On a Bright Summer’s Day (4)
Taking the train at Lille with our guards the afternoon of August 4th, I remember before getting into the train I saw a number of British Tommy prisoners who were used by the Germans for carrying baggage, etc. I told them to keep their spirits up as we were starting a big advance.
We had a very uncomfortable journey to Karlsruhe. We rode all the way third and fourth class and subjected to many insults by train officials and German soldiers. We changed trains at a place called Saarbrucken and had to wait in a building filled with soldiers who were lying asleep all over the floor. The three of us dropped off to sleep here, and while asleep we had three loaves of bread stolen. This meant quite a bit to us as our journey was taking three days. Passing into Alsace & Lorraine we saw some very beautiful scenery. Such a contrast from Northern France which is nothing but a heap of ruins. Many a pretty little farm lay dotted along the railroad line and everything seemed so peaceful.
Arriving at Metz, we were taken into a lunch room adjoining the Station. I sold my flying gloves for five marks and bought us each some sausage and boiled string beans. This was the first thing resembling a meal I had had since my capture. We had changed trains at Metz and this had necessitated a delay of about three hours, which we spent in a little room off the main waiting room. During our short stay at Metz we were enabled to note the considerable damage done in the vicinity of the Depot by our bombing machines, and all along the line we observed numerous places that had been visited by our night flyers.
After a very tiresome journey we reached Karlsruhe on Sunday afternoon a 3pm. Leaving the Station we noticed where one wall had nearly collapsed by an explosion of one of our bombs dropped the night before, We were marched from the Station a distance of about one mile to an out of date Hotel used for an officers prison. On entering this we were put in separate rooms and for three days were all alone, living on a small ration of German black bread and soup. On the third day I was taken before an Intelligence officer who tried his best to obtain information from me. I can here state that he learned little for his trouble.
On the morning of the fourth day I received news that at 2pm I would be taken with the other officers to a camp within the city limits of Karlsruhe At 2pm we were duly marched to our new camp and on entering it our spirits rose on account of seeing so many more British officers. Here we were all searched, our flying coat, boots, goggles, etc. were taken away from us. In return I got a miserable, ill-
