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Private Norman F. Taylor
Unit : Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Army No. : 7624890
POW No. : 1363
Camps : Stalag XXB
The following is a transcript of a diary kept by Norman Taylor during the Long March from Stalag XXB.
17 February
Left Gie Guts at Danzig for the camp in Stalzanberg.
18 February
Received Red Cross parcel then taken by lorry to Karthaus where we form the main column and marched all day, a distance of 30 kms and slept overnight in a loft at Poustfraus
19 February
Marched a distance of 37 kms. Slept in a big barn on a farm of 7000?
20 February
A day of rest
Wednesday 21 February
Marched a distance of 25 kms to Stolp. Received first hot soup for 4 days.
Thursday 22 February
26 kms billet farm
Friday 23 February
Through the town of Schlawe distance 24 kms
Saturday 24 February
Through Koslin distance 30kms
Sunday 25 February
Day of rest
Monday 26 February
Day of rest. Rained at morning
Tuesday 27 February
Marched 28 kms. Sop at small farm
Wednesday 28 February
30 kms today, zig zag all day through by lanes
Thursday 1 March
Terrible March weather. Gale all morning rain all afternoon, everybody wet. In the night it blow absolute gale. 26 kms
Friday 2 March
Day of rest
Saturday 3 March
30 kms horrible weather
Sunday 4 March
30 kms Doc /Joe chased us out early forced marched all day
Monday 5 March
40 kms after setting off at dinner time we marched all day and all night until 3 o'clock in the morning. Crossing by boat ferry at Swinnemunde
Tuesday 6 March
After a late start we marched all and late at night, we crossed the last of Oder Delta on to the mainland 26 kms
Wednesday 7 March
Came a distance of 10 km to catch the main party. Rested the rest of the day. Red Cross parcel not 2
Thursday 8 March
20 kms. Weather gone to good
Friday 9 March
18 kms Weather good
Saturday 10 March
20 kms fine weather
Sunday 11 March
Day of rest near Neddemin
Monday 12 March
20 kms approx, came through Neubrandenberg. Canadian Red Cross parcel each
Tuesday 13 March
20 kms
Wednesday 14 March
31 kms distillery through Waren 521 kms (a total distance)
Thursday 15 March
Rest day
Friday 16 March
18 kms 539. 1000 days POW Captured 26 6 40
Saturday 17 March
23 kms 562
Sunday 18 March
Lubz Rom Parchim 24 kms ¼ Red Cross parcel. Cig parcel from Royal Artillery (this is in another handwriting - not Dad's)
Monday 19 March
Sprlintz 10kms 596
Tuesday 20 March
Day of rest 9th clothing parcel sent 25:11:42
Wednesday 21 March
18 kms Zierzan
Thursday 22 March
Gt Warzow Karlstadt 25 kms 639
Friday 23 March
Day of rest. Bread 11.165 grms. Bread average per day 319 gms
Saturday 24 March
18 kms 657. Through Perleburg which is the nicest town we have marched through all the march and landed in Wittenburg, which is showing the signs of bombing very badly. We are billeted in the cattle market, one of the worst billets we have had. No hot water. No coffee. Told we are to work for the railways. Numerous air raid warnings during the night.
Sunday 25 March
First day with the railway. Rations 666 grms bread 60 grms sausage for 3 days. Cupful of watery soup.
Monday 26 March
First day of work, we left at 6 o'clock in the morning, arriving at the job in Hitzacker at 9 o'clock after working all day without food. We were taken back off train leaving at 6.15 evening ******* at 3 o'clock.
Tuesday 27 March
No work today. 666 grms bread for 3 days, 50grms margarine.
Wednesday 28 March
Working at Hitzacker
Thursday 29 March
No work
Friday 30 March
Work. American Red Cross parcel.
Saturday 1 April
Easter Sunday. 60 grms sausage. Cheese 10 grms. Honey 8 mn to a pay 75 gms.
Monday 2 April
Easter Monday. Bread 222 grms.
Tuesday 3 April
250 grms bread
Wednesday 4 April
Hitzacker. Bread 250g. Margarine 50 gms.
Thursday 5 April
Cheese 10 gms Marg ??? Bread 222 grms sausage 60 grms
Friday 6 April
Work in town. Bread 222 grms. Honey 125 grms. Sausage 10 grms
Saturday 7 April
Margarine 42 ½ grms. Work in town.
Sunday 8 April
Hitzaker railway
Monday 9 April
Sand Partie. 50grms Marg
Tuesday 10 April
Work/Sand Party.
Wednesday 11 April
Work. Railway in town. American Red Cross parcel per two men.
Thursday 12 April
Day in camp. Had bath and change of clothing first since leaving Danzig. 50 grms Butter fat. 100 grms sugar. 40 grms jam. 10 grms **** No bread. Our boys make a big break advance on Wittenburge around 7 o'clock and we were told march. After receiving Red Cross parcel per two.
Friday 13 April
Marched all night last night. No rations today.
Saturday 14 April
No rations. Made a soup myself from leeks, onions and potatoes. Still at Putlitz. Sound of the battle still to be heard in the distance.
Sunday 15 April
No rations. Swiss Commission is here. Sparks flies.
Monday 16 April
American Red Cross parcel per two. No rations.
Tuesday 17 April
No rations.
Wednesday 18 April
Bread 214 grms. Margarine 64 grms.
Thursday 19 April
Bread 375 grms
Friday 20 April
Bread 250 grms
Saturday 21 April
Margarine 84 grms. Bread 250 grms.
Sunday 22 April
Bread 375 grms
Monday 23 April
Bread 375 grms
Tuesday 24 April
Bread 214 grms. Today wagon Canadian Red Cross parcels turned up. Issued with one per man. Afternoon, International Red Cross arrive with 1000 American parcels. Everyman issued with one, making two in all today. Evening 4 lads shot by drunken officer, 3 dead, 1 badly wounded. The other died in the night.
Wednesday 25 April
Bread 360 grms. Bad day with the shits.
Thursday 26 April
Bread 420 grms. Margarine 60 grms. Issued with Canadian Red Cross parcel in preparation for tomorrows marched route for Lubec. Alex had the luck to win the sections extra Red Cross parcel. I'm a lot better from the shits.
Friday 27 April
After rather a strenuous day we arrive in the billets at 5 o'clock, doing in all 27 kms through very cross country roads. Packs very heavy.
Saturday 28 April
18 kms. Dutschow. Sound of the battle to be heard very near in the evening.
Sunday 29 April
17 kms. Billeted in small farms. Weather good.
Monday 30 April
30 kms. Weather cold. RAF give a good display on route in air combat, they have complete control of the air round here.
Tuesday 1 May
Dummerstuck. Half Red Cross parcel. Weather snow in the morning. George feeling off colour.
WEDNESDAY 2 MAY
USA TROOPS CAME THROUGH AT 10.45 AM. WHAT A DAY
Thursday 3 May
Friday 4 May
Still here
Saturday 5 May
Left Dummerstuck with USA transport at 10 o'clock reaching Luneburg at 3 am
Sunday 6 May
Had a delouse, and breakfast at 6.30, and so to bed.
Monday 7 May
Got as far as the airfield today but owing to the lack of plans we had to return to camp. Clothing parcel. Note sent R.C. 16.3.43
Tuesday 8 May
Left Luneburg 2.30, arrive at Brussels 4.30 pm. Transported from one airport to another and left for England at Arriving at Pushed again no more planes, so moved back to Brussels for the night.
Wednesday 9 May
Travelled out today, arriving at 6 o'clock. Great reception. Sent to camp 107.
Thursday 10 May
Reported sick with stomach and sent to hospital
Friday 11 May
Saturday 12 May
Feeling much better today
Sunday 13 May
Going out tomorrow
Monday 14 May
On my way to Redhill to see Jessie & Albert.
Copyright Joyce M Thompson (nee Taylor) daughter.