CONFIDENTIAL.

No.584.

BRITISH / AMERICAN

STALAG IV B MUEHLBERG.

I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

        Large barrack compound situated near Mühlberg about 40 km. south-east of Torgau in Central Germany. The British/American section consists of 42 barracks, one large kitchen barrack, six latrine barracks, one school-room with library and one concert-hall with stage for theatricals. It serves as a camp for non-working Non-Commissioned Officers and large transit-station for newly captured prisoners.

II. CAPACITY AND PRESENT PERSONNEL.

III. INTERIOR ARRANGEMENTS.

        Overcrowding in some barracks still exists. Lager-Offizier explained that it was intended to accommodate newly captured prisoners in tents. However, prisoners decided to offer to share their barracks with newcomers, thus causing overcrowding. The lighting has remained to be poor. Lack of brooms makes it difficult to maintain the interior of the barracks clean.

IV. WASHING AND BATHING FACILITIES.

        Adequate.

V. TOILET FACILITIES.

        In order except shortage of toilet-paper.

VI. FOOD AND COOKING.

        The cooking is now under the care of a British RQMS who has the sole control of the complete kitchen staffed by British personnel. It has well improved and is satisfactory.

        The Red Cross food supply remained satisfactory until the first week in September. Shipments arrived regularly and in sufficient quantity to cover the needs as reflected by the monthly indent to Geneva. However, no shipments have been received since the first week of September and prisoners draw on the reserve supplies.

        In accordance with instructions from Geneva, the issue has been reduced to one half parcel per week per man with effect from September 11th, 1944. On this rate the present stock is sufficient for three weeks' issue at the present camp's strength. Stocks of medical and invalid milk, food and diet supplement parcels are satisfactory. The quickened tempo of the war has been reflected by an increasing number of transit prisoners from the fronts. Amongst these have been many American prisoners who have shared equally in all distributions.

        Further supplies of Red Cross food is urgently needed to rebuild the reserve stocks.

VII. MEDICAL ATTENTION AND STATE OF HEALTH.

        British Medical Personnel employed:

                Major A.G.D. WHYTE, M.B.E. R.A.M.C. - Senior British Medical Officer

                Major J.Q. OCHSE, S.A.M.C.             )

                Capt. C.P.M. NEETHLING S.A.M.C. )

                Capt. J. CAMERON R.A.M.C.            ) Medical Officers

                Capt. D.A. MacPHERSON R.A.M.C.  )

                Capt. A.R. DUFF R.A.M.C.                 )

        Number of Medical Orderlies on duty: 38.

        The improved conditions at the infirmary noted at the last visit have been maintained. However, there is still no bedlinen provided for patients. The Delegate renewed this request very strongly and the acting Commandant promised to supply a limited quantity. Conditions at the lazaret are as described before.

        Numbers of sick in hospital establishments and attending ambulant for treatment are as in last report. There is however an increase in the number of cases of diphtheria. There is no improvement to report in Detaining Power's supplies of drugs and dressings.

        Supply of dentures is far short of demand. There are many edentate Non-Commissioned Officers in camp who will not receive dentures because preferential treatment is accorded to ranks going out to work-detachments.

VIII. CLOTHING.

        The equipping of the recent influx of American and British prisoners from the battle fronts, most of whom arrived in clothing specially adapted to modern warfare totally unsuitable for POW life, has exhausted the limited stocks of socks, underpants and pull-overs, and seriously depleted the supply of the non-serviceable sizes in trousers and blouses. In fact, stocks of the former were inadequate to meet the unprecedented demand and large numbers of men have been compelled to proceed on work-detachments wearing foot-cloths and underpants supplied by the Detaining Power. The position regarding battle-dress uniforms has been considerably relieved by garments re-conditioned in accordance with the salvage policy introduced to meet the anticipated difficult of supply, and this has prevented the use of clothing of foreign nationals issued by the Detaining Power.

        The issue to American prisoners of clothing supplied by the British Red Cross Society for British prisoners of war was compelled by the lack of stocks of supplies from the American Red Cross Society. (An urgent appeal for supplies of clothing for American prisoners has been telegraphed to the Committee of the International Red Cross.)

        The stock of boot repairing materials is now completely exhausted and, unless supplies are received from Geneva in the near future, it will be imperative, in view of the rapidly approaching wet weather, to adopt the costly and wasteful method of issuing new boots for those requiring repairs.

IX. LAUNDRY.

        Done by the men themselves, nothing particular to report.

X. MONEY AND PAY.

        In order.

XI. CANTEEN.

        Small canteen, poorly stocked as everywhere.

XII. RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES.

        English chaplains on duty:

                R.G. MacDOWELL, S.C.F. 2NZEF Presbyterian

                C. WILLIS, C.F.                  2NZEF Church of England

                S. DAY, C.F.                       RACD Church of England

                D. BANKES, C.F.               RACD Roman Catholic

        The staff of English chaplains has been unchanged for the past seven months, and relations with the Camp Authorities who have given complete freedom for carrying on the work have been quite cordial. Accommodation for Sunday Services for the Church of England and the Free Churches has been provided in the English theatre seating seven hundred, where now five services are held each week, and for the Roman Catholics in the French theatre seating five hundred. The Church of England and Free Church chaplains have used jointly, as a chapel, a very suitable room provided by the Camp Commandant, where classes and week day services have been held. The Roman Catholic chaplain has shared another room with the Roman Catholics of other nations.

        A large number of books have come to hand, and have been freely used by the men. Adequate supplies of hymn books, wine and wafers, have come from Geneva. Some hymn books and Testaments have been sent from here to work-detachments. Supplies of Testaments have now run out.

XIII. RECREATION AND EXERCISE.

        Football (Soccer) still remains the most popular sport in camp, but during the warmer weather, the introduction of Cricket was greatly appreciated. Besides competitive inter-barrack matches, a very interesting triangular "Test" Tournament has been played, Australia, South Africa, V. England being represented.

        Soccer and Rugby Football are as popular as ever and the standard of play in the former sport has been improved as a result of levelling the ground. Red Cross equipment has been conserved largely by the use of improvised boots and kit. League and Cup competitions have been extremely interesting. The majority of people interested in these games also have the opportunity of playing soccer occasionally.

        Volley Ball is also supported by many and Basket Ball is increasing in popularity. There are four Basket Ball Courts and a League competition has been introduced.

        Baseball, too, has become increasingly popular, especially with the newly arrived American prisoners. This game has also been played on a competitive league basis.

        Suitable weather conditions during the Summer months have allowed the holding of further very successful athletic meetings and boxing tournaments. A very high standard of physical fitness is noticeable throughout all Camp Sports.

        Table tennis, too, deserves mention and is supported by many.

XIV. MAIL.

        The mail is coming through rather irregularly and personal parcels and cigarette parcels have just started to arrive after a delay of approximately four months.

XV. WELFARE ACTIVITY.

        Education: Since last visit, the Camp School has been able to extend both its premises and its activities. The addition of two more rooms has allowed the establishment of a reading-room and reference library for private study.

        After a break of a fortnight, the school re-opened on Monday, July 24th, 1944, with a greatly enlarged register, staff and programme and a rather more exacting routine.

        The two London Matriculation Groups A and B have been working steadily for five and three months respectively, scholars in these groups will be able to matriculate in January 1945, providing their progress is kept up. The two groups use 42 hours of the school's time weekly.

        Aside from normal school activities, the lectures run by the Game Forum have become an accepted feature of camp life. Apart from a succession of Thursday evenings talks on social problems, the Forum staged with remarkable success a series of emigration discussions in which groups of specialists from the Dominions were subjected to cross-questioning by the Forum on social and economic conditions in their respective countries. Held on four Sunday afternoons in the theatre, they all drew full houses.

        Another line of welfare work is done by the Legal Section, a small body of five lawyers who advise prisoners on legal questions.

XVI. COMPLAINTS.

            The so called "Sonderbaracke" where prisoners are awaiting judicial proceedings or disciplinary punishment was the main point of complaint. Apparently there are not enough arrest-cells and prisoners spend sometimes weeks in the "Sonderbaracke", which is cut off from the rest of the camp, to serve a ten or fourteen days sentence of disciplinary punishment. A new building with arrest-cells has just been completed. It has been visited by the Delegate and found in order. Camp Authorities have informed the Delegate that forthwith the "Sonderbaracke" shall be less crowded. Prisoners in the "Sonderbaracke" are allowed their usual supply of food parcels but have restricted sports facilities.

XVII. OBSERVATIONS, INFORMATION AND IMPRESSIONS.

        1. The Delegate reports, with regret, the death of Cpl. R.M. BROWN (260639) as result of a bullet fired from a revolver at very short range, on June 21st, 1944. The instant occurred when Cpl. Brown was in a crawling attitude underneath a fence, intending to collect strawberries in a bed on the other side. No warning shot was fired. It must have been evident to the person who fired the shot from a nearby building that it was no attempt of escape. It was a fence within the compound. Swiss Legation Berlin has already reported this case.

        2. With reference to British Legation's, Bern, note No.XI/714/44 dated June 29th, 1944, the Delegate wishes to draw attention to a misunderstanding. Sgt. W.W. Massie was not killed by a low flying Ju 88 aircraft on April 30th 1944. He was injured and is doing well at present. In this case Sgt. H.D. Mallory was killed. See last report No.450, Stalag IV B Mühlberg, dated May 17th, 1944. Since last visit, the recreation field at this camp has no more been used as a target for German aircraft practising dive bombing. It is learned that the guilty pilot has been severely punished and that such exercises had not been authorised.

        3. In this camp watch dogs of the Alsatian breed patrol with sentries. These dogs are trained with a German soldier as a lure dressed in British Army uniform.

Sig.: Rudolph E. Denzler.

Foreign Office Ref. K.W.2/109.

0103/4623(P.W.2.)

Memorandum

        A letter from the Senior British Medical Officer at Stalag IV B has drawn attention to the fact that there is no British Dentist at this camp and to the desire of the prisoners there to have one.

        2. It is requested that the Swiss Legation at Berlin will approach the German authorities with a view to the early appointment of a British Dentist to this camp, suggesting, if necessary, that one should be transferred there from an Oflag which already has more than one.

FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.

31st October, 1944.