought the position each time was worth recording. I played black.
31 July 1918: POW Graudenz
Wednesday. July 31st. Got an R.A.F. parcel yesterday, one today, and hear that I’m getting two tomorrow. So now it seems as though I’m fairly embarked on calm weather as regards food parcels – and even should mine slacken off somewhat, Miller’s should be arriving very shortly. Only clothes worry me now. I’ll make no further mention of the arrival of food parcels, as I keep a special note of them, and of letters, in another book. The R.A.F. application for our removal to a special R.A.F. camp has been officially rejected; and I must say I’m jolly glad. In no other camp would I get the fine opportunities for learning Spanish and French, and for chess as well, which I find here.