Stalag 344

Among these are 308 Irish, 866 Australians, 1485 Canadians, 131 Cypriots, 47 Egyptians, 1782 New Zealanders, 37 South-Africans, 296 Indians, 34 Americans and 60 Greeks.

A general improvement is noticeable since the new German Commandant has taken up his duties and thanks to his Deputy; they have, in particular, introduced a more rigorous disciplinary system; this was absolutely necessary in a Camp as populous as this one. There are still about 2300 prisoners here who have their hands manacled. We shall refer to them again under the headings "Treatment of Prisoners" and "Discipline".

No change has occurred in regard to these matters. Nevertheless the interior of the huts look better since the cooking of individual foodstuffs on improvised fireplaces attached to brick stoves, has been strictly forbidden.

The question of blankets continues to occupy the minds of the Camp Leaders. As is known, there are no German blankets at the Camp and the collective parcels received are insufficient to allow of the distribution of 2 blankets each to more than a part of the prisoners. They ought to be sent at least another 5000 blankets.

Clothing comes only from collective parcels; the position in regard to this is sufficiently well-known to warrant us not giving here a detailed description of it; in both the Detachments engaged in industrial work and those engaged in work in the mines in particular the prisoners have not - to date - had more than one set of clothing; the state of their garments is deplorable. It appears that there will be a change in this state of affairs soon, since the order given to the Camp Leader to provide a second uniform to the men of these Detachments when it becomes obviously necessary. This order cannot, however, be executed at once on account of lack of stocks to meet it.

For several months now, the food which comes in food parcels has been incorporated in the menus; the normal German rations having been so much reduced; the economy effected by the authorities on the German rations per man and per monthly rationing period can be set out in the following way:-

Food coming from collective parcels is incorporated in the menus of three meals each week. The "Oberstabszahlmeister" (The German Superior Quartermaster) says these measures are justified by a command from the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (High Command of the Security Office) ordering a reduction of the normal food ration when there is a superfluity of food parcels and there is some reason to fear that the food stuffs in them may deteriorate. In our opinion the authorities allow themselves too large a latitude in the interpretation of this order; it is obvious that there have never been any losses of meat, fat, or jam, for example since the goods are packed in tins in the collective parcels and the German rations have always been completely used up to the present time.

The prisoners are not in favour of these steps; besides, it has been removed from them any possibility of cooking private dishes for themselves. The facts have been laid before the superior authorities.

The prisoners complain also that they do not have enough utensils for carrying the food from the kitchen to their huts; they have made themselves some of these out of wood, which is not a very hygienic proceeding; more particularly what is lacking are individual utensils. Each man was given, on his arrival at the Camp, a bowl made of very thin aluminium, a cup and a spoon. These articles are in constant use; they deteriorate very rapidly on account of their bad quality; they are not replaced so that a large proportion of the prisoners have to eat from utensils made out of preserved food tins.

The prisoners could cook their own foodstuffs from their Red Cross parcels since, to each block of 4 huts (for the use of about 400 men) two stoves are installed, having a top measurement of about 2.4 sq metres. But there is a shortage of fuel.

In the middle of the Camp, a hut serves as a Canteen; it does not provide drinks; articles of daily usage are here, as everywhere else, almost unprocurable; it would appear that the Canteen in a Camp of such large size, it should produce fairly large profits. But, the Camp Leader has never been able to ascertain up to the present time, whether or not the profits are applied for the benefit of the prisoners; we have urged, once more, that the Camp Leader should have control of these profits and make suggestions as to how they are to be used.

An improvement is noticeable since the water pumps were put in working order; the water supply has not been deficient lately. Furthermore, very strict orders on the subject of tidiness and cleanliness in rooms and round the huts have had a very good effect from the hygienic point of view. Latterly, all the things which the prisoners do not often use have been collected and stored; the interior of the huts is much less crowded, everything is more orderly and there is more free space.

The latrines still leave much to be desired; having regard, to the absence of drainage on the one hand and the disinfectants on the other.

The washplaces suffice; the shower bath installations allow the prisoners to take an average of one hot showerbath each once a fortnight.

The 1100 prisoners (or thereabouts) eligible for repatriation who are concentrated at Stalag VIII B include a large number of men suffering from amputations, who are housed in 2 particular blocks. It is rather difficult for the heads of these huts to inform the doctors at the Infirmary if there is an urgent case during the night; we have obtained an assurance from the authorities that an electric bell system shall be installed.

The Infirmary, under the direction of the British Head doctor Captain R.A.M.C. L. Maclean, No. 23909, contains 8 British doctors altogether, 1 dentist and 38 medical orderlies who are recognised personnel. It comprises 6 huts, of which two are wooden having two rooms in each capable of holding 24 beds each, an four are built of stone, having beds to the number of from 6-16 in each room and also some two-tier bunks. There are altogether 230 beds; and all are occupied. All the patients are in a hopeful condition; serious cases are immediately sent to the Lazaret (see Report). The latrines in the Infirmary have water-flushes. The washplaces and the bath rooms have both hot and cold water laid on plentifully. The food is the same as that in the Camp; special diets are prepared from the contents of the collective parcels.

About 40% of the medical staff has been inoculated against exanthematic typhus. This disease has not manifested itself among the British for a year past.

It is to be regretted that in the wooden huts the electricity should be cut off after 10.00 p.m. and that only candles may be used after that hour, besides there are none. The authorities will do what is required to keep the electrical installation of these huts connected with the principal section of the Camp during the whole night.

The heating in the Infirmary is inadequate; but it appears that it would be difficult to consider altering this state of affairs in view of the shortage of fuel.

Dental attention is given sometimes in a room very perfunctorily filled up by only one British dentist assisted by four dental mechanics who make artificial dentures. Until recently there were two other dentists; but one had to depart precipitately for another lazaret; nevertheless everybody agrees that the presence of a second dentist at the Camp is absolutely necessary, in view of the fact that this post attends to more than 20,000 British prisoners. Here is a statement showing the work done by the dental station at Stalag VIII B in 1942.

1942

January

February

March

April

May

June
July

August

September

October

November

December

Patients

787

1056

718

776

765

798

833

677

533

565

571

410

8489

Extractions

417

476

799

840

660

716

659

508

457

468

344

325

6679

Stoppings

366

324

152

271

288

286

378

291

386

340

152

3311

Dentures

100

8 +

16 +

15 +

563

Repairs to Dentures

208

Captain A.A. Wilkinson, No. 22705, NZADC believes that there are about 22 dentist prisoners in Germany; it therefore seems obvious that a better distribution would allot the two absolutely indispensable dentists to Stalag VIII B who would then occupy themselves, one with extractions and stoppings and the other with making dentures.

Geneva has already received direct a list of the instruments and the materials of which there is urgent need; we add that there are absolutely no supplies of gypsum to take prints in Plaster of Paris and that this is unprocurable in Germany. Drills also are needed. 15 British doctors work outside the Camp and the lazaret; 10 in Labour Detachments, 4 at the lazaret at Cosel and 1 at the Reservelazarett Gross-Streilitz.

There are 11 doctors at the Camp and 10 at the Lazaret which raises the total of Doctors for Stalag VIII B to 36.

The number of deaths since the opening of the Camp amounts to 159 (including those at lazarets dependent on the Camp). At the Camp and the lazaret there have been 75 deaths, among whom were three civilians, who died at the lazaret.

Two Anglican chaplains, 1 Baptist minister and one Roman Catholic padre exercise their ministerial functions in this Camp. They are also allowed to visit the Labour Detachments.

There are grave inconveniences causes by the accumulation of such a large number of prisoners into one sole Camp, where the lazaret common rooms can only accommodate at the most 300 men. Moreover, the presence of about 900 R.A.F. prisoners, who are imprisoned in a separate block, 1100 prisoners who are unfit for service, who are also in a specially reserved place, and more than 2300 manacled men spread about in various blocks, renders any reasonable organisation of leisure occupations a difficult task. Furthermore, a hut which contains the best stocked Germany library for prisoners, numerous games, sports equipment and drawing materials, was entirely destroyed by fire last September. (see "Conclusion" on last page of Report.)

In our last report we mentioned that the Prisoners' Camp Leader had some difficulty in upholding his authority over the 6500 prisoners in this Camp. This situation has been much improved since the creation of a Camp Police Force, recruited among the senior non-commissioned officers who, with the support of the authorities, contribute very much to the maintenance of good behaviour.

Among the 2300 prisoners who have been manacled since the 8th of October, there are about 800 non-commissioned R.A.F. officers; the rest come principally from among the prisoners of a dozen different nationalities who were captured at Dieppe. We are happy to be able to state that the way in which these prisoners is chained is more tolerable than the way in operation at Marlag Nord where 24 seamen gunners are wearing manacles of the heavy police type. Here, the chains are light ones (the links measuring about 5 mms) they are 60 centimeters long, which allows the prisoners for instance to put their hands in their pockets. The chains are put on from 8.0 a.m. till 9.0 p.m. and they can take part in all the activities of the Camp except Sports.

Many of the non-commissioned officers who have been in the Camp from the beginning and who have been manacled to complete the desired number, have been set at liberty and sent to Labour Detachments where they can declare themselves to be voluntarily working. They have been replaced, mostly, by R.A.F. prisoners, newly arrived who are not able to state that they will work of their own free will. The spirit among the manacled men is as high as can be expected. Some 250 French Canadians among them have an excellent influence upon their manacled companions.

The Camp contains 24 penal cells which are quite hygienic. As they are insufficient in number to accommodate all the prisoners who are undergoing detention as a penal measure they only spent about three days there during which they are kept on a bread and water diet and are not allowed to read anything except the Bible. We have, however, registered a complaint in regard to this.

The presence of 1100 men who are unfit for service and therefore eligible for re-patriation in this Camp gives rise to some inconvenience; it is to be regretted that they cannot be collected in some in some Camp strictly reserved for their sole occupation. As a matter of fact at Stalag VIII B they are subject to certain collective disciplinary measures, such as special supervision, the closing of the huts at dusk, the suppression of collective intellectual activities, food restrictions etc.

The prisoners - the number of about 15,000, who work in the district, are divided into 543 Detachments for work, each comprising from 10 to 700 prisoners. About half of these Detachments are engaged in the mining industry, where they working conditions are rather arduous; the prisoners have, at the moment, only one Sunday a month free. In Detachment E88 the prisoners will soon be utterly exhausted. Detachment E 86 is one of the 11 Detachments composed of Palestinian Jews and the prisoners in it have been subjected to bad treatment and many reprisals. The authorities state that these 30 prisoners went on a hunger strike following the bad treatment undergone by one of their number; the Camp Commandant is going to come and hold an enquiry on the spot.

Our reports on the Labour Detachments visited give more detailed information on the subject of the working conditions.

We would report, however, once more, the case of Detachment E.3 which comprises more than 800 prisoners, and which is in the immediate vicinity of B.A.B's 21 and 48. These autonomous B.A.B's receive their collective food and clothing parcels direct from Geneva; in many distributions the prisoners in the B.A.B's have been more favourably treated in regard to the issue of clothing, food and cigarettes than the prisoners of Detachment E.3.; this has given rise to remark. We are sending a note to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (the High Security Command) asking that the possibility of converting Labour Detachment E.3. into an autonomy may be considered.

The average rate of pay for all these prisoners is RM 20 per month; an order of the High Security Command prescribes that each prisoner shall only have the right to keep up to RM 30 in his personal possession and that any surplus must be put to his credit at the central accounts office of the Camp.

The mail from England works satisfactorily; and at present time there is said to be an improvement in the mail service to and from Australia. It is, however, astonishing to know that mail going to or coming from New Zealand takes less time, always, than that for Australia, and the losses sustained are lighter.

Arabian, Palestinian, Indian, Polish prisoners, and those of some other nationalities (other than British) who are fairly numerous in this Camp, complain of the slowness of mail written in their native tongues; the Palestinians in particular, are no longer allowed to write in Hebrew. The Command recommends the prisoners, in their own interest, to make use of well-known languages; the central office for censoring Hebrew, Sanscrit etc, are at present overwhelmed with work; which explains why a letter written at the Camp in Hebrew will not arrive at its destination in Palestine until about 6 months has elapsed.

The Collective parcels service at Stalag VIII B is one of the largest of its kind in Germany.

The situation prevailing at the present time can be summarised as follows:- As a result of transport difficulties, many Labour Detachments can only be served once every three months; but distant Detachments all have reserves in hand sufficient for at least 8 weeks. The average reserve stock for all the Detachments is enough supplies for 4 weeks, at the rate of one standard parcel per week. The Camp has a sufficient reserve stock in hand to keep 22,000 men supplied for one month. The Bulk Food is generally used by the Camp as it is easier to send standard parcels to Labour Detachments.

Low reports that at the Camp one half-parcel per man per week or the equivalent in Bulk Food was distributed at the Camp up to 5th February 1943, the date upon which the distribution of one whole parcel per man per week was resumed. Nevertheless many of the Camp Leaders of Detachments did not follow the instructions given to them and continued to issue one parcel per man per week until their reserve stocks were exhausted. Thus many Detachments will now have no more collective parcels to distribute until the end of March or April 1943. Low also reports that the temporary reduction produced excellent results as most of the prisoners had come to believe that their weekly parcel was automatically going to arrive and did not worry their heads over the difficulties that had to be surmounted in order that their parcels might reach them. Further, Low complains that in other Camps the instructions of Geneva in regard to the reduction in distributions of parcels arrived too late at the Stalag to be obeyed, as - for instance - at the B.A.B's and at Stalag Luft 3. It is of no avail to emphasise the discontent which this caused among those prisoners whose distributions had been reduced by half during long periods.

At the present moment reserves are plentiful and two huts are being built outside the Camp, near the station where all the work of receiving checking, and sending on collective food parcels for the whole of Stalag VIII B can be done in the same place under the supervision of Low. This latter will live there with his permanent staff which comprises 60 prisoners. Such an organisation is necessary in view of the arrivals, which are sometimes of large size; it is said that 70 trucks once arrived during one week, and 30 on one day alone. As well as this new arrangement of the stores, in the vicinity of Stalag VIII B a system to deal centrally with regional distributions (serving in each case 100 prisoners) is going to be inaugurated. Each section will be under the direction of a controlling non-commissioned officer. There is no doubt that this new system will go far towards facilitating the avoidance of irregularities in distribution of parcels, which at present causes much discontent among the prisoners.

On the subject of the penal Camp No. 319, Low reports that this was re-stocked through Stalag VIIIB up to the 13th of March 1943; he has just heard that this Camp is also supplied from Geneva district and that the prisoners there have received as much as 2 parcels each per week, as they state that the food provided by the authorities is insufficient. This also is irregular.

Furthermore, it would be a good thing is the Lazaret at Cosel could be supplied from Geneva direct and not via Stalag VIII B. This could be done as we have been able to procure authority for the Camp Leader of this Lazaret to write to Geneva direct with his requests. It should be borne in mind that there are 8 other Lazarets dependant on Stalag VIII B, in particular for the sending on to them of their collective parcels.

Low exercises absolute control over all collective parcels; his department is extremely well-organised.

Interview with the Camp Leader who is the Prisoners' representative, the Camp Leader allotted the supervision of Red Cross collective parcels, and the heads of other departments (without witnesses)

In this interview all the points previously mentioned in this report were discussed. Here are some other points that were raised:-

Under the new organisation for the distribution of collective parcels the Camp will be regarded as a Detachment. This will obviously be detrimental to the interests of the 1100 men who are eligible for re-patriation, who - up to the present time - enjoy special favours and receive more collective parcels (Invalid Comforts parcels etc.,) than their companions in the same Camp. In future they will only receive exactly similar quantities to the others. It would be a good thing to give an interest in the reception, stockage and distribution of parcels which more particularly concern these men (such as "Medical units comprising standard parcels 1, 2, 3 and 4) to the British head doctors at the Lazaret and at the Infirmary. Low, however, raises the objection that he is badly placed for the re-distribution of such parcels among the Detachments and that duty should be undertaken by a doctor, particularly when it is a case of supplying the 10 lazarets which depend on Stalag VIII B.

Labour Detachment E.2. comprising 100 British prisoners, was the subject of a protest by their Camp Leader. It appears that the prisoners comprising this Detachment are engaged in work which entails loading, unloading, and carrying weapons of war and we were able to interview a man from this Detachment at the Lazaret at Cosel, who confirmed this fact. This matter formed the subject of a note sent to the High Security Command.

Low reports that it is impossible for him to make an exact inventory of the stores of food and clothing which comes from the Red Cross and most of which is at Labour Detachments. He can only keep accurate records of the stocks in the Camp.

There is a lack of shoe-mending materials. The footgear sent out by the Red Cross has to be tipped with iron before being distributed. As a matter of fact these boots and shoes ought to in any case to be iron tipped but since there is often a shortage of cobbler's nails, the wear and tear on the soles is considerable.

Among the 21,000 men at the Stalag, about 5000 have two complete sets of clothing. The remaining 16,000 have only one set, for which the trousers are frequently in very bad condition.

The principal Camp of Stalag VIII B gives a better impression now than at the time of our last visit, and this in spite of the presence of 2300 manacled men on the one hand and 1100 men eligible for re-patriation on the other. We are convinced that the authorities do all they can do render the captivity of the prisoners endurable; but the fact remains that it is not a good idea to have such a large number of prisoners in a state of idleness in so restricted a space; it is particularly necessary to make an attempt to transfer the men who are eligible for re-patriation to a place which has a more favourable climate, better equipment and more suitable opportunities for the treatment they need.

The Prisoners' representatives and the Camp Leader are absolutely competent to discharge their onerous duties; a good relationship exists between these men and the authorities and it is this - above all - which makes it true to state that the Stalag VIII B is at the present time a good Camp.

Intellectual activities, study courses, performances (both theatrical and musical), sports displays etc, which were discontinued for three months (following the manacling of a number of prisoners varying from 2-3000) was resumed in January; since that time the authorities have allowed the manacled prisoners to take part in these communal amusements.

We are sorry to be unable to go into detail, here, in regard to these activities, but we did not have enough time at our disposal to allow us to interview the heads of the various departments who deal with such activities.

(a) Patients 282 British (of whom 7 are Arabs, 8 are Australians, 48 are Canadians, 5 are Indians, 3 are Americans, 2 are Greeks and 1 is a Belgian)

This Lazaret was constructed in the autumn of 1941. It has already been in use for some months.

This Lazaret is situated in a large cleared space in a wood; it consists of large stone buildings, of modern construction, between which run paved roads. Some pine trees still remain standing between the buildings; the situation of the lazaret has a pleasing appearance.

The lazaret comprises 7 large one storey buildings, all alike. Each of them has a long corridor running from one end of it to the other, partly roofed with glass. 8 rooms open into each side of this corridor and each contains from 6 to 26 beds; each building contains 64 beds. Three latrines with water flushes are installed at the end of the corridor (at the end nearest the entrance); opposite are the washplaces (6 basins with taps). The lighting, the ventilation and the heating are all satisfactory. The dormitories are not overcrowded. Besides the ordinary bedding, the beds, which are all individual, and not two or more tier ones, are furnishes with 2 quilts which were sent by the Turkish Red Crescent. The patients lie on one and use the other as a covering; they find this a more beneficial way of distributing them. The wards have enough tables and benches. The use of the electric light is unrestricted. We were able to ascertain that the heating is adequate; each room is furnished with a tiled stove of sufficient size to be efficacious.

Five buildings are reserved for patients (two for surgical cases, 2 for medical cases and 1 for cases which need to be isolated). The sixth serves for quarters for the doctors and the medical orderlies. Medical appliances and stores fill the other.

The kitchen for the lazaret is installed in a well arranged building; 12 British prisoners work there under the supervision of a German non-commissioned officer. The Camp Leader checks the rations and controls them. They are issued every day, raw; thus the prisoners can prepare them according to their own taste. They can prepare their food stuffs which come to them from other sources, communally. The patients are able to have special diets, as there is always a reserve stock of Invalid Comfort parcels. Moreover, there is a dispensary where beverages and broths suitable for invalids can be prepared in one of the buildings occupied by the patients; this makes it possible to satisfy certain special requests. It is here, also, that - to a certain extent - the goods from collective parcels are prepared, as there is no other kitchen specially reserved for the purpose, on account of shortage of fuel.

The British prisoners arriving at the lazaret are well-clothed. Each new arrival receives a pair of pyjamas and a towel. An army laundry does the washing at regular intervals. The prisoners wash their own personal linen; for this purpose they receive, on demand, the regulation amount of soap.

All collective parcels arrive regularly at the neighbouring Stalag. The Camp Leader administers and distributes them. At the moment of our visit the lazaret had a reserve in hand consisting of the following articles:-

The washplaces are the latrines are near the entrance of each building. Besides these each building had a bathroom containing two baths. The doctors' and medical orderlies' quarters also contain an installation of cold water shower baths. The necessary disinfections are done at the de-lousing station of the Stalag. This is an excellent one. The drainage system of the lazaret is remarkable. There is no lack of drinking water and we have nothing further to state in regard to this. There is but one small inconvenience which is that during the night (i.e. from 6.0. p.m. to 7.0. a.m.) the lazaret is deprived of water as the hydraulic pumps are needed for use elsewhere. The operating theatres, however, are always supplied with water.

Medical attention is given by 10 British doctors and 97 medical orderlies, of whom 62 work as nurses; the others are engaged in work of a more general and less specialised kind (in the kitchen, laboratory etc.).

The lazaret contains in all 320 beds, of which 293 were occupied when we were there.

The surgical section, under the charge of the British doctor Major A.N. SLATTER N.Z.M.C. is installed in one of the two buildings previously described; it contains about 130 patients. It is well equipped and has two operating theatres, a sterilising room and a convenient examination ward.

The medical section takes up two buildings. 86 patients were undergoing treatment there on the day of our visit; they also are cared for by a specialist Major W.M. MACLEOD, R.A.M.C. The examination ward - here too - is very well arranged.

The material used calls for no special comment. It is that usual in the treatment of surgical and medical cases. The 30 psychiatrical cases are for the most part suffering from psychological disturbances of balance. A weaving-shop occupies a large portion of their housing accommodation, and here it is possible to help the patient, psychologically while keeping him usefully occupied.

A special building is set aside for all the clinical apparatus, as the operating theatres, septic and aseptic, and kept quite separate one from the other by the disinfectant room which intervenes, as is also the laboratory the radiographic section and the card index of the patients. All these installations are excellent and satisfy all demands made upon them.

Infectious cases (about 40) are grouped together in an isolation ward which occupies one part of the buildings reserved for medical cases. On the whole, contagious or infectious cases are not numerous. This lazaret contains no tuberculars. No cases of exanthematic typhus have occurred since last winter, during which 22 British were attacked by this disease, and three of them died. At the present time about one third of the medical staff have been inoculated against exanthematic typhus and the others soon will be. The necessary vaccine is eagerly awaited.

Patients who are seriously ill or who need to have special treatment are sent to the University Clinic of the neighbouring town. Serious nervous and mental cases are interned in a local house; this establishment is quite suitable for its purpose and the British doctors are allowed to visit the patients there at least once in every two months.

At the present time the Camp contains 103 men who are unfit for service; 18 of them have been certified as such by the Mixed Medical Commission, the others are awaiting the next visit of this Commission. Besides these, 1000 men who are unfit for service are at Stalag VIII B. (See Report). 120 of these men are either blind or have suffered amputation.

The lazaret is well equipped. But drugs are scarce (The British doctors do not receive more than 20% of the drugs they order). It is for this reason that the drugs sent out by the Red Cross are so greatly appreciated; they are sufficient in quantity and the doctor prisoners have absolute liberty to employ them as they think best.

Deaths During the last 16 months 32 deaths have occurred, from the following causes: 4 carcinomas, 3 exanthematic typhuses, 3 accidents while at work, 2 abscesses on the brain, 2 cyanide poisonings among the staff of the de-lousing station, etc.

The Chaplain of the Stalag also follows his ministry at the lazaret. The prisoners are often able to attend theatrical performances, concerts and cinema shows which are given at the Stalag.

There is a library at the Stalag as well as a selection of 400 English books which the lazaret possesses. The doctors get enough scientific books to read.

There is no canteen at the lazaret. The Stalag procures the most indispensable articles.

This is good and calls for no special comment. The Head doctor and the prisoner doctors get on well together. The members of the medical corps are treated according to the prescribed regulations.

The working conditions of the doctors and the rest of the medical staff are excellent. The former receive white overall coats, and the latter striped working outfits.

The Lazaret doctors are able to go once a day to visit the manacled prisoners at Stalag VIII B.

The medical orderlies receive the regulation pay although they are not officially recognised personnel.

The doctors have nothing to add to our previous remarks. They are very well satisfied with the conditions in this lazaret.

Lamps ("Kopflampen") presumably lights to fix to the head for medical examination purposes (trans:)

This lazaret may be considered as an excellent one. The installations and the facilities for treatment are very good. This results from the good understanding between the various doctors and the benevolent attitude of the Head doctor.

This is one of the largest Labour Detachments in Germany, whose strength can amount to as many as 820 prisoners. It contains at the present time 100 sailors who have come from Marlag-Nord.

This Detachment was made nearly two years ago. The Camp consists of wooden huts of the usual type, beside a large road beside the B.A.B. nos. 21 and 48; it is only separated from B.A.B. 21 by a double row of barbed wire.

The men are housed 24 in a room; the bunks, which are in two tiers, are furnished with palliasses at present stuffed with paper shavings from Standard British parcels. The employers of the men have provided each man with three blankets; these are still in good condition, but the prisoners complain that they are never washed.

The space between the huts is large enough to be used as a sports ground and to be cultivated in the Summer.

Fifteen prisoners prepare the "heavy workers'" rations which, for the most part, are issued to the prisoners. The kitchen installation is good. We heard no complaints about the food.

The condition of the men's uniforms is satisfactory. Most of the men possess two complete sets; each prisoner now has a working outfit (a large consignment of these arrived on the day of our visit.)

The prisoners themselves do their own washing. They receive one small cake of soap and 250 grs. of washing powder per month.

This has at present nothing for sale but lemonade and beer (3/4 of a litre of beer per week per prisoner). The Camp Leader can make use of part of the profits from the canteen; they have been more particularly used for buying hygienic articles.

The washhouse and showerbath installations, with running hot and cold water, are in a special hut. So are the latrines which are of a rather primitive type.

No vermin are reported at the moment; but in the summer the prisoners suffer from invasion by fleas, and even more, from flies. It is for this reason that the doctor urgently requests that fly-papers may be sent out as well as muslin with which to wrap up food parcels and drugs.

This Infirmary is so well installed that it more nearly resembles a Lazaret. The patients have beds, furnished with bed-linen, in white-painted wards (27 beds distributed in 3 wards). The large consulation and dressings ward is attached to a laboratory and an operating theatre.

Captain doctor John BORRIE assisted by 12 medical orderlies has organised his department very well; he has a detailed card index where each patient has his card on which is noted whether he suffers from an accident, an operation, war wounds; special treatments etc. The installation is very complete; most of the instruments have been bought by the doctor thanks to funds provided by the prisoners themselves. (Surgical instruments, a hemoglobinometer, a hemacytometer, an apparatus for measuring sediments, an apparatus for analysing urine, an opthalmoscope, and otoscope, a rectoscope, a laryngoscope, lenses for myopia and hypermetropy, needles and a manometer for lumbar punctures, etc., installation for electrotherapy, an apparatus for induction etc).

(a) Opthalmology Simple examinations are made by Captain Borrie, more complicated cases by Captain Gartside, at the Lazaret at Stalag VIII B or at the surgery of a specialist in the neighbouring town. Up to the present time all the lenses required have been able to be obtained, except special spectacles for reading, of which 12 pairs have been ordered through the good offices of Geneva.

(b) Oto-rhino-laryngology These cases are sent away to an excellent clinic in a neighbouring locality.

(d) Laboratory, Microscopy Examinations are made in a local institute, and also at the Lazaret at Cosel. The results are not forthcoming save after a long delay; which is why a microscope would be much appreciated by Detachment E. We vigorously support a request for one.

(f) Chemistry German drugs are supplied each week, and the doctor can also obtain certain accessories such as crutches, rubber gloves etc from the "Wehrkreissanitatspark" (Regional Health store) The British Red Cross drugs come via Stalag VIII B on the day of our visit the stock consisted of:-

Despatches of goods from Stalag are very irregular; Captain Borrie would like his Detachment to be regarded in the same light as an autonomous Lazaret and to have drugs sent to him direct from London; the German authorities see no objection to this.

1) Number of patients cared for at the Infirmary from 11 June 1942 to 8 February 1943 = 505

2) Number of operations = about 70 per month. These are mostly operations performed on the patients' extremities, amputations of fingers and great toes which are disarticulated, extractions of foreign bodies, appendicitis operations, plastic surgery etc.

Fractures (big goes, metatarsal bones, fingers and metacarpel bones, ribs, fibulas and radiuses)

Chills, lumbagoes, diarrhoeas, denmatoses and furunculoses (100 cases of various dematoses out of 331 patients in January 1943)

1 appendicitis, 1 pneumonia, 1 meningitis, 2 ameboid dysentery, 1 active tuberculosis, venerial diseases (2 gonorrhoeas, 1 third degree syphilis)

Numerous lancing of boils and of anthrax swellings, stitching up of tensions and circumcisions (2-3 each week).

1 death: 1 Private A.S. KNOWLES No. 18156, who died on the 27th of January 1942 from a left daiphragmatic strangulated hernia (the sequela of a war wound)

Innoculation of all personnel against typhus, small-pox tetanus and exanthematic typhus.

Captain Green, who has recently been transferred here from Milag-Nord has good equipment for his work in a small special hut. He is helped by a medical orderly who also does extractions, and by four dental mechanics who assist in the manufacture of artificial dentures.

This dental surgery serves the Labour Detachment, the @ British B.A.B's and 12 neighbouring Labour Detachments; this represents a total of more than 4,500 British prisoners. It is the prisoners who have obtained the greater party of the equipment (instruments and apparatus). Forty prisoners are attended to daily; 30 to 40 dentures are made per month, with exclusive of repairs, paladent and palapont is mostly used.

This dental post merits special stocking by Red Cross consignments; we strongly advocate response to the following requests:-

Small polishing wheel (the one at present in use was of lathe ("tour") made in a temporary manner

The Anglican Chaplain from B.A.B. 40 and the Catholic priest from B.A.B. 21 visit this Detachment regularly.

The library contains nearly 3,000 books. Some study-courses have been organised under the leadership of the doctor captain. The theatrical companies and the orchestras are very active; one whole hut is available for their activities. But there are no cinematographic performances as at the neighbouring B.A.B's; also the prisoners here are must worse provided than the men of the B.A.B's with sports equipment. They have but the simplest articles; and these are evidently insufficient for their use as they have relatively much more free time. Above all else, they need footballs for Rugby and Association football. They organise fortnightly competitions at all kinds of sports, often in co-operation with the neighbouring B.A.B's.

There is a shortage of parlour games (particularly playing-cards). The prisoners also ask to have some more Prayerbooks, and "Good Friday" -a Comedy by Masefield.

The relationship between the prisoners and their guards is excellent; the Head of the Detachment shows himself most benevolent and sympathetic to the prisoners.

As is the case everywhere else also, the mail is much less rapid during the last months.

On the day of our visit the Bulk Food in stock was sufficient for about 2 weeks' consumption at the rate of 2 kgs. per man per week. There has never been a larger reserve stock. The consignments from Stalag are often much delayed. A certain amount of discontent is evident as a result of the fact that the Detachment is much less served than the neighbouring B.A.B's, who have never been short of food parcels, clothing or cigarettes although during long periods the Labour Detachment E.3. has been obliged to reduce its rations of cigarettes to 25 per man per week. The Detachment has also often had to stop its weekly distribution of food parcels. It is never possible to built up a reserve stock of any considerable size. There are also complaints that the Detachment has never had any but "Bulk" food during the past months, and these consignments do not contain milk, sugar, tea, chocolate, or in short - any of the materials for preparing drinks.

This state of affairs, the large size of the Labour Detachment, the proximity of battalions of prisoners who are self-governing and the difficulty of transport between the principal Camp and the Detachment show that it would be much better to make this Detachment an autonomy, which would in effect render it similar to B.A.B. Besides this, the Camp Leader of the prisoners issues collective parcels as he thinks fit, as well as good and clothing parcels.

The prisoners are engaged on the construction of a factory. There are among their number many specialists at this kind of work (levellers, electricians, fitters, masons, chimney-stackers, tilers, etc.,) The basic pay is 0.70 R.M. for a working day of 9½ hours; but the great majority of the prisoners work on piece rates, which renders them able to get back to the Camp by lunchtime. The work is rather arduous but the prisoners bear it without hardship; they are much appreciated by their employers.

Interview with the Prisoners' Camp Leader, the doctor and the dentist (without witnesses)

This interview allowed us to notice the excellent morale of these prisoners and the splendid way in which they have organised their lives.

This Detachment has not been visited before. It is excellent from every point of view. It will be even better if it can be given autonomous status.

The prisoners of this Detachment are engaged in the construction of a new hospital. They are encamped to the west of a town, in the immediate vicinity of their place of employment and are housed in [s]tone buildings, situated on a rise and encircled by barbed wire. The free space between this wire and the buildings is restricted. From the hygienic point of view the site of this Camp is good.

The encampment consists of three rooms - the wash-houses and the sleeping quarters. The first sleeping room accommodates 14 prisoners who have wooden beds (each an individual structure); the second, which accommodates 8 prisoners is furnished with two-tier bunks. Each bed is furnished with a palliasse and two thin woollen blankets, twenty of which are in poor condition. The rooms are not overcrowded. The lighting the ventilation and the heating are adequate. There are sufficient tables and benches; but there is, on the contrary, a lack of cupboards and iron bedsteads, which have been promised to the prisoners for a long time but their employers - who are the Municipal authorities.

In the morning and at midday the prisoners partake of a meal in a municipal kitchen.

The menu is usually the same from day to day, as that prescribed in prisoners' Camps. As civilians also take meals in this municipal kitchen, the Camp Leader is not able to check the rations. The food seems to be sufficient in quantity but it is not of good quality. The prisoners complain in particular that they always have a cold evening meal (bread with sausage or margarine). Three cooking stoves of adequate size are installed in the men's sleeping quarters; these make it possible to prepare the food stuffs coming from collective parcels.

The men's clothing is in good condition. Each man has two complete sets of uniform. The prisoners do their own washing and receive the regulation amount of soap for this purpose. Major repairs are done in the workshops at the Stalag.

As is prescribed by the regulations, the Camp Leader administers and distributes the collective parcels. These are sent from the Stalag to the distribution centre for the district; from there they are divided among the 6 Labour Detachments for British workers in the district. This distribution takes place regularly every 6 weeks. From the list of December 1942 up to the 6th February 1943 each man received a half-parcel of food stuffs and 25 cigarettes a week. On the day of our visit the reserve stock of collective parcels was exhausted, but a fresh distribution is expected during the next few days.

The sanitary installations are rather primitive; the washhouses contain 6 basins with taps and seem to be quite suitable. Three latrines, without water flushes, are installed in a small lean-to. The Chloride of lime is necessary for the disinfection of these has been lacking for some time.

There is no showerbath installation and there is no other possible way for the prisoners to get hot baths. A wooden hut set up in the courtyard of the Detachment's quarters makes it possible for the prisoners to lock up their personal effects during the night. Under the eaves of this hut a copper of the kind used for doing laundry work, supplies hot water.

Prisoners can go any day for medical attention to the neighbouring Reservelazarett. Patients who need treatment are admitted here.

Dental attention can be had from a civilian dentist who will also make artificial dentures at the prisoners' expense. The general health of the prisoners, is, on the whole, good. Up to the present neither epidemics, nor serious accidents sustained at work, nor any deaths have occurred.

A Chaplain from the neighbouring Labour Detachment E.155 looks after the spiritual welfare of these prisoners. A theatrical company and an orchestra have been formed by this Detachment. The prisoners from Detachment 153 attend its performances regularly.

Books arrive from the Stalag regularly. As musical instruments the prisoners have one accordion and one violin. From time to time they get the use of a sports ground, but they have only a dilapidated ball to play with.

Working hours are 7½ daily. The prisoners take a few minutes to get to their place of employment. All the men of this Detachment are engaged in the construction of a new hospital for the town. Their working conditions call for no special comment. The relationship between the prisoners and the civilian workers is good.

This is according to the regulations and amounts to 20 RM. No extra amounts are payable.

The Camp Leader and the Head of the Detachment both agree that discipline is good.

This is according to the regulations. For the past 6 weeks correspondence has been arriving regularly and, it appears, without losses.

From the point of view of material considerations, the installation of this Detachment is only mediocre but the working conditions are good.

CAMP LEADER Royal (sic, but presumably should be Regimental Sergeant Major FREDERICK REID No. 19.

(The Camp Leader being ill - from burns on his feet - we interviewed his Deputy).

STRENGTH 149 British, all non-commissioned officers (of whom 82 are Palestinians, 56 are English and Scotch, 5 are Australians, 5 are New Zealanders and one is a South African).

Two prisoners who make up part of the strength are in a German lazaret in the town. There are only two members of the medical corps in the Camp.

All the prisoners at this Camp come from Stalag VIII B which they left at the end of August 1942. Their journey was performed under satisfactory conditions but they complain that they had to undertake it without first having had a preliminary medical examination; this accounts for many among them being seriously ill. Moreover, on their departure, their personally owned blankets, and the food stuff from their individual parcels were taken from them and have not since been restored to them.

This Camp for British prisoners was established as soon as the German authorities learned of the establishment of a Camp for German prisoners at Latrun in Palestine, where the prisoners - for the most part members of the National Socialist party, were guarded by Jewish sentries; for this reason the German authorities have ordered that an equal number of Jews and Christians shall be accommodated together at Camp 319.

Stalag 319 is a Camp for prisoners of a different nationality from the British; the British only occupy one block, apart from the others. This is on the outskirts of the town, and in our opinion it is a little too close to the large Eastern Station (about 200 ms. away). The climate of the district is healthy, cold and dry.

The prisoners are housed in wooden huts, roofed with earth (Erdhütte), these huts are of the kind which one continually finds in use as transit Camps, with certain improvements added thereto.

They are very primitive being made of two walls on an oblique slope meeting one another at the top. They have a door at each end. The walls are made of plain planks, roughly planed and covered with earth. The heating which is actually made easier by this method of construction is satisfactory. Each hut contains two stoves. The prisoners have issued to them each day quite adequate supplies of coal and wood. With regard to the lighting, this is inadequate, as the huts have no windows, but merely a sort of garret-lighting at the apex. At night, since there is no electricity, the prisoners use paraffin lamps for lighting purposes.

The prisoners do not have actual beds; they sleep on plank bunks, built in two storeys of which only the top storey is utilised as a bed. The lower storey is used as a cupboard. The prisoners put their provisions and their personal belongings here. The palliasses are stuffed with wood shavings which are renewed about once a month. Each prisoner has three blankets provided by the German authorities. As we have stated above the prisoners' own blankets were taken from them when they left Stalag VIII B and have not been restored to them. Two huts are in use; besides these the block contains an Infirmary, a recreation hut, a hut used as a store for Red Cross parcels, and other huts for use as kitchen, washplaces and latrines. The showerbaths and disinfectant apparatus are outside the block.

These huts appear to be of a rather primitive order; Rats and mice come into them frequently.

Since the month of November 1942 the food rations have been reduced - on account of the superabundance of "Liebesgaben" (Gift Parcels) according to the Commandant. But this reduction was made without the consent of the Camp Leader in accordance with an order issued by the High Security Command ("Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) which, nevertheless envisages that if there is really a superabundance of food stuffs sent by the Red Cross and if these goods run the risk of going bad, their contents shall be included in the official rations.

Meat

Fat

Food pastes

Sugar

Coffee substitute

Preserve (jam etc.)

Bread

Potatoes

Fresh Vegetables

100

2250

5200

2400

grs.

We ascertained that at the present time many kinds of victuals are no longer issued to prisoners and that others, meat for instance, have been reduced to 2/3 of the quantity quoted.

British cooks are in charge of the cooking. The Camp Leader checks the distribution of rations. The kitchen suffices although the installation is of but a primitive order. Personal cookery is done, sometimes inside the huts and sometimes on a special stove in the kitchen hut. There is enough fuel.

Collective parcels (British Red Cross parcels) are in the charge of the Camp Leader. He holds one of the keys of the store and a German non-commissioned officer holds the other one. The Camp Leader is present when the goods are distributed. The quantities of food stuffs previously taken in order to complete the menus are taken without his consent being first obtained.

Each prisoner has two sets of underwear, two shirts, two pairs of socks and two towels. As outer clothing the prisoners have nothing but their battledresses. Their second uniform is stored in a special store-room as an economy measure. The trousers of many prisoners are torn and yet they cannot either exchange them or get out their second pair; five prisoners are obliged to wear Czechoslovak uniforms. Their leather shoes have also been taken away from them. The prisoners are allowed to wear them during certain hours in the afternoon to play football. The remainder of the time they wear leather shoes with wooden soles or sabots.

All the warm clothing that prisoners have is their own. They have received nothing but underclothing from the Red Cross. Such gloves and pullovers as they have come from their families.

One prisoner, who is a tailor by profession, does repairs to clothing; also there is a boot-repairer in the Camp.

The prisoners wash their own clothes in the hut reserved for washplaces; where they have the use of a sink and enough fuel. Soap is distributed to them in regulation quantities.

There is none. The Camp Leader can sometimes make a few purchases in the town through the intermediation of a German non-commissioned officer. The price of even the smallest toilet article is exorbitant.

In a general way, the hygienic conditions of the accommodation in this Camp are inferior to those which usually obtain in the Camps in Germany; the barrack are perfunctorily constructed, the prisoners sleep on plank bunks instead of beds. The barracks have no proper windows. Rats and mice are reported to be present.

Showerbaths, which are taken regularly once every ten days in a special hut outside the block are accompanied at the same time, by a disinfection of clothing. It would be desirable for the prisoners to be able to stay longer under the showers.

The washplaces are installed in a special hut, the floor of which becomes a veritable skating-rink as soon as there is frost, as there is no means of heating it. This was the case on the day of our visit. There are forty taps there.

The latrines are very primitively established in a hut near to the others (they consist of a hole bordered with planks). As the result of appeals on the subject 5 wooden seats have now been constructed. The authority for this to be done was granted because many prisoners were attacked by articular rheumatism in their knees. The supply of a sufficient quantity of lime makes it possible to maintain these places in a hygienic condition. The trenches are emptied regularly.

The medical service, which is controlled by a "Oberarzt" (Senior Doctor) is carried out by a British medical orderly corporal (a Palestinian) who holds a certificate and by a doctor who comes from Vienna. The man who used to be the Camp doctor, Dr. Captain Fraser of the R.A.M.C. was sent elsewhere on the 1st of February 1943. Captain Fraser was sent to Camp 319 for no apparent reason. The fact that he was unfit for work was recognised before he left, but it was only after his making a complaint to the Protecting Power that he was able to return to Germany.

There are two members of the medical corps at the Camp, two more prisoners assist them as auxiliary workers when the number of patients at the Infirmary increases.

The Infirmary is in a hut of the same type as the others. It contains plank-bunks as well as 8 real beds. But there is no possibility of properly isolating patients suspected to be suffering from contagious illnesses.

The state of health of the prisoners is good. The average weight of the men is 68 kgs, that is 5 kgs more than the average weight in October 1942. It is true that in the months of September and October the prisoners had not yet received Red Cross food parcels and they had lost almost as many kgs. As a general rule the prisoners seem to acclimatise themselves without difficulty to this continental climate. No cases of tuberculosis have declared themselves since the opening of the Camp. On the day of our visit the number of patients including those who were destined to be re-patriated was 30. In most cases the prisoners who were ill were suffering from angina, from bronchial pneumonia, from slight influenza and from rheumatism.

But one case of nervous disease was reported, corporal Abu-Dana, No. 6626, who should go again before the Mixed Medical Commission as we informed the German doctor. 14 patients have been declared unfit for service. Three prisoners are suffering from auricular affections, namely:-

There is one prisoner who is blind in one eye and myopic in the other:- Sergeant Ledermann No. 4369

In general there is no scarcity of drugs, either those provided by the British Red Cross or by the German authorities. But Vitamin C supplies are particularly asked for. As a matter of fact prisoners are suffering from synovitis. The reserves will soon be exhausted.

All the prisoners have been inoculated against exanthematic typhus. This was done at Stalag VII B in May 1942. The doctors does not intend to repeat the inoculations until March 1943.

Patients whose conditions necessitates a surgical operation are sent to the Reservelazaret of the town. It is here, also, that radiographs or radioscopic examinations are made and where laboratory examinations are undertaken.

Dental attention is provided by a German dentist at the military hospital of the town. Thirty-six men are in urgent need of treatment. This increased number is due to the fact that dental treatment has been discontinued for several weeks as the result of an attempt which [was] made at escape by one of the men during transit from the Camp to the lazaret. The question of artificial dentures has not yet been attended to. There is a lack of material. Artificial teeth and india-rubber are needed. It is to be regretted that prisoners attending the dentist or the lazaret have to walk 6 kms. (three three and three back) in wooden shoes. The walk, in these conditions provokes a disagreeable irritation of the skin; the abrasions become infected - this has happened several times. The Commandant of the Camp with whom we discussed this matter, replied that this measure has been insisted upon by the "Abwehr" (Security authorities) because one prisoner has already tried to escape while he was on the way to the dentist.

Moreover, 9 men were sent without an interpreter to be examined by specialists in a neighbouring town. The examinations which they underwent were not able to be at all adequate, more particularly as a result of amnesia ("faute d'anamnèse surtout"). One prisoner suffering from a duodenal ulcer (diagnosed by a German doctor at Stalag VIII B) has not been radiographed and his body salts have not been examined. As the result of comments made by the doctor he has been authorised to accompany the patients on these visits.

No religious services have been organised. Up to the present the prisoners have manifested no desire to have any services held.

The prisoners have the use of a hut to use as a recreation room. They have not formed a theatrical company. As a matter of fact, as musical instruments they possess only an accordion, a trumpet and a banjo. They asked us to have a drum and a saxophone sent to them.

The library contains 400 individually owned books. Stalag VII B has nothing to send to them. As a "daily" they receive "The Camp".

The number of packs of playing cards is very restricted. The Camp Leader has the greatest difficulty in procuring them, on account of the very high prices in the General Government.

As sports, the prisoners indulge in boxing and wrestling. A "ring" has been set up in the recreation room. There is also a ping-pong table there. They need boxing gloves and a leather ball, (presumably a football). In Summer the prisoners can play games on a sports ground of adequate size.

All the prisoners are non-commissioned officers; the only work they are compelled to do is Camp maintenance.

The non-commissioned officers do not get any pay, as they should according to the Geneva Convention. The members of the medical corps get none either, as they have never been able to ascertain whether they are really recognised officially as medical personnel.

Although there are no important occurrences to report it must be said that things do not go as well as here as they do in most Camps. Each week, the Camp Commandant, supported by a Captain and 10 men from the Guard troops give the prisoners military instruction. They are obliged to march past him as on a parade ground.

One prisoner was punished by 7 days detention because he chanted a German song after changing a few of the words. So as not to be punished for the same offence, the prisoners now whistle the same tune instead of singing it; which annoys the guard troops. The Camp Leader has promised to calm the excited state of mind of the prisoners by some soothing remarks...

Many prisoners have also been punished by detention for giving cigarettes to prisoners of a nationality other than their own or for having conversations with them; others have been punished for having distributed chocolate among the children while they were on their way to the dentist. The detention cells are suitable and well heated. Prisoners there receive their correspondence and the same diet as is given to German soldiers who are suffering equal punishment. They are allowed to go out for two hours every day.

The prisoners are allowed to write 2 letters and 4 cards a month. A letter from Palestine takes about 2½ months to arrive at their destination. Prisoners whose families are in England receive on the 10th of February, for example, on 10th February letters dates from the 9th of November to the 10th of December.

Several months ago the names of the British prisoners of war in this Camp were transmitted by the Wireless Stations in London, the address of the camp being given as Stalag 319. After this broadcast all prisoners who received letters having as the address "Stalag 319" and not "Stalag VIII B", as previously were not allowed to have possession of their correspondence.

We have already gone into the question of food. Part of the food supplies do not arrive at their destinations (Thefts at stations etc.).

Interview with the Camp Leader and the Medical orderly Corporal (without witnesses)

Since the food supplies which come from the contents of Red Cross parcels are included in the daily rations, these parcels no longer constitute extra supplies.

The men cannot use their second uniforms. Many of them are wearing torn trousers; 5 men are wearing Czechoslovakian uniforms.

They are only allowed to wear leather shoes for certain hours in the day. The patients who go to the lazaret in the town walk 6 miles in sabots, which always injures their feet.

Their individual blankets and the food coming from Red Cross parcels were taken from the prisoners when they left Stalag VIII B and up to the present moment have not been given back to them.

Correspondence addressed to Stalag 319 instead of to Stalag VIII B has not been handed out to prisoners.

It would be desirable that the prisoners should not have to do military drill on Saturdays (see under "Discipline").

Prisoners who have been passed as eligible for re-patriation should be sent to Germany.

Interview with the Camp Commandant [Note: The first two paragraphs contain a sizeable portion of text on each line which has been blanked out, with the result that about three or four consecutive words on each line of the first paragraph is missing, and one or two in the second]

The Commandant stated th... ge the arrangement of the huts to any very.... s not the material necessary for doing... will be taken to do away with the rats and...

The Commandant estimates that... any food parcels and that there is a risk of.... sing spoil if they are not eaten up without delay;... appear to be an interpretation of the orders of the "Oberkommando der Wehrmacht" (High Security Command).

The men whose uniforms are in a bad state shall have another issued to them. No prisoners shall any longer wear Czechoslovakian uniforms.

The Commandant cannot at the moment do anything about the question of the wearing of wooden shoes during the day and particularly when patients go to the lazaret. The Security Officials ("Abwehr") insist that this shall be so.

An enquiry will be made at Stalag VIII B in regard to the good which were taken from the prisoners when they left there.

Correspondence having Stalag 319 as an address has been suppressed by an official order. The Commandant cannot change this.

Camp 319 is a Camp installed particularly as a reprisal; it cannot be compared to an ordinary Camp. It is much more perfunctorily constructed that the others, moreoever, the relations between the prisoners and their guards is not particularly good.

Site and General Comments This Labour Detachment is situated near a town, in an old College building three storeys high.

Accommodation The prisoners are housed in 5 School-rooms of moderate size on the three floors of the College building. Each room contains from 10 to 14 beds, of which most are individual structures, and the remainder are two-tier bunks. Each bed or bunk is furnished with at least two blankets provided by the German authorities as well as a palliasse of which the contents are changed from time to time. The heating, lighting and ventilations are good throughout the building and the rooms are not overcrowded. The rooms have enough tables and benches. The general condition of the building itself is not very good.

Food Meals are prepared in the College kitchen where 6 British prisoners work. The same kitchen provides meals for German troops and the staff of the place. The Camp Leader cannot check the rations and does not control their issue. The food is plentiful but the quality is not altogether satisfactory. The food stuffs from collective parcels are cooked on stoves installed in the prisoners' rooms.

Collective parcels Collective parcels arrive with regularity from Stalag VIII B. The Camp Leader has, as prescribed by the regulations, the right to administer and distribute them. The prisoners receive the usual quantities of collective parcels per man per week. On the day of our visit the Detachment had a reserve of Food Parcels in hand sufficient for 6 weeks.

Clothing The state of the men's clothes is - in general - good. The Camp Leader has a small store in hand of underwear and other clothing which has come from the Red Cross. Six prisoners have, at the moment, but one uniform each, but a second one has been requested from the Stalag and should arrive any day now. The prisoners receive the regulation amount of soap.

Canteen The Detachment has no Canteen. The Camp Leader can go from time to time to the town to make the necessary purchases, but it is always, everywhere, very difficult to get the things required.

Sanitary Installations The Camp does not posses a de-lousing station but the prisoners can make use of the installation which is at the Lazaret situated in the neighbouring town. The washplaces and the latrines (without water flushes) are barely adequate. The Detachment has not a particular sports ground of its own but the prisoners can sometimes use a local sports ground.

Medical Attention A German military doctor visits the Detachment every day. Patients who require to be treated in bed are sent to Lazaret IV (A German Lazaret). Dental attention is provided by a civilian dentist, who, up to the present time, has also made dentures. These are paid for by the prisoners (80 RM a set).

There is one recognised medical orderly with the Detachment who has some drugs at his disposal.

The general state of health is good. There have been no epidemics, no accidents and no deaths to deplore.

Leisure and Intellectual and Religious Needs The Detachment has no priest, but a prisoner takes Divine Service once a week.

The Detachment has its own theatrical company and Music Group who give performances from time to time in the theatre which is situated on the ground floor and which is suitably equipped for this purpose. The Detachment has no library of its own, but it receives books regularly from Stalag VIII B. The Detachment has enough sports equipment for its own needs.

Work and Pay The working hours are 8 or 9 per day; The Sabbath rest-day is always respected. The work of the prisoners consists of laying out of Aerodrome grounds and in maintaining their own Camp premises (cleaning, small repairs etc.). At certain times the prisoners help to unload trucks transporting aero-engines. According to the Camp Leader none of the work allotted to the prisoners has - up to now - been of a military character as defined in the terms of the Geneva Convention.

Discipline According to the statements of the Camp Leader and the Head of the Detachment this is good. As well as playing games outside their Camp premises, the prisoners are sometimes taken out for walks.

Correspondence This conforms with the regulations. A letter going to or coming from England takes at the present time from 8 to 10 weeks. Parcels arrive regularly.

Interview with the Camp Leader (without witnesses) Beyond the points mentioned above, the Camp Leader had nothing special to report.

Following additional points mentioned in report on Stalag 344 visited 7th and 8th February:

British M.O. renewed complaints regarding insufficient medical supplies and has not yet received items mentioned in my telegram No.5088 (International Red Cross Committee informed of this and bad clothing position.)

According to report received by man confidence prisoners at detachment E444 Benesschau employed on work connected with bomb manufacture and at E556 Jaegerndorf prisoners making boxes believed used as ammunition cases. Camp Commandant ordered enquiries to be made about former and prisoners to be removed from latter. Accommodation E 365 Hohenstein reported unsatisfactory.

Detachment E 3 Stalag VIII B 10.2.43. Camp Leader C.S.M. Haberfield 11012 Captain Doctor John Borrie N.Z.M.C. 23912 Captain Dentist J.M. Green A.D.C. 2601 strength 769 British of whom 17 Australians 38 New Zealanders certain sailors coming Marlag Nord twelve orderlies. Accommodation and hygiene suitable rations conformant with heavy workers clothing good state excellent infirmary equipment perfect all treatments possible dental work even dentures for prisoners also for neighbouring detachments. Regular visits chaplains B.A.B. 21 and 48 nearby. 3,000 books study courses theatre orchestra sports discipline excellent head Commandant benevolent. Stock parcels in hand for two weeks only. Prisoners working building factory conditions satisfactory. Spirits high organisation remarkable.

Stalag Luft 3 visited 22.2.43. Senior Officer Group-Captain Massey, H.M. Camp Leader non-commissioned officers and private soldiers sergeant James Deanes strength 2228 British of whom 77 Australians 193 Canadians 108 New Zealanders 46 South Africans besides 164 Allied and 82 Americans. Accommodation suitable hygiene remarkable camp leaders control rations completed by regular and abundant parcels. Clothing good stocks sufficient but many articles clothing too small. 28 sick in infirmary no serious cases diets possible 12 eligible repatriation dental service. 3 chaplains conduct ministry freely. Cinema theatre newspapers library numerous courses preparation for examinations. Sports practised. Good relations German Mail slightly delayed. Excellent general impression.

Stalag XXI A. 15.2.43. Camp Leaders sergeant-majors E. Pascoe 2320 Chilton 6420 L.F. Scorrar 7486 W. Little 14779 C.R. Laring 42444 sergeant G. Sandbrook 3993 strength 1583 British of whom 1430 at camp 291 in 8 detachments agricultural and unskilled general work. Three buildings accommodation less overcrowded some improvements camp leaders control rations facilities granted for preparation food from parcels. Clothing good. 2 chaplains conduct ministry freely. Theatre orchestra library. 21 patients slightly ill in infirmary. Supervision less severe good relations authorities. Stocks well supplies. Certain percentage food parcels sent damaged.