BUILDING AND WORK BATALLION 20

British

December 6 and 9, 1941.

Commander: Hauptmann Wirsig

Adjutant: Oberleutn. Prueter

Chief Man of Confidence: Albert Haggie, D.S.M. P.o.W. 20100.

British physician: Lt.Col. D.A. Crawford, R.A.M.C.

        This battalion, which consists of three work companies and holds about 600 men, is in many respects dependent on Stalag XX A and is quartered in an old fort close to XX A. One of the companies was at the moment attached to Stalag XX B and was visited in connection with this Stalag. The battalion is supposed to be a separate unit from the 15th of December on, and its address will be: XX A B.A.B.20.

        Companies 1 and 3 were visited here, and the 2nd Company in Elbing. The latter was attached to Stalag XX B but was expected back to headquarters within a few weeks.

Companies 1 and 3.

1.) General Description.

        These companies are quartered in an old fort exactly like those described in previous reports concerning Stalag XX A. The buildings are good, well-heated and not damp.

2.) Capacity and Present Personnel.

        The two companies at present in the fort hold about 400 men.

3.) Interior Arrangements.

        There is plenty of room inside the fort, so that the lodgings are not overcrowded. Special small rooms have been provided for the Medical officer, the chief man of confidence and the company man of confidence. The men are living in bigger rooms, about twenty to twenty-one per room. All the rooms are over the earth surface and have big windows. They are well heated and the lighting is electric. The beds are triple tier bunks supplied with two blankets and one bed quilt. There is a sufficient number of tables and benches. In all rooms garlands and paintings for Christmas have been put up, and made the rooms look gay and nice.

4.) Bathing and Washing Facilities.

        On each floor is a big washing-room. There is a sufficient number of basins, and the men fetch water from a pump close by. Regarding baths, the prisoners are taken over to Stalag XX A where warm showers are provided.

5.) Toilet Facilities.

        The latrines are of the pit type. They are in sufficient number and kept well clean. As in many other camps, there was a certain lack of toilet paper.

6.) Food and Clothing.

        There are two kitchens: one is used for the dinner meal and the other just for preparing hot water for tea and coffee. There are also special arrangements to let the prisoners prepare their private food received in food parcels. The weekly ration is the standard one. The food was said to be well prepared and sufficient in quantity. The only complaints about the food were that the carrots were not quite first class. The carrots were looked at and found to be not quite first class but well suited for food. The camp officer promised to try to arrange the matter so that these carrots should be given out to the whole Stalag XX A, so that they would soon come to an end.

7.) Medical Attention and Sickness.

        Lt. Col. Crawford is in charge of the medical attention of the battalion. He stated that the health conditions are good and are still improving. In most respects the camp is well supplied with all kinds of dressings and drugs needed but lately it has been very hard to get ointments for treatment of skin diseases such as scabies, impetigo, dermatitis etc. There is also a lack of cough remedies.

        There are one examination room and two sick wards, one for internal and one for surgical diseases. In the ward for internal diseases there were 6 patients, all suffering from common cold or influenza, and in the surgical ward there were 8 patients who had been slightly injured in labour accidents. The sick rooms are well suited for their purpose.

8.) Clothing.

        The clothing conditions are at present quite good. The battalion is still in this respect dependent on Stalag XX A, but all suggestions from the chief of confidence regarding the issuance of Red Cross clothing are usually fulfilled. Each man had just received a new pair of boots and a new battle-dress. There were still some men with rather bad great-coats, but it has been promised that this would be arranged. A new system will be started to have all Red Cross and private clothing marked on the clothes-card in such a way that these clothes will not be taken back when a man leaves the battalion.

9.) Laundry.

        The laundry is brought to Stalag XX A for washing.

10.) Money and Pay.

        All men in the battalion are working, but the N.C.O's and W.O's are only employed in the camp staff for supervisory work. The wages, 17 to 18 RM, are paid out regularly every second week. Men ill in the hospital are paid 6 RM monthly as pocket-money.

11.) Canteen.

        The canteen is very good. One of the W.O's is in charge of this. All kinds of toilet articles are for sale. It was, however, asked if tooth-brushes and hair oil, which are hard to get in Germany, could be sent. There were good supplies of drawing paper, pencils, playing cards, mouth organs, wallets, pipes etc. Glasses and plates could also be had. Usually, there were also suit-cases for sale, but they were at present sold out. Each man can buy 1½ bottle of beer weekly.

12.) Religious Activity.

        There is no British priest with the battalion. One of the sergeants however, reads a service every Sunday, and the band plays the hymns.

13.) Recreation and Exercise.

        As regards recreation, the battalion is very well cared for. Base balls, foot-balls, tennis coits, boxing gloves etc. have been provided. Each Sunday the prisoners are playing foot-ball on a sports ground belonging to the German troops.

        There is a good library of 1500 books changed now and again in Stalag XX A. The Stalag paper "The new Prisoner's Pie" is issued regularly. A copy of the paper is attached to this report. There is a good orchestra of 8 men including 6 military band men. There are also many private musical instruments. One big room has been turned into a theatre room, and performances and concerts were said to be given very often. The stage is good, and provided with foot-lights and different-coloured lamps.

14.) Mail.

        The mail has arrived rather irregularly lately. The German mail officer stated that for several weeks very few letters had arrived, but that the other day 60,000 letters and cards had arrived at one time for the whole Stalag, and these would be censored as soon as possible.

        Since last May parcels have been arriving in sufficient number to issue one a week per man, but for the whole year since last Christmas each man had only received 35 parcels. The battalion was expected to be independent from Stalag XX A for mail since the middle of December, and forms for notifying the Embassy about the arrival of parcels were given to the Man of Confidence.

        The regular number of two letters and four postcards monthly is written by the prisoners.

15.) Welfare Work.

        The camp was visited at the same time by a representative of the International Y.M.C.A.

16.) Complaints.

        There were no complaints.

        The men are mostly working on roads or at barrack-building. The usual working hours are 7.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with one hour for dinner, but the different working parties are generally given a task for the day and very often the men return to the camp already at 3 or 3.30 p.m. They are free from Saturday at noon till Monday morning.

17.) General Impressions.

        The general impression of this camp is good. The Man of Confidence stated that the men were very well treated.

Dr. Folke Malmquist.