POW diaries - Captain Percival Lowe, item 54

• June 20, 2017 20:33:28 Annick Rodriguez

                                                              28.

  The Casemate consisted of a [insert indicated by arrow] fairly [/insert] long room (lofty) .It

  was very old & dirty , It went  going right through the

  parapet. A bar[insert] r [/insert] ed window looked out to the front

  this was glazed & verboden to be opened. The window

  & door at the rear looked on the ammunition building

  opposite perhaps 18 yards away & naturally gave little

  light.

  The boards had in some places great holes. It was I found

  the habit of one of the French officers to wash his hands

  and chuck the dirty water down the hole. ^[insert] in the floor [/insert] As chef de

  chambre I objected to this on sanitary grounds. This

  was perhaps better than another officer who appeared to

  have taken a vow never to wash till the war was 

  finished.

  The night was the most objectionable . We opened the window

  during the half hour we were allowed out. Then everything

  was hermetically closed. The smell in the room next

  morning defies description. But in this breakfast was

  served. I must confess that I often could not eat it.

  At 10 the room was ventilated & cleaned out by the

  orderly.

  We had appel when it pleased the Germans to blow a whistle

  sometimes twice a day sometimes every two days. We soon

  got to know that an appel as a rule meant something

  unpleasant.

  Here we had our first introduction to swinegeld. That is

  to say follows representing money. They were as a rule

  little tin circles  which could have been easily forged.

  The Belgian in the room was a gentleman who had ridden at

  Olympia.  spoke good English , & was a good sort.

  
  

  
  

  
  

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