CONFIDENTIAL

No.112.

BAU & ARBEITSBATAILLON 20 and 40

Date of visit: March 21, 1943.

Since the 10th of March these two Bataillons have been amalgamated in one camp, called:

BAU & ARBEITSBATAILLON 20

Camp commander: Hauptmann Krieter

British Man of Confidence: Sgt. John Lunn, pow.no. 7811,

Assistant Man of Confidence: S.M. Frank Batty, pow no. 9234.

British medical officers: Lt.Col. Donald Crawford RAMC.

                                    Capt. Gordon Knowles RAMC.

1200 British prisoners of war (of whom 129 are naval men)

Since last visit of December 1st there has been no change in the conditions of this camp which has been described before; it can still be considered as one of the best camps in Germany from every point of view and therefore only a few special points will be dealt with below.

60 worn out blankets have been exchanged against better ones since last visit.

Clothing condition good except for the shortage of trousers.

About 150 working suits have been provided by the firm for the prisoners who are doing particularly dirty jobs.

New eating bowls have been received and already partly issued to the prisoners.

Canteen not too badly stocked compared with many other camps; however the great difficulty lies in providing razor blades.

Mail greatly improved since the beginning of February.

The British medical staff is composed as follows: Lt.Col. D.M. Crawford, Capt. G.S. Knowles and 8 medical orderlies.

At the time of our visit, 11 patients were accommodated in the infirmary, none of them presenting any serious troubles. The general health of the camp is said to be excellent.

Drug supply is a bit scarce, also from the Red Cross. Both the British doctors and the camp authorities claim for a British dentist. The German High Command shall be notified about the matter.

Some of the naval prisoners complained that they ought not to work being of the merchant fleet and therefore civil internees; however there seems to be a great deal of uncertainty about the naval prisoners themselves, as many of them do not know what is their exact status owing to the fact that their ships have been armed since the war; the Swiss Legation acting as Protecting Power would be thankful for  a declaration from the British Authorities on that point.

Air raid shelters have been completed for the prisoners; however they consist only in trenches and the Man of Confidence expressed his doubts about the efficacy of the protection in case of air raids on the nearby newly erected industrial centre which lies at about a kilometer from the camp; that question will be taken up with the German Authorities not only for this camp but in general for all the camps and working detachments situated in industrial districts.

Gabriel Naville

Dr. Aloys Schnieper.