POW diaries - Captain Percival Lowe, item 17

• June 17, 2017 17:49:52 L G

                                                                   6.

  Each troop train was decorated with branches of trees. The

  engines and carriages were labelled in chalk "Nach London" or

  "Nach Paris."

  We travelled in a 3rd.. class carriage, & in doing so were lucky, as many

  prisoners had only cattle trucks. All the night we spent slumbring

  about Belgium stations, & Calculating on our rate of progress we

  thought next night would see us near Holland. We proposed to

  attack the guard and bolt. Next day however unfortunately our speed rate of

  progress was much quicker; and we soon crossed the German

  frontier & reached Cologne. The only bit of food I received , was

  a piece of raw bacon presented to me by the escourt. At

  Cologne the Red Cross people were busy with soup etc. But when

  the guard asked for some, for us, it was "not for the English"

  & the response "but they are wounded"- did not soften the hearts

  of these amazons. The French officers (and they were unwounded)

  were at once fed. In the end we ^[insert] did [/insert] get some soup, which was

  first spat in, also wounds were dressed, by whose good graces

  I do not know.  X [insert] Certainly not the red cross [/insert] During the night, when on our journey again,

  the guard brought us a glass of beer a head at some wayside

  station. Either they were ashamed of our treatment at Cologne

  or it was a mistake. But in any case we got the beer.

  Mid-day found us at Padeborn where we were separated from

  the men. Here we were allowed to go to the restaurant & buy

  ourselves lunch. We also travaelled  from  Hhere to Halle in

  a IInd class carriage. I think the Railway Staff Officer here

  must have been somewhat more of a white man. Of the journey

  to Halle I have little memory. Previously one could not even

  stretch one's legs. Sleep had been out of the question. Now

  tired nature asserted herself.

  On the 27th.. Sept we arrived at Halle. A short month before

  
  

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• June 17, 2017 17:24:57 Annick Rodriguez

                                                                   6.

  Each troop train was decorated with branches of trees. The

  engines and carriages were labelled in chalk "Nach London" or

  "Nach Paris."

  We travelled in a 3rd.. class carriage, & in doing so were lucky, as many

  prisoners had only cattle trucks. All the night we spent slumbring

  about Belgium stations, & Calculating on our rate of progress we

  thought next night would see us near Holland. We proposed to

  attack the guard and bolt. Next day however unfortunately our speed rate of

  progress was much quicker; and we soon crossed the German

  frontier & reached Cologne. The only bit of food  I received , was

  a piece of raw bacon presented to me by the escourt. At

  Cologne the Red Cross people were busy with soup etc. But when

  the guard asked for some, for us, it was "not for the English"

  and the response "but they are wounded"- did not soften the hearts

  of these amazons. The French officers (and they were unwounded)

  were at once fed. In the end we ^[insert] did [/insert] get some soup, which was

  first spat etc, also wounds were opened, by where good graces

  I do not know.  X [insert] Certainly not the red cross [/insert] During the night, when on our journey again,

  the guard brought us a glass of beer ahead at some wayside

  station. Either they were ashamed of our treatment at Cologne

  or it was a mistake. But in any case we got the beer.

  Mid-day found us at Padeborn when we were separated from

  the men. Here we were allowed to go to the restaurant & buy

  ourselves lunch. We also travaelled  from  Hhere to Halle in

  a IInd class carriage. I think the Railway Staff Officer here

  must have been somewhat more of a white man. Of the journey

  to Halle I have little memory. Previously one could not even

  stretch one's legs. Sleep had been out of the question. Now

  tired nature asserted herself.

  On the 27th.. Sept we arrived at Halle. A short month before

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• June 17, 2017 17:24:36 Annick Rodriguez

                                                                   6.

  Each troop train was decorated with branches of trees. The

  engines and carriages were labelled in chalk "Nach London" or

  "Nach Paris."

  We travelled in a 3rd.. class carriage, & in doing so were lucky, as many

  prisoners had only cattle trucks. All the night we spent slumbring

  about Belgium stations, & Calculating on our rate of progress we

  thought next night would see us near Holland. We proposed to

  attack the guard and bolt. Next day however unfortunately our speed rate of

  progress was much quicker; and we soon crossed the German

  frontier & reached Cologne. The only bit of food  I received , was

  a piece of raw bacon presented to me by the escourt. At

  Cologne the Red Cross people were busy with soup etc. But when

  the guard asked for some, for us, it was "not for the English"

  and the response "but they are wounded"- did not soften the hearts

  of these amazons. The French officers (and they were unwounded)

  were at once fed. In the end we ^[insert] did [/insert] get some soup, which was

  first spat etc, also wounds were opened, by where good graces

  I do not know.  X [insert] Certainly not the red cross [/insert] During the night, when on our journey again,

  the guard brought us a glass of beer ahead at some wayside

  station. Either they were ashamed of our treatment at Cologne

  or it was a mistake. But in any case we got the beer.

  Mid-day found us at Padeborn when we were separated from

  the men. Here we were allowed to go to the restaurant & buy

  ourselves lunch. We also travaelled  from  Hhere to Halle in

  a IInd class carriage. I think the Railway Staff Officer here

  must have been somewhat more of a white man. Of the journey

  to Halle I have little memory. Previously one could not even

  stretch one's legs. Sleep had been out of the question. Now

  tired nature asserted herself.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  • Revert to this revision
  • Show revision
  • Compare to current version
  • Compare to previous version
• June 17, 2017 17:07:25 Annick Rodriguez

                                                                   6.

  Each troop train was decorated with branches of trees. The

  engines and carriages were labelled in chalk "Nach London" or

  "Nach Paris."

  We travelled in a 3rd.. class carriage, & in doing so were lucky, as many

  prisoners had only cattle trucks. All the night we spent slumbring

  about Belgium stations, & Calculating on our rate of progress we

  thought next night would see us near Holland. We proposed to

  attack the guard and bolt. Next day however unfortunately our speed rate of

  progress was much quicker; and we soon crossed the German

  frontier & reached Cologne. The only bit of food  I received , was

  a piece of raw bacon presented to me by the escourt. At

  Cologne the Red Cross people were busy with soup etc. But when

  the guard asked for some, for us, it was "not for the English"

  and the response "but they are wounded"- did not soften the hearts

  of these amazons. The French officers (and they were unwounded)

  were at once fed. In the end we ^[insert] did [/insert] get some soup, which was

  first spat etc, also wounds were opened, by where good graces

  I do not know.  X [insert] Certainly not the red cross [/insert] During the night, when on our journey again,

  the guard brought us a glass of beer ahead at some wayside

  station. Either they were ashamed of our treatment at Cologne

  or it was a mistake. But in any case we got the beer.

  Mid-day found us at Padeborn when we were separated from

  the men. Here we were allowed to go to the restaurant & buy

  ourselves lunch. We also travaelled  from  Hhere to Halle in

  a IInd class carriage. I think the Railway Staff Officer here

  must have

  
  

  
  

  • Revert to this revision
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• June 17, 2017 16:59:51 Annick Rodriguez

                                                                   6.

  Each troop train was decorated with branches of trees. The

  engines and carriages were labelled in chalk "Nach London" or

  "Nach Paris."

  We travelled in a 3rd.. class carriage, & in doing so were lucky, as many

  prisoners had only cattle trucks. All the night we spent slumbring

  about Belgium stations, & Calculating on our rate of progress we

  thought next night would see us near Holland. We proposed to

  attack the guard and bolt. Next day however unfortunately our speed rate of

  progress was much quicker; and we soon crossed the German

  frontier & reached Cologne. The only bit of food  I received , was

  a piece of raw bacon presented to me by the escourt. At

  Cologne the Red Cross people were busy with soup etc. But when

  
  

  
  

  • Revert to this revision
  • Show revision
  • Compare to current version
  • Compare to previous version
• June 17, 2017 16:56:23 Annick Rodriguez

                                                                   6.

  Each troop train was decorated with branches of trees. The

  engines and carriages were labelled in chalk "Nach London" or

  "Nach Paris."

  We travelled in a 3rd.. class carriage, & in doing so were lucky, as many

  prisoners had only cattle trucks. All the night we spent slumbring

  about Belgium stations, & Calculating on our rate of progress we

  thought next night would see us near Holland. We proposed to

  
  

  
  

  
  

  • Revert to this revision
  • Show revision
  • Compare to current version
  • Compare to previous version

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