Stalag IIID

We only visited the British in this camp, the majority of whom had been taken prisoner in Crete.

2204 British who are divided into 4 Labour Detachments. We have made a separate Report on each of these Detachments, which we visited on November 21st, 1941. They are situated in the proximity of a large town, where the Camp offices are installed.

Sgt.-Major Seward fills the role of Camp Leader for all 4 British Labour Detachments. It is he who receives in custody the gifts sent to the British and who represents the latter with the German Authorities. He visits all the 4 Detachments. Detachment 517 has been functioning since August 1941.

This is formed of wooden hutments of the usual type. The prisoners have wooden two-tiered bunks. The dormitories are comparatively comfortable and are light and well kept. The men have a wardrobe between 4 men. The dormitories are sufficiently heated. On returning from their work the prisoners sometimes bring with them a certain amount of wood picked up during the day, and this extra supply enables them in very cold weather to maintain sufficient heat in their rooms. They draw 40 brickettes per day for each dormitory.

The camp has a very good general appearance. It is situated in a flat neighbourhood and is bounded on one side by a little wood.

Every man has received a coat. Every man has 1 uniform, 2 vests, 2 pants and 2 pairs of puttees in place of socks. The Camp Leader thinks they have enough warm underclothing. On the other hand he is anxious to have a change of uniforms for 75% of the men.

The things which are most badly needed, as we saw for ourselves in all 4 Detachments, are sock and shoes. In place of socks the prisoners have only puttees which makes it difficult for them to march or work. Also the sabots which they wear for work wound their feet. The majority of the prisoners treated in the Infirmary are suffering from wounded feet as the result of wearing sabots and having bad socks.

Workers draw the appropriate rations for heavy manual labour. Men not working in the camp only receive the basic rations, the quantities of which are known.

Generally speaking the men say that they eat practically nothing but potatoes, sometimes carrots and once a week white cabbage. On Tuesday and Sunday they have margarine. Sugar is given out once a week at the rate of half a glass per man. The normal menu is as follows:

Midday: The men have either sausage (meat three times a week) or margarine in place of meat.

Evening: Potatoes and sauce. Potatoes are sometimes replaced by carrots and, once a week, by white cabbage.

Thanks above all to the parcels received from England, the prisoners no longer complain of their food.

A total of 1096 parcels has reached Detachment 517. The first arrived on October 11th, 1941. Two lots were sent by the British Red Cross and one lot of 596 parcels by the Canadian Red Cross. On the day of our visit to the camp a large consignment from Canada was distributed to the 4 Detachments. No parcels have been received from the American Red Cross.

For the past three weeks every man has received his parcel regularly every seven days.

The representatives of the United States Ambassador have asked the Camp Leader to build up a reserve of food. 500 parcels have already been set aside. 234 parcels remain to be distributed, not including the consignment which arrived in the Camp on the day of our visit. The food is kept in a special room and can only be drawn 3 times a week.

24 parcels of tobacco were distributed, which gave about 50 cigarettes a week to each man.

As regards personal parcels, only the Medical Captain occasionally receives them.

This is well stocked with the usual articles, but there is no food on sale. Lemonade (the only drink) is sold there at the rate of 2 bottles per man per week. Polish cigarettes can also be bought but are not much liked.

a. Baths and Showers. For the past five weeks the water main has been broken and it has not been possible to find workmen to repair it. To make up for this, the prisoners have boiled their own water and have washed as best they could.

b. Vermin. In spite of the fact that the prisoners have been disinfected, lice make their appearance from time to time. They are immediately dealt with. The prisoners have been allowed to keep their hair intact.

c. Water. There is plenty available at all hours for the prisoners and the installation is good.

d. Infirmary. The British Medical Captain is called GORRIE, George, No.192. We had already met him at Oflag IX A.

The Doctor is assisted by a Sergeant and a soldier who are members of the Medical Corps. Five other medical orderlies are in the Detachment but are not working as such. In addition five medical orderlies work in the little working units attached to Detachment 517. They are occupied in the same way as their comrades but would prefer to be employed as medical orderlies. We did not succeed in finding out whether they are really recognised as medical personnel. The Camp Leader will make enquiries. The British Doctor, on the other hand, had the impression that they were shortly to be sent to a hospital.

In the camp 49 men were being treated for slight wounds or sickness. Thirty-five British prisoners have had beri-beri. We actually saw some cases of it in the camp. Five cases of beri-beri were sent to the hospital. The convalescence from beri-beri is long. Some suffering from this malady restarted work too soon and saw the oedema in their legs 2 days after starting work and were obliged to return to the Infirmary.

There is no tuberculosis to report. Two suspected cases were X-Rayed at the hospital in the neighbouring town.

The Doctor is very appreciative of the Medical Comforts received. There are sufficient medical supplies. The British Doctor maintains most excellent relations with the German Doctor.

The British Medical Personnel theoretically has the right to 3 walks of 2 hours each week. In practice Captain Gorrie has only been for a walk four times in three months, accompanied by the German Doctor. The latter being very much occupied these days no longer has the leisure to go out with his English colleague. Captain Gorrie, appreciating the position, has not insisted on getting the walks to which he is entitled.

The Doctor, but not the other medical personnel, benefits by having the same food as that of the German troops in the camp. He is also allowed to send 6 letters and 8 cards a month.

We point out that the Infirmary is formed of two rooms like the other dormitories, with double-tiered wooden bunks.

To sum up, the British Doctor requests that His Majesty's Government will send vitamins to all the British camps in Germany. In his opinion it is vitamins which are most needed.

a. Religious Services In view of the absence of a chaplain, it is the Doctor who conducts the religious Service every Sunday, in a room which is too small. The 30 Catholics in the Detachment have no religious service. We saw, in Detachment No.404 (see Report below) 2 clergymen who will in future conduct religious Services for the 4 Detachments, both Anglican and Catholic Services.

b. Library The first 23 books arrived in the camp the day before our visit. They were sent to the camp six weeks previously but were immediately withdrawn in order that they should be submitted to censorship, so that it apparently took more than 5 weeks to censor these 23 books. The Camp Leader is anxious to have more books, as well as prayer books, Anglican and Catholic, and scientific reading matter. The Commandant of the Camp informed us that new consignments of books were in process of censorship at the moment.

c. Games. Amongst all the prisoners there are only 2 games of chess, 2 of draughts and 2 of halma. There are no playing cards. The canteen sells German playing cards, but the British do not buy them as they are no accustomed to the figures on them.

d. Sport They have 2 footballs and are allowed to play this game on Sunday afternoons. The sports ground is in good condition.

e. Classes, etc. As the greater number of the prisoners are at work, no classes have been organised.

They write 3 letters and 4 cards a month. The Camp Leader assures us that every man has received news from the family, though it is true that this comes very irregularly. On an average the post from Germany to England and vice-versa takes a month. There were no complaints on this subject.

All the British in Stalag III D are employed in making railways, building embankments or in making roads. They all handle sand. The men of Detachment 517 leave the main camp at 7.15 a.m. and return at 5.30 p.m. They have an actual working period of 9 hours, more or less heavy toil according to the nature of their work.

We noted that the "worker's ration" consisted of about a pound of potatoes given out on return from work.

Each of these 4 Labour Detachments of Stalag III D comprise several little units, but every evening the prisoners return to the main Detachment. The majority of them are taken to work in lorries, but those who work very near the main Detachment go to work on foot.

No attempt to escape has been recorded. Prisoners punished for other reasons are sent to Detachment No.415.

The Camp Leader at the time of our visit had just returned from the town nearby, where he had been to supervise the arrival of a consignment from the Canadian Red Cross.

He had no serious complaints to make. Only the following points impressed him as being important:

1. The Censorship at Stalag III D takes much too long to censor the books sent to the camp. We noted that it had taken more than 5 weeks to censor 23 books written in England. The officer who accompanied us, and who was a member of the Administration of Stalag III D, replies that it was difficult in the existing circumstances to do it any quicker.

2. The prisoners complain of a German official (civilian) working in the offices of the Detachment. He elbows them, without hitting them, and uses insulting language to them. The officer who accompanied us will take steps in this matter.

3. Boots, socks and uniforms are requested, as well as playing cards and table games.

Detachment 517 is undoubtedly the best of the 4 Detachments visited. The prisoners themselves say it is a good camp. With the exception of the German civilian official mentioned above, they are on good terms with the Germans in the Detachment.

We emphasise very strongly the question of boots and socks, which are very necessary in Detachments where the men are employed on heavy labour.

On the whole, the British looked well, especially the Camp Police, Sergeants who have been supplied with white batons.

862 British of whom about 300 are from the Dominions, 270 are Arabs and 270 are Cypriots. All these British came from Crete, with the exception of the Medical personnel, the New Zealanders and the Arabs who were taken prisoner in Greece. Amongst these prisoners are also 2 members of the R.A.F. captured on the ground in Greece. Amongst the British are 11 New Zealanders and 2 South Africans. There are no Australians and no Canadians.

This is formed of 5 hutments of grey wood arranged fanwise. These hutments are of the usual type. Four of them are lived in and the other serves as a kitchen, store, canteen and guard room. On the whole this Detachment is overcrowded and various inconveniences arise from this lack of space. Every room houses about 30 men who have double tiered bunks and a cupboard for about every 7 men.

The prisoners state that the heating is adequate. They have two blankets per man.

The Arabs are housed in a special hutment. Only one hutment has some Arabs houses with British soldiers, but they sleep in special dormitories.

We noticed in some of the rooms some primitive scales hanging from the ceiling. These scales were made by the prisoners themselves in order to weigh their bread.

Orders are posted up in each hutment in the German, English, Arabic and Cypriot languages.

The problem here is identical with that stated for Detachment 517. They are short of clothing (each man has only one uniform) and above all are in need of boots and socks. The 80 sick and wounded treated by the 2 British doctors include 60 under treatment for wounds to their feet, due to the rigidity of the sabots and to the bands of material which they wind round their feet instead of socks.

This is the same as that for Detachment 517. It is prepared by German and British cooks.

The Mohammedans prepare their food themselves as far as it is possible for them to do so. No difficulty was mentioned on this subject. As always, the food sent by the British Red Cross is most deeply appreciated.

The usual objects which are on sale are sufficient in number. It is impossible to buy food there, which is general in all the camps. Lemonade can be bought.

The first collective consignments arrived on November 4th, 1941. The details are as follows:

Date

4.11.41

6.11.41

11.11.41

12.11.41

15.11.41

17.11.41

20.11.41

21.11.41

Quantity

860

1700

848

750

734

Cigarettes

21 (paquets)

Hospital

9 plus 4 (doctors)

This last consignment, which arrived on the day of our visit, was a gift from the Canadian Red Cross. Every man now receives a regular parcel of food every week. The Camp Leader has made a reserve of 2453 parcels of food.

Altogether 16 parcels were sent by the American Red Cross. The Canadian Red Cross has sent them about 900 parcels, including the 734 of November 1941.

No consignments of clothing or underclothing have been received by this Detachment.

a. Baths and Showers. The installation of showers is good. Each man has a shower once a week.

c. Latrines A good installation has been out of use for the past 4 weeks, the pipes having become obstructed. A primitive arrangement has replaced the official latrines, but all the prisoners complain of its smallness.

At the moment the latrines are formed of two lines of seats separated by a wooden wall. Each seat is separated from its neighbour by a little partition about 30 cm. large. The British complain of the proximity of the Arabs who use the same latrines. The doctors also have to use the same latrines. Also these latrines are set on one side and are difficult to get at from the distant hutments, especially in the dark.

The Camp Authorities estimate that the old latrines, more comfortable and better constructed according to the prisoners, should be in use again in a week or two. If this cannot be the case, the order was given in our presence to build a special little place for the two doctors of the Detachment.

About 80 patients are under treatment at the moment, for the most part suffering, as we have already said, from wounds to their feet. We also noted some cases of chills and convalescents from beri-beri.

The 2 doctors are assisted by a Sergeant and 3 members of the Medical Corps. Four other members of the Medical Corps, having refused to work in the Detachment remain unemployed and draw no pay. Two of them have their documents as members of the Medical Service. Three medical orderlies go out with the prisoners sent in the small Labour Units belonging to Detachment 404 and return to the main camp at night.

The doctors and the members of the medical personnel have the right to 2 walks a week. The doctors walk with the German doctor who is armed, as always, with his revolver. They walk in the neighbouring countryside. The members of the medical personnel walk accompanied by a German soldier, who is also armed. They form a compact group and walk for a good two hours. These walks are much appreciated by all. No promises were demanded from the members of the medical personnel before the walks.

In addition the doctors have the same food as the German soldiers, that is to say the midday meal is more plentiful in general than that of the unemployed prisoners in the camp. The special treatment meted to the medical personnel enables them to send 8 letters and 8 cards a month.

The men who are unemployed in the Detachment and also the sick and wounded complain that they only receive half-rations of food. This "half-ration" is in reality the ration of all the prisoners who do not work, in contrast to the "worker's ration". The English Doctors and the patients naturally desire that workers rations should be given to the sick and wounded.

The Infirmary has only one room with 9 beds, which is inadequate for the 80 men under treatment. The latter must therefore remain in their dormitories. Only fairly serious cases can be treated in the Infirmary and the serious cases have to be sent to the neighbouring hospital.

Medical supplies are adequate and the "medical comforts" are particularly appreciated.

The Doctors informed us that they had received their pay, for the first time since their capture, on November 11th, 1941, this being their pay for the first ten days of November. No other pay has been received for the preceding months. Also, Captain Annan, being unable to prove his rank of Captain, is only drawing the pay of a Lieutenant. The two Doctors were captured in June 1941.

Lieutenant Readman has been promoted since his captivity to a higher rank. Has he the right to the pay of his new rank?

These Doctors, who only have two old treatises on English Medicine, are anxious to have more recent books in English, especially books on surgery.

a. Religious Services. The prisoners attend the chaplains who visit them from Detachment 413. It is hoped that it may be possible to have a Chapel-room.

b. Library This already comprises 150 volumes, which is however an inadequate quantity. The prisoners ask chiefly for novels and for scientific books.

There is nothing special to note. The Camp Leader is of the opinion that the mails function as well as possible.

The British work on the construction of railway embankments. If they work, the senior N.C.Os. draw 80 Pfennigs, those below the rank of sergeant receive 70 pfennigs. The British who don't work, such as the sick for example, draw nothing. The pay of workers outside the Camp varies according to the nature of the work on which they are employed. The minimum pay is 70 pfennigs per day per man.

We would point out that the senior N.C.Os. in Detachment No. 404 allot some money from time to time to soldiers occupied on indoor work.

No attempt to escape has been reported. Cases for punishment are sent to Detachment 415.

This took place without witnesses, as well as those with the Camp Leaders in the other Detachments.

1. He emphasises the almost complete absence of socks which causes the wounds caused to the men's feet while at work.

2. The absence of good boots. Sabots are not suitable for men on heavy work. British working in particularly wet places have rubber boots.

4. He complaints that the Infirmary patients only draw a half-ration of food. We noted that this half-ration is actually equal to the normal ration of all unoccupied prisoners.

5. They are anxious to have Religious Services organised. We noted that chaplains had arrived at Detachment 413 and that they will ensure Religious Services in the 4 British Detachments.

6. They are anxious that a room suitable for use as a chapel and as an entertainment room for concerts etc., should be given them.

7. The Camp Leader submitted the following case to us: Two British soldiers stole their comrades' food. The British Camp Leader punished them by stopping their British Red Cross parcels for two weeks. Had he the right to punish them in this fashion? We relied that as thefts of food were concerned, the punishment inflicted seemed to us to be justified.

8. The camp is too small for 862 men. A sixth hutment would improve matters considerably.

9. All the British are anxious to be separated from the Arabs and the Cypriotes.

10. The Camp Leader requested the International Red Cross Committee to thank the Belgrade Red Cross which, at the time of the passing of the British through this town, brought them meat, biscuits, etc.

The Camp Authorities maintain good relations with the British prisoners, who are unanimous in recognising the fact.

Unfortunately the Camp is too small and the prisoners there are not comfortable. A new hutment should be built or, and this solution seems the most obvious, the British should be separated from the Arabs and the Cypriotes. This solution has already been advocated by the Commandant of the Detachment himself, particularly as the Arabs themselves (but not the Cypriotes) are unable to work in the winter. All the Arabs remain unoccupied in the Camp as they cannot be made to work when it is cold.

659 prisoners, all British, who came from Crete via Salonika and arrived in Germany at the end of August 1941.

These are hutments of modern construction, made of wood and lined inside with fibre pannelling. They are large and spacious, water-tight, well lit with electric light and heated with cast iron stoves. The bunks are in two tiers, the dormitories are large, well-aired and supplied with tables and benches in adequate quantities. The bunks have a mattress, pillow and two blankets.

This is adequate and conforms to the regulations, which are in good condition. The men draw the supplementary ration for heavy work. The men state that since the arrival of the British Red Cross parcels, they have enough to eat.

The men have sufficient uniforms, which are in good condition. They all have two complete sets of underclothing. A great many of them are, however, without any woollen socks, which are very necessary in winter. They have received 80 pairs of shoes, but still need more.

The usual toilet articles can be found here, as well as writing paper and smoking requisites. The men can buy unlimited quantities of lemonade and Polish cigarettes at the rate of 150 per week maximum.

The washrooms are well equipped and adequate. The men can have enough hot water. They have a hot shower weekly.

A Sports Ground is in process of construction. They play football and various games. A football is requested.

This is well-equipped and the beds have sheets. Medical treatment is given by a New Zealand Doctor and three orderlies. Six other recognised Medical Orderlies are in the camp but are not compelled to do any work.

The Doctor has received three parcels of dressings and ointments from the British Red Cross. He states that he is satisfied with the medical supplies and medicines placed at his disposal. He has observed about 55 cases of beri-beri due to the under-nourishment to which the prisoners were submitted during their sojourn in Salonika, where their diet consisted of soup and husked rice. Some of these patients still show characteristic edemas on their legs and face, accompanied by muscular pains. The doctor made an interesting experiment in this matter. He sent about half the cases which he had observed to the hospital in Berlin. These patients have not yet cured. During the same period, however, the patients who remained in the Camp Infirmary have nearly all been cured. He concludes therefore, and probably with justice, that this is thanks to the foodstuffs in the British Red Cross parcels, through which the men treated in the Camp have regained their health.

There has been no organisation so far in this respect. We saw, however, two British clergymen in the Camp who had arrived on the day of our visit. One was an Anglican and the other Catholic. These two chaplains will in future ensure religious Services in the 4 camps with British prisoners attached to Stalag III D.

The Stalag periodically sends a case of books for reading. The number of these books (about 1 volume to 8 men) is insufficient. A consignment of recreational literature in English would be very [welcome]

A very large theatre has been arranged in one of the hutments, with a stage and a piano. At the time of our visit a rehearsal was in progress. A man was playing the piano and painters were decorating the walls of the room.

The prisoners are allowed to write 2 letters and 4 cards in a month. They have been receiving the British Red Cross parcels regularly since October 20th. The quantity received to date has made it possible to give one parcel per week to each prisoner. Every man has received from this source 25 cigarettes a week.

392 British of whom 4 are Australians. There are no New Zealanders, no South Africans and no Canadians.

The hutments are the same as the others and are arranged in a square. The bunks are in two tiers. The camp is sufficiently spacious, and there are no comments to make on this subject.

The complaints here are the same as in the other Labour Detachments of Stalag III D - lack of socks and working boots.

For the last ten days, prisoners who were not working have been discontented as they have drawn only what they call the "half-ration". (We have already noted, in Detachment 404, that the "half-ration" is in reality the normal ration given to prisoners who are not working.)

The British think, however, that wounded and sick in the Infirmary have an equal right to a complete ration, that is to say to the "worker's ration". The quantity of bread distributed daily does not equal that of the civilian population which is about 322 gr. The prisoners in Detachment 415 now draw only one loaf of 2 kg for seven men, that is to say about 286 gr. per prisoner. The Commandant of the Camp informed us that this slight diminution in quantities was due to the fact that the Detachment is dependent on the large neighbouring town and is more difficult to provision than are the other Detachments of Stalag III D.

The usual articles can be found here in sufficient quantities. On the other hand no foodstuffs are on sale. Up to date, lemonade, the only drink in the Canteen, has been very rare. In a month each prisoner has only been able to buy himself 4 bottles. The Camp Leader is under the impression that lemonade in larger quantities is to be supplied to the Detachment. It is also possible to buy Polish cigarettes, but these are not to the liking of the British prisoners.

The first consignments from the British Red Cross arrived at the Camp at the end of October 1941. Up to date the consignments have been as follows: 393 parcels, 400 parcels, 750 parcels, making 4 consignments.

The foodstuffs are deposited in a store of which only the German Commandant has a key. The prisoners want a special store, but the Commandant says he has not sufficient space. He also thinks that if the food was left entirely at the disposal of the prisoners, the distribution would not be properly controlled. He further says that he has been able to give the men a recreation room - it would be a pity to turn this room into a foodstore!

The Commandant of the Camp has also decided not to give more than one tin of conserves per man per day. The other provisions in the parcels are all delivered the same day. Owing to this limitation in distribution of the tins of conserves, the prisoners do not get their parcel once a week but only about 1 parcel every 10 days. This limitation to one tin of conserves per man per day greatly astonished us, but the Commandant replied that the measure has been taken at the request of the Camp Leader himself. As the latter was at work at the time of our visit, it was impossible to talk to him. The prisoners, however, were unanimous in deploring this arrangement.

a. Baths and Showers. There is a good installation of showers. Each prisoner can have a regular hot shower every week.

c. Vermin Practically non-existent. Disinfection of all 4 Detachments is done at Stalag III D. Contrary to what has happened at Stalag III E, the British here have not been forced to have their heads shaved at the time of disinfection.

d. Infirmary The Camp Doctor is an Indian from the Punjab. His name is Lieutenant Rana Waly Mohammed Khan, No.8799, Matricule 1890. The Doctor is assisted by 5 medical orderlies, of whom 2 are not yet recognised as members of the Medical Corps.

The Infirmary consists of 2 rooms, one of which is perfectly equipped. We specially noted very good white beds. This room is reserved for the most serious cases. The second room is the same as the prisoners' dormitories, with double-tiered bunks. The Infirmary is light and clean and is the best of all those we saw in Stalag III D. Seventeen patients were under treatment at the time of our visit, mostly suffering from chills and from wounded feet. The Indian doctor seemed unaware of the existence of a disease called beri-beri. According, however, to the symptoms described, several cases of beri-beri have certainly existed. For the past month the edemas have greatly improved. The cases of beri-beri notified in the 4 Detachments are the result of the time the prisoners spent in Greece, especially in Salonica. It seems certain that since the arrival of the food from the British and Canadian Red Cross, the convalescence of these cases of malnutrition has been greatly accelerated.

There are adequate medical supplies. The Indian doctor particularly stresses the excellence of such preparations as "Furunkulin" and "Dextropur". Some preparations of liver also seem to have hastened the cure of avitaminosis B. The Doctor only had one diet at his disposal, the diet called "sago". He has no milk.

As to the treatment meted to members of the Medical Service, it gives rise to no comment. The Doctor and the members of the medical personnel have the right of several weekly walks. They go out together, either in little groups according to the friendships and tastes of the prisoners, accompanied by a German soldier armed with a pistol. They have the right to these walks lasting three hours.

Their food is identical with that of the prisoners who do not work. They have the right to send 8 cards and 6 letters, while the other prisoners send 2 letters and 4 cards per month.

1. Religious Services We noted that Anglican and Roman Catholic Services were regularly held.

b. Library The prisoners have about 100 varied books in English. They ask for more, especially novels, and for some German grammars.

c. Games There is a great shortage of all kinds of games. They have no card games at all.

d. Sport The British in this Detachment have no Sports Ground. It is therefore impossible for them to play football. The Camp Leader of Detachment 517, who visits all the 4 Detachments of Stalag III D, has already approached the International Red Cross Committee on this matter.

The prisoners are allowed to write 2 letters and 4 cards per month. There are no complaints on this subject.

Like the other 3 Detachments of Stalag III D, the British are engaged in road making and in work on the railway line. Their timetable is identical with that of Detachment 517.

The senior N.C.Os. in the Camp draw 80 pfennigs a day, the N.C.Os. below the rank of Sergeant and the soldiers draw 70 pfennigs a day. The workers draw a minimum of 70 pfennigs.

It is to this Detachment that British who are obstreperous (indiscipline) are sent from Stalag III D. We did not know this until after our visit, so that we were not able to check up on their treatment. There were actually only about a dozen punishment cases in the camp. The detention cells are in good condition.

3. The British Red Cross foodstuffs being locked in a store of which only the Commandant has a key.

4. Limitation in the distribution of this food to one tin per man per day, which means that they do not get one parcel per week per man as is the case everywhere else.

6. The impossibility of playing games, firstly for the lack of a sports ground and secondly for the lack of balls, etc.

7. Lastly, and this is the great weakness of this camp, it is very badly heated. We visited this Detachment about 5 p.m. For the most part the rooms were very cold, whereas in the other Detachments there was a comfortable warmth. Only one small bucket of coal is delivered per dormitory, which means about 7 or 8 Kg. of coal per day, an allowance which is completely insufficient.

The Commandant of the Camp is of the opinion that as the prisoners only come back to the Camp at the end of the afternoon, he is entitled to economise in coal. We noted, however, that at 5 p.m. which was about half-an-hour before the return of the prisoners to the Detachment, the majority of the dormitories were still cold.

To sum up, we draw attention to the fact that the prisoners have succeeded in forming a "camp fund" of a total of 328 marks. This sum will serve to buy games, of which a list was given to the Commandant of the Camp.

Detachment 415 is obviously very much badly organised that the three other British Detachments. It is not, however a punishment camp, since there were only about a dozen disciplinary cases there. One must blame partly the employer, partly the large neighbouring town, the resources of which are limited, and one must blame also the severity of the Commandant.

It would be easy, to our mind, to improve this Detachment and to make it the same as the three others.

This Lazaret has been installed in a one-time school in a park. It has no patients except prisoners of war.

The one-time classrooms serve now as operating theatre, wards, consulting rooms, kitchens, etc.

On the day of our visit there were 253 patients, of whom 165 were British, 180 French and 8 Yugoslavs.

The patients' beds are provided with palliasses, sheets, pillows and 2 woollen coverings. The less serious cases sleep on double-tiered wooden bunks. Each room has from 14 to 22 patients. For the most part they are overcrowded and often the beds are touching one another. According to the French doctor, the strength of the Lazaret should be even larger in the spring. The straw in the palliasses has not been changed for a year, and they are very hard, the patients complaining of their discomfort.

Although this Lazaret has central heating, the rooms are badly heated and the patients are lucky to have two woollen coverlets. We felt for ourselves the low temperature of these rooms.

According to the doctors, the food is insufficient and it is difficult to build up the strength of the patients. A diet kitchen enables the preparation of flaked oats and of semolina. Full cream milk and white bread can be given to the patients. The Doctors and the members of the medical personnel can cook the foodstuffs which they receive in their parcels on little stoves.

Each patient receives on his arrival some white linen pyjamas. Their uniforms are sent to the delousing stations and are then stored. The bedlinen of those patients who are seriously ill is changed every week or two or three times a month, that of the less serious cases being changed every 4 or 6 weeks.

The prisoners can buy beer, lemonade, cigarettes and the usual toilet articles there. The profits are divided amongst them. The canteen does not sell any food.

There is a delousing station at the Lazaret. Every patient can have a hot shower every week. The toilet installations are well arranged. There is adequate hot and cold running water.

A large Sports Ground is at the disposal of the prisoners, who do not actually use it at the moment.

The Lazaret has Septic and Asceptic Operating Theatres, which are both run in rather a primitive fashion. The Doctor tells us, however, that the results of the operations are always excellent. He chiefly operates on cases of appendicitis, hernia, etc.

The Medical Section has the greatest number of patients in the Lazaret. The Oto-rhino-laryngological Section is very good.

There is no special section for the tubercular cases nor for the cases of infectious illness, because such cases are sent to the Reservelazarett No.119. The Dispensary is well arranged and has nearly all the necessary medical supplies. Two British medical orderlies assist the French Doctor.

The Medical Section has patients suffering from digestive troubles, nephritis, rheumatism, etc. In particular five British prisoners have developed nephritis with edemas, hypertension and albuminuria. This nephritis is called "Captivity Nephritis".

The British prisoners have no books or games, and would be very glad to have some. The last cinematographic performance was given four weeks before our visit.

This question is in order. Parcels arrive regularly and are controlled by the French Camp Leader. It is only the British who still receive nothing. It is desirable that the British Red Cross should send parcels regularly to this Lazaret for about 70 men. Many British prisoners have had no news of their families and the Camp Leader has sent a list of them to the International Red Cross Committee.

He is anxious that the straw in the palliasses should be changed more often, which has already been the promise for some months.

This Lazaret has been installed in a one-time school and is composed of a large building on three floors. The kitchens, post rooms and German Administration offices have been arranged on the entresol. The patients' wards are spread over the other three floors.

At the time of our visit there were 316 patients, of whom 90 were British. The Lazaret can take 450 patients. The majority of the British prisoners came from Greece and Crete.

All the patients' wards are large and light, and give a very favourable impression. There are about 14 to 20 men to a ward and the patients sleep on spring mattresses, with mattresses, two sheets, pillow and either two or three woollen blankets. All these wards are provided with central heating and are chiefly lit by electricity.

According to the Camp Leader, the food is well prepared but rather insufficient in quantity. The convalescents desire above all things to get back to their Labour Detachments where they get more to eat. The kitchen is run by French prisoners and is very well managed. At the time of our visit, the meal consisted of rice, potatoes and beef. We saw its good quality for ourselves.

In addition to the ordinary rations, the Doctor can order special diets without difficulty, and diets without salt, or vegetarian diets, as well as full cream milk. In addition each floor has a small kitchen with a gas stove which functions constantly and on which the prisoners can prepare the food which they receive in their parcels.

Every prisoner on entering the Lazaret, and after having bathed and shaved, receives a hospital garment consisting of trousers and vest, then two woollen blankets, a pillow, a pair of socks, felt slippers and complete table equipment. Their uniforms are taken away to be disinfected and are then stored. The prisoners' bedlinen is changed every week and if need arises it is changed every day.

The prisoners can state their wishes to the German Quartermaster who buys the things they desire in the town. They can thus obtain beer, lemonade, toilet articles, etc. The money not spent is placed to the prisoners account and the account books are controlled by the Camp Leader.

On every floor of the building there is an installation of showers and baths. Patients can bath themselves at will. All the toilet installations, as well as the lavatories, are extremely clean.

The Lazaret has septic and asceptic Operating Theatres, both very well arranged, and in which major operations can be performed, such as gastric and intestinal surgery. According to the French surgeon there are sufficient instruments to perform the majority of any operations necessary, On the whole the results of operations have been very satisfactory and cases of infection supervening have been very rare.

In addition to a Medical Section, the Lazaret also has sections for infectious, tuberculosis, dermatology, urology and ophthalmology. All these departments are directed by a French medical specialist.

The Dispensary is very well equipped and also has a large store where medical supplies and dressings are stored.

The prisoners are attended by 8 French doctors, 18 French medical orderlies and 16 British medical orderlies.

The Surgical Section principally consists of patients recently operated on for appendicitis, hernia, hydrocele, fractures, phlegmon, etc. Prisoners who are not seriously ill, as well as those who are shortly to leave the Lazaret, are grouped together. They state that they are satisfied with their quarters and with the treatment received.

The Medical Section has several cases of pleurisy, rheumatism, and people suffering from digestive troubles. The Infections section had 45 cases of diphtheria, chiefly British. Thirteen of these cases are partially paralysed - arms, legs, eye muscles, "voile du palais", etc. Six patients were being treated with "Benerva", "Betaxine" and with strychnine. The doctor informed us that the majority of the diphtheria cases arrive at the Lazaret when they are already seriously ill and many of them are already paralysed when they arrive. The majority of them come from the Labour Detachments in which they have often gone for many days without seeing a doctor. The Lazaret has sufficient anti-diphtheric serum. The doctors inject an average of 20 to 100.000 units.

There were also 10 British prisoners with tuberculosis, two of whom had open tuberculosis. These patients receive a supplementary diet of 1 litre of fullercam milk per day, eggs and butter. They are given calcium and vitamin C, and they are treated with black soap according to regulations.

It is not possible to perform pneumothorax as the necessary instruments are not available. There are, moreover, 7 patients who need collapsotherapic treatment. According to the German doctor, all the tubercular cases are shortly to be evacuated to a special Lazaret. The French Doctor who directs the ophthalmological section has already given 2,200 consultations and has performed 220 operations. On the day of our visit there were 15 patients in this Department.

We were notified of 23 deaths which had taken place since the opening of the Lazaret.

English books are very rare. On the other hand they have enough playing cards and indoor games. The prisoners also have some Russian Billiards.

This conforms to the regulations in force. During 6 weeks the British have only received one parcel per man from the British Red Cross, which they greatly deplore.

The Camp Leader and the Doctors state that they are satisfied with the Lazaret. The British Camp Leader is anxious to have some books and games, but his own compatriots have none. He would be also very grateful if the British Red Cross would send parcels for about 100 men.

The members of the British Medical Personnel are anxious to have some medical books.