Monday Oct 7th. News that Germany, Austria and Turkey have asked for an armistice for the discussion of peace terms. It’s ripping, as showing that our end of the see-saw is thoroughly down, but it’s too premature. Hope we reject the proposal.
Tag: WW1
6 Oct 1918: POW Graudenz
Sunday. Oct 6th The news for the last two months has been simply and increasingly glorious. The final achievements in the last few days, the caving-in of Bulgaria, the smashing of the Turk in Palestine, the successive capture of Armentières, St. Quentin, Lens, La Bassée, Roulers &c. have set our hearts beating. Today there comes the rumour of a fresh peace proposal from this side. I wonder!!
5 Oct 1918: POW Graudenz
Saturday Oct 5th Kidlets birthday.
Had a topping concert by a new Ragtime orchestra. The waltzes in particular made me feel very homesick.
4 Oct 1918: POW Graudenz
Friday Oct 4th. Tonight, about 7.15, the electric lights flickered but failed to go out. A minute or two afterwards there was a hubbub outside. It turned out that Capt. Clinton, just released from cells for his attempt at escape viâ the tunnel, had made his sixth successful attempt. He climbed from an upper window along the insulated electric cables (the scheme for turning off the electric lights to aid him failed) swarmed down a rope once he had crossed the barbed wire, and jumped over the outer wall. Jolly stout fellow! He was seen and they gave chase but he soon got lost in the moonless night. Hope he gets away!
28 Sept 1918: POW Graudenz
Saturday Sept 28th Got a photo of the Kidlet and an old Bournemouth snap. Topping to see home photos here.
Nearly forgot to mention; Gerson has been for a long time very keen on escaping. Last Tuesday [24th Sept] he donned his British Warm, whose pockets were stuffed with biscuits chocolates, Horlicks malted milk, Bovril tablets &c, enough food for ten days. We shoved him into one of the washing bags together with piles of dirty washing (Pretty filthy for him) – carried him downstairs (Hell of a sweat) and chucked him over the stone balustrade on to the washing cart, I being below to break his fall, and to arrange other sacks around him. Unfortunately, due to the non-sympathy and wind-up of one of our officers, who was in charge of the washing, we got no help in the matter, and no orderlies to assist us. He was half buried in the washing bags, and the driver, trampling the bags down, managed, despite our efforts, to tread on his head. Between pain and suffocation, he fairly yelled, but was unobserved except by us, who loosened the mouth of the bag. He was carted out, but unfortunately, his cart being heavily loaded, they decided to move some bags to the other cart, when his bag was discovered. Some fellow stuck a bayonet through it, but fortunately missed him, merely doing their washing a bit of good. Gerson has been in clink ever since but we take up for him his meals, books &c. regularly.
27 Sept 1918: POW Graudenz
Friday Sept 27th. Great blowing of trumpets, hooters, sackbuts and psalteries at 5.40 this morning! Alarm. Proceeded to dress leisurely, wash &c and paraded on the square with my fellow victims, clad in sweater and British Warm with a couple of biscuits in my pocket in case of delay. Roll called. Legions of armed guards marched in (about half a battalion) and surrounded us on all sides. Officers in blue, pink red yellow; mostly staff people. It transpired that a methodical search of our rooms and persons was to take place. The members of each room in turn were called in. Numbers of civilians, expert searchers, “smellers out” were employed. In brief, Block I went before Block II and we were the last room but one of Block II. Hence we were kept on the parade ground, and it was cold and drizzling with rain most of the time, from 6.15 to 2.15, eight hours in all!!!
16 Sept 1918: POW Graudenz
Monday Sept 16 Got up at 6.45, as usual lately, ran round the square five times, which about equals a mile, came back and cooked breakfast, and then discovered that the clock had been put back to winter time, so that it was then only 7 oclock. One of our mess, who shall be nameless, after breakfast went back to bed again.
All who escaped have been recaptured, except two, mostly on the Polish border, and by patrols, who are probably out for deserters. The two who are still at large are two Flying Corps fellows, one an Australian. Good luck to them!
15 Sept 1918: POW Graudenz
Sunday Sept 15th. Just two years today since I went over the top at High Wood. I remember writing a line to Dad’s office just before it..
14 Sept 1918: POW Graudenz
Saturday. Sept 13 [14]. In the last 3 days I’ve had 4 clothes parcels, the two sent off somewhen in May, and two sent off in August. Everything is in beautiful condition. Not a crease in the slacks or tunics, despite the length of time en route. Everything is marked and labelled jolly sensibly, so that, even had the parcels been smashed, the things would have arrived O.K. Gee! I feel 200% better. Clean underclothes, slacks and light shoes and umpteen baths. There has been very little pleasure in having baths lately when I’ve had to put on the same old filthy underclothes.
11 Sept 1918: POW Graudenz
Wednesday. Sept 10th [11th]. The Restrictions have been removed, but our roll-calls have been increased to 3 per day instead of 2, at 9 am, 3 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. After the last roll call we are not allowed to visit the other block, nor to go down into the square at all. Rather rough!