CONFIDENTIAL

BAU- UND ARBEITSBATALLION 21

BRITISH

October 1941.

Camp Commander: Hauptmann Krueger Junkers

Chief Man of Confidence: the British Chaplain Hermegilde Charbonneau - POW No.104449. (Home address: 2155 Rue Chormbly, Montreal) a Canadian Missionary taken from the ship ZamZam.

British physician: Captain Schreire-RAMG-PoW No.967

I.) GENERAL DESCRIPTION

        This camp is located in an obsolete Fort in the outskirts of a large city in occupied Poland. The Fort provides good protection from air raid attacks. It is made of red brick. It has several rooms on the ground level where prisoners sleep, together with a large sleeping room below the level of the ground. Conditions in both places appear to be reasonably satisfactory, although dark, and none of the rooms are overcrowded.

II.) PRESENT PERSONNEL

        There are 211 British prisoners here including one British Catholic priest, one physician and 30 non-commissioned officers.

III.) CAPACITY AND INTERIOR ARRANGEMENT

        Triple decker beds are installed. The rooms are warm, and the German authorities stated that they have already on hand sufficient coal to provide an average of 50 kilograms per prisoner per month. A special room has been set aside for German food rations, and there is also a place for storing British Red Cross food parcels. Each prisoner has been allowed to buy small suitcases costing from 5-10 RM, where they can keep their personal effects. They also have hooks in the walls for hanging clothing.

        A normal room measures 15 x 8 x 4m. high and houses 25 prisoners. The Camp Commander states that he could reduce the number of prisoners in each room but that they preferred to be together. In each room there is a small stove where prisoners can cook cans from Red Cross parcels.

IV.) BATHING AND WASHING FACILITIES

        There are no showers at this camp. The men are able to have one shower a week at the Stalag. There are two rooms in the cellar of the fort for washing, equipped with pipes to which are connected about 30 spigots.

V.) TOILET FACILITIES

        The toilet facilities consist of a room in the cellar used as a urinal and another room containing eight toilets. These empty into a cesspool which is pumped out regularly. There were no complaints about the bathing and toilet facilities.

VI.) FOOD AND COOKING

        The following rations in grams are given weekly to each prisoner:

        Beer is given extra, and prisoners who work get more food occasionally from their civilian employers.

        There are three open cauldrons in the kitchen. The light is rather poor. The diet is the standard prisoner of war diet. Some of the men are able to use the kitchen for cooking food parcels. The prisoners eat in their rooms since there is no extra dining room.

VII.) MEDICAL ATTENTION AND SICKNESS

        The health of the men in this camp seems to be very good. Inpatients cannot be treated here but must be sent to the base camp at STALAG XXI D. Recently there have been only minor football injuries.

        Captain Schreire, RAMC, complains that he has been sent here as full time medical officer for only 211 men. He states that he has almost nothing to do and desires to be allowed to work in the Stalag infirmary when he is finished with his work at the "Baubatallion". Captain Schreire is a Pathologist and his work has been and would be of more value at the Stalag. Hauptmann Krueger-Junkers agreed. The Commandant at the Stalag XXI D was informed of this, as was the German High Command.

        Captain Schreire stated that sheets were available for the other medical officers and that he could have them if he desired.

VIII.) CLOTHING

        Satisfactory.

IX.) LAUNDRY

        Satisfactory.

X.) MONEY AND PAY

        Satisfactory. All prisoners who are working receive RM 20 monthly.

XI.) CANTEEN

        Normal.

XII.) RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY

        The Chaplain, Charbonneau, stated that religious exercises are satisfactory for the 75 Catholics here, and that he himself is paid RM 30 monthly and is allowed to take walks and go to the nearby large city.

XIII.) RECREATION AND EXERCISE

        Outside the Fort but within the barbed wire enclosure is a football field, 40 m x 100 m long. This is sufficient for outdoor exercises. For indoor recreation there are playing cards and books, and a motion picture with English sub-titles, is exhibited once a month. A motion picture normally includes the showing of a German "Wochenschau" which appears to interest the prisoners.

        Gramophones have been provided by the British Red Cross. There are also 20 violins and a small musical orchestra. The prisoners state that several pairs of boxing gloves are in the camp and are much used.

XIV.) MAIL

        Mail is regular. Packages have been received regularly. The clothing which has been distributed recently from British Red Cross parcels includes 50 battle dress uniforms and 60 towels.

XV.) WELFARE WORK

        None.

XVI.) COMPLAINTS

        None.

XVII.) GENERAL

        This camp makes a good impression. Although it is located in a Fort, it is not overcrowded, and there is ample room for outdoor exercises. Because it is a fort, it should be particularly warm during the winter months.

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BRITISH

Work Detail WARTHELAGER - near Posen

        Dependent on Bau- und Arbeits Kommando 21.

Camp Commander: Hauptmann Koenig.

Man of Confidence: Rimmington Davis, PoW No.6460.

        There are 186 British prisoners here. The live in one-storey wooden barracks, exactly like those housing German soldiers, although the prisoners' barrack is considerably more crowded. They have triple tier beds. A typical room holds 18 prisoners, has two windows and measures 15 x 8 x 3 m high. Lights are extinguished at 10 p.m. Each prisoner has one blanket and an overcoat. The German authorities states that in winter time it may be possible to provide each prisoner with a second blanket. The work detail has sufficient coal for the winter.

        Near the sleeping barrack there is a second barrack known as the recreation room. Here are 500 English books, a ping-pong table and a gramophone.

        Pit toilets located not far from the sleeping barrack, but in a separate wooden building, are available. They are precisely like those used by the German troops.

        Food rations are normal, each prisoner getting 300 grams of bread daily, while those British prisoners who are doing "Schwerarbeit" receive 343 grams of bread daily.

        Chief complaints expressed by Davis were that he was unable to obtain British clothing when he needed it. he was informed that clothing and parcels for this work detail are sent through the Bau- und Arbeitsbatallion 21, which in turn receives such supplies from the base camp of STALAG XXI D, and that Davis should communicate with Sgt. Major Bruce, POW No.6106, chief Man of Confidence at STALAG XXI D.

        In the past, STALAG XXI D had no work details dependent on it. After October 16, this will no longer be the case, and the same system which is working satisfactorily at other British prisoner of war camps must be installed in STALAG XXI D. The system is that British men of confidence at each work detail communicate with the British man of confidence at the base camp concerning all requests and complaints, and that the British man of confidence at the base camp provides for the distribution of packages and clothing and all needed supplies, and brings complaints to the attention of the German authorities, and of the Embassy representatives. The inauguration of this system may require some time, and this work detail should be visited again before Christmas.

        All matters subject to complaint in this report have been discussed with the local camp authorities. No complaints were forwarded to the German High Command.

Dr. Charles Spicknall.

Gordon Knox.