Frank Meyer's POW camp diary

• May 9, 2018 06:13:22 Emilie Andersen

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  1916
  

  May 6 Sat'd'y. p.  handwritten p. 18 C 3 atlas
  

  Left  hand drawn underline Munster along with a part of about 400- destination unknown. 

  Rumours of Poland and work behind the firing line making us a little uneasy.

  Met two other large parties at Munster station from Lager 1 and 3 and train

  moved off in an Easterly direction toward Minden. Travelled all day-stopped

  at latter but went on again. Night falls and finds us still on the way.

  
  

  May 7 Sunday
  

  Awoke this morning finding ourselves travelling though Berlin.

  Most awful soup of my experience is served out here but not eaten. Train starts

  again and all bowls are emptied through the window. Tasking a  circled in pen and linked to SE?  S.W. course, arrive

  at the large camp of Frankfurt. Here we get off and stay the night.

   handwritten p.18 C-C 6-7 (small Frankfurt)

  
  

  May 8- Monday.

  Officer in charge here tells us we are bound for Libau as a punishment

  because our Government is sending German prisoners to France.

  May 9 to 10th.
  

  Getting equipment and organised into companies and sections.

  May 11 - Thur.  handwritten  /p.18 B4
  

  Leave Frankfurt this morning and travel eastwards in company with 

  500 joined us at hand drawn underline Minden from that and other camps and 1,000 from Doberitz.

  The latter include a number of navy men. Officer in charge seems a good sort

  and has promised to treat us as men, though mentioning that law will be strictly

  enforced. We are packed 45 in a box car and told that we shall be in for

  4 days.

  May 12 -13th
  

  Travelling through Germany, Poland (Posen) and East Prussia

  with occasional stops here and there for soup.

  May 14- Sun
  

  Awoke this morning to find train stopped and orders to get out.

  Find ourselves at a nameless little broken-down station somewhere in Russia.

  Get kits packed upend after a stop for breakfast made by travelling kitchens, 

  start off in a N.E. direction. Officer living up to his word and appearing a 

  "proper Toff" So far although a little anxious as to the outcome, are enjoying the

  novelty. After marching about 12 km, stop for the night and billet in a group

  of deserted farm buildings. Here we are met by the German doctor- a young

  fellow about 24 with the usual students cuts over his face. He is not a bad

  sort but very German.

  Speaking to some of us, he gave us news of Revolution in Dublin

  which we have already heard and the surrender of Townsend and 14,000 men.

  May 15- Mon.
  

  After marching about 10 km this morning and then  is 

  bad and soup kitchens have not arrived, decide to finish remaining 6 km and

  have soup after. 

  
  

  
  

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