BAB 21

This camp is situated in very pleasant, wooded country; it creates a good impression. It comprises 12 huts in all. These huts are divided into 6 rooms each containing 24 beds. These beds, which are of the two-tier-bunk variety, are satisfactory. There are enough palliasses - sufficiently stuffed with straw - and enough blankets. The men make no complaints about their housing conditions.

The prisoners receive the regulation rations and the head of the kitchen staff can check the issues of food made. The extra given out are the same as those allowed to German workers. The potatoes are still of good quality and - on the whole - the prisoners are satisfied with the food.

All the prisoners possess two uniforms each the condition of their clothing is satisfactory. On the other hand, only half the prisoners who are at work have any working outfits. The Company which employs the prisoners does not issue the necessary clothing, although the work is very dirty. Here is a statement of the articles of clothing in stock:

Trousers

Tunics

Pullovers

Caps

Boots

New

221

581

Old

150

The remaining 38 pairs of boots available are unfortunately either too large or too small to be used.

The arrival of collective parcels is satisfactory. The BAB has a reserve stock of 17,000 parcels which are under the control of the Camp Leader; the store-rooms kept locked and there are two keys and two locks.

Many cigarettes are stolen from the parcels on the railway; on one occasion 45,000 cigarettes disappeared. A complaint was made to the Administrative Offices of the Reich Railway System; no reply to this complaint has yet been received.

The canteen has but little for sale; there is practically nothing to buy except beer at 0.80 rm and cigarettes known as "Gauloises bleues" at 3 pfennigs each. The canteen profits become the property of the prisoners at the BAB and are usually expended in the purchase of gardening materials.

The sanitary installations (latrines, wash-places and shower-baths) are well arranged and work to the satisfaction of the prisoners and the doctor.

The lazaret attends every day to 100 out-patients. At the present time there are 26 men ill. No special cases are reported; most of the cases sent away were evacuated so that they could have the benefit of thorough examination which their condition appeared to need.

One dentist and two dental mechanics give the prisoners dental attention. They do their work very well, but unfortunately there is a lack of material. The dentist has drawn up a list of requirements which the delegates have sent to Geneva.

One chaplain is attached to the BAB. He is able to fulfil his calling without restriction. He would like, however, to be accorded greater facilities for visiting certain Labour Detachments.

The theatre and the orchestra also work well. There is no shortage either of plays to perform or of material. The prisoners made no special requests in regard to either of these activities.

The British in this camp play a lot of games, and have plenty of facilities for Sport. They would like to have as many cricket balls and foot balls as possible.

Most of the men work at the "Hydrierwerke". The work is arduous and it seems lately to have become even more so. The daily hours are from 6.30. a.m. to 5.30. p.m. Nevertheless most of the workers do not do as much work as this. The pay is rather variable, specialists getting as much as (a maximum) of 36. -- R.M. per month, while ordinary labourers get 0.70. RM per day. Ten N.C.O's are working voluntarily, i.e. of their own freewill.

Mail arrives normally; letters take from 3 to 4 weeks to come from England; the camp receives an average of 8,000 letters month.

Many losses of individual parcels are reported but these do not seem to be in excess of those suffered by other camps.

There are no serious complaints in regard to discipline; but no untoward incidents have occurred as a result.

One man, who was accused of having relations with a German woman, has been in prison for 40 days and is awaiting trial. His name is [deleted] (sic. but probably meant to be [deleted], trans.)

The delegates were able to talk freely with the Camp Leader, who had no serious complaints to make. He only reported the following things:

1. Would it be possible for the employing firms to issue working outfits more regularly? Reply 50% of the workers have working outfits; that is to say all those who work with machinery or with cement. Besides this, a certain improvement is expected thank to the release of a large quantity of cloth for the manufacture of working outfits.

2. The chaplain would like to have more facilities for visiting the Labour Detachments - Can this be arranged? Reply The chaplain can already visit 6 of the detachments. He shall be given full freedom to visit the others but, unfortunately, there is no available method of transport and it will be difficult for him to reach the distant detachments.

3. The prisoners would like to be allowed to subscribe for certain French newspapers for use in the French study courses which the chaplain, who is a French Canadian is conducting. Reply This shall be allowed.

4. 45,000 cigarettes were stolen in one fell swoop. What steps have been taken in regard to this by the German authorities of the Camp? Reply A complaint has been sent to the appropriate person. An assurance has been given that supervision shall be made stricter. Experience has shown that most of the thefts are made from old, French railway trucks which are in a bad condition of repair. Moreover, the of the Red Cross are too tempting to be resisted.

5. [Deleted] (sic but see previous note - probably [deleted] tran) [deleted] is undergoing penal detention; he has been detained for 40 days. Reply This is true. The trial has been delayed, but his time in detention will be deducted from his final sentence. His offence has been admitted both by the prisoner himself, and the woman in question.

6. The Commandant states that the "POW Magazine" published a remark to the effect that the BAB was one of the worst in Germany, which is not at all true. Even the British in the Camp itself do not share this opinion.