Diary of George William Edward Clark, January 1941 - September 1942 - Part 7

JULY EDLING -1941

22 TUESDAY

Up at 5.30. ¼ loaf of bread last night. The C.S.M.
is getting 'fags' at end of week
560 

300 marks worth 3.75 per man. Is going to write
personally to Red Cross for cards! Had good sleep.
Coffee had milk in it! ½ loaf bread. Fall in
for work 6-40. Warm morning. Lunch: Spuds
lettuce dipped in vinegar gravy. Changed jobs
in afternoon! Was sick in morning. Easier
now. Tea: Spuds & gravy. Hot shower!
Very welcome. Speed barber after, In bed 10 P.M.
£45-0-10
23 WEDNESDAY 
561
Same routine in morning. But did not go
to work. Went to German Hospital to be deloused!
All back in camp in time for lunch. Started work
1-45. Lunch: Spuds in gravy. Afternoon went
very quick. Tea: Spuds in gravy or soup again
Thunderstorm after tea and shower of rain.
Have not been so clean in months! 2
showers in two days. Had shave! The C.S.M
likes clean boots, and wash before meals.
SICK PARADE - HOSPITAL - OPERATION
ACUTE APPENDICITIS
1941 - July
EDLING
562
24 THURSDAY 
Usual morning routine! The milk in the coffee is
good! Thunderstorm at 7.30 last night, right
on check parade Time. Lunch: Spuds &
soup. Back to work in the wars, slipped
& hurt knee, took a lump off my thumb. Don't
feel so ^good Felt worse after getting back to camp.
Did not have any tea. M.O. gave me No.9. Went
to sleep dressed. Sick parade for me in morning.
[*Stomach ache.*]
25 FRIDAY
563
Do not feel good at all. Did not go to work
Went down to hospital, examined by French
surgeons 9.30 Was operated on for appendicitis
and had come out of ether at 4-30!!! Didn't
waste any time! Feel very good now! In
a ward with French men & Yugoslavs. All
appendix cases. I did not vomit at all after
the operation. At 7 P.M. had no meals
since yesterday lunch time [*SERB. Surgeon.*]

HOSPITAL - STALAG XVIII B SPITTAL
JULY  - 1941
564
26 SATURDAY
Did not sleep at all last night. The bandage
is very tight and hurts. All my stuff is back
in camp. Did not think I would be staying
let alone be operated on. Be no more work
for a long time now. Had a cup of jerry tea in
morning 7 A.M. My gear arrived in morning
Have not checked it up yet to see if it is all
here. A bowl of warm milk at midday.
Same again at 6 P.M. The others in the ward
got 1 loaf white bread each. Butter every
day. I am a lot better than yesterday -
which should be! A Jerry came and paid
me in afternoon! Wouldn't it! 2.80 R.M.
Temperature is going up. I can't work it out as it
is in Centigrade. The flies are very bad. I will
be glad to get something to eat. Very warm, I was
Sweating all day. Had a bowl of tea also in
afternoon (6 P.M.)  [*Temp 37.4 C.8]
HOSPITAL
1941 - JULY
565
27 SUNDAY
Had better night last night. Heavy thunderstorm at
middnight. Plenty of lightening. Temp down this A.M.
7.A.M. which is wake up time. Bowl of tea. The doctor
who operated comes round 3 or 4 times a day. He said
I will be getting something more solid tomorrow!
Warm milk at 12. They have no eating or serving
utensils here. All are made from tins. Had bowl of broth
3.30 P.M. Milk + coffee at 6 P.M. The Frenchmen alongside
gives me 2 lumps of sugar every day.
28 MONDAY 
566
A fair night, raining all night and until 10. Heavy
thunderclaps too! Normal morning tea. Temp. normal. A
chap (English) came in and talked for several hours.
Also unpacked my pack. Everything there except
spoon! Had pen filled by Frenchman. FLASH !-
Goering is in England!! Come on - Roll on duration!!! Bowl
of milk & milk & spaghetti for lunch, same for
tea. Am I full! Was a showery day. They tell me
I will have 'essen morgan'

JULY -1941
Have been a prisoner 3 months today.
HERE ENDETH JULY. 'AIN'T TIME FLYING'
567
29 TUESDAY 210-155
Had good sleep, aided by sleeping tablet! 3 in this ward get
operated on today. The French swear by the surgeon, a
Serb. the same that did me. Usual morning tea. The 1^st
patient was very boisterous coming out of the ether!
2^nd never a murmur. 3^rd mild. The one attendant
had a busy morning. Lunch: Milk, Choclate [[ballirs?]]
still no bread! Rumor of Turkey at war with Bulgaria!
Tea: ½ litre milk and a dixie of soup. Am I full?
568
30 WEDNESDAY
Fair sleep. usual tea. An issue of 5 tablespoonful of
sugar yesterday. Rumor of Turkey & Bulgaria pretty
strong! Also a silly rumor of US.A & JAPAN at it!
My washing was done yesterday, but is not quite
dry. Steady rain all morning until 10 A.M. Lunch:
milk & milk & oatmeal. Nothing new. I am just
normal, Temp. had been normal for 3 days
Bread! I am getting ¼ of a loaf. A French Red +
issue: ¼ tin of bully beef, jam, + 1 pt cigs. Tea: Same
as lunch.
HOSPITAL

1941   JULY & AUGUST

Better see my lawyer re. Income Tax! A lot of cash!
569
31 THURSDAY
Personal Income Tax Returns Due
Another inspection by Germans today. They just stare!
Another fair night. Had condensed milk in tea.
Red + issue. Had my bowels opened with a amema
Feel much better now. Ate all of last nights bread issue
with jam. 1/3 loaf at 11 A.M. Another 2 operations this
morning. I have overeaten - Gosh! Can't hardly breathe!
Lunch: A bowl of spuds, barley, cabbage & carrots & milk &
a bullion! Biscuits, cheese & margarine + milk & bullion for
tea! - I could not eat the bullion as I was too full!
1 AUGUST FRIDAY 

570
7 days and I am up. Went to dressing room and
had the stitches out. It is really a metal fastening which 

is unclipped and then taken out 1 at a time, only a little pain!
Feel different already! Rumor of British Red Cross parcels in!
Lunch: Spuds + gravy & 1 piece fish! Milk & Milk & macaroni
Also ¼ loaf of bread. Got up in afternoon and walked (?) down
passage & back very slowly! Was told by interpreter that my
appendix had burst & the dr gave me ½ an hour! Would
you believe it? Tea: Same as lunch. Brazil jam!

AUGUST -1941
571 

2 SATURDAY 
A good night. Raining again until 8-30 A.M. I feel
much better than this time last week! Am very
well - really! Would like something to read - anything
at all. As it is, I sleep all day - When I am not eating!
Should be in here until September! One chap in
here is supposed to get letters from France in a code.
Kitty stands for England. The last letter said
Kitty ready to move any day now!! Lets hope so!
Lunch: Milk, cabbage soup, milk & macoroni! 1 bowl
between 2! also 1/6 of a loaf! I was expecting some of
the boys from camp today! Only several cam
down that I knew from old camp. Only did 3 days
work owing to rain! Up again this afternoon for
½ hour. The boys in camp are writing their first
letter home this work! No news! Tea: Same
as lunch - Well - July has gone the way of all
previous months - Started off with hard work
and finished here in hospital -
1941 - AUGUST

HOSPITAL
SAW 3 LOCOS. 2-12-0 CLASS TODAY
ALL TOGETHER! 
3 SUNDAY

572
A beautiful morning & day. Feeling pretty good now!
My Temp is regular 36.4C. Lunch: Milk, rice & cocoa
soup. All good! Rumor of Admiral Raider German
Naval C in C, missing! Following Italy's tragic
collapse last December? Up again Today - very warm
Tea: Same as lunch - no soup. Several spoonsful of condensed
milk in rice. Had another dressing this morning -
I have been fearing having out drained - but not now.
A lot of
swallows

flying about!
4 MONDAY

573
Another good day. Two less in the room now. I may
go out tomorrow to another room! Up nearly all
day. No news. Flies very bad for a hospital!
Lunch: Milk, milk & macaroni & soup. ¼ loaf bread
Would like to see an English newspaper! Am
sick of seeing German & Franco German camp
papers! Mention of Bessarabia in today camp
paper! Tea: Same as lunch! Heavy rain 6 P.M.

AUGUST -1941
TASTED SOME AUSTRIAN BEER! ONLY MOUTHFUL
NOT BAD!
5 TUESDAY
574 
A fine morning after rain. Another two operations from
this room. Up for a while, not so hot! A miserable
lot of Huns on guard here! As old as the hills & badly
clothed. They must be hard up for men! Lunch: Milk,
barley & cabbage soup, porridge with 1/3 tin of condensed 
milk! I am full up!!! Phew! A warm day. No news
French can't get cigs from home now! Saw American
Red Cross parcels for prisoners of war!
Did not state French or English. Tea: Same as lunch.
£48-17-10
6 WEDNESDAY
575
What an awful morning! Wind & rain! Still raining
at 11 A.M. Solid too! Had good nights sleep. Had bandage
taken off this A.M. Only have sticking plaster on now.
Still in this room! Lunch: Milk, soup, cocoa bullion!
Wacko! SNOW!!! Heavy falls this morning on all hills
Getting close! A cool afternoon - up for a while
to look at the snow. Met some chaps from 1^st
camp. No news! Tea: Same as lunch: Played bridge
until 10.45 P.M. just like old times!
1941   AUGUST
HOSPITAL
MUSSOLINI'S SON BRUNO KILLED IN AERO
ACCIDENT
576 
7 THURSDAY
Very sleepy this morning! Up at 9-30. Playing bridge again
Snow has nearly all gone! Had the sun on it yesterday
afternoon and was a dazzling white! Lunch: Milk,
spaghetti & beans & cabbage soup. No news. The boys in
camp got 2^nd issue of English camp paper yesterday
are going to bring them down on Saturday! Surprise -
got one of the papers in afternoon - all German 'Bull'
Tea: Same as lunch. plus jam, butter, sausage, bread,
biscuits (60) very good. -
577 

8 FRIDAY 
Nix Arbeit fur zwei Woche! 2 weeks in Hosp!
The snow has just about gone now! Cloudy days
now. Lunch: Milk, choclate & maize, barley
& piece fish! ½ loaf bread! Met a chap from
my camp & they get beer on Saturday nights! Oh
boy!! Also paid for all wet days!!! Tea: Milk,
Choclate & maize, some dates! Rations have been
good lately! No operations today, I am still
in this room. Weight 59.5 kgs 9/3 stone.
130.9 lbs.

AUGUST - 1941
GERMANS TAKE SMOLENSK.
578  
9 SATURDAY
Had some fun last night with janitors bed!
Surprise - had to move to make way for a rush
operation. I did not expect to move until Monday.
The case was a chap from my camp who strained
himself. Don't know how I get on for food now.
Had another dressing this morning. Doctor said 
it is finished now! Lunch: Milk, milk & macaroni 
& soup, as usual! A warm afternoon, papers
did xxx not come down as I thought!  Only about
8 chaps to talk to and nothing to read is pretty
boring! Huns claim 895,000 Russian prisoners!
also 13.000 tanks, 16,000 guns & 8,000 planes!!!
I think & hope it is the opposite! The 'Camp' the
German paper for English prisoners, admits that the
Germans are fighting 9 million Russians! Tea:
Milk, milk and macaroni! Getting a bit
fed up! Nothing to do. Was talking to a Frenchman
last night & had a cup of choclate & biscuits!
HOSPITAL

1941 - AUGUST
579 
10 SUNDAY 
Up at 8-30 fair sleep. May go to Wolfsberg after 3 or 4
weeks here! Definitly go to STALAG! Played bridge all
morning (10-12). Lunch: String beans & barley soup
with 1 piece of meat. Milk and oatmeal. Slept all
afternoon, nothing else to do. Tea: Milk & oatmeal
an issue of jam. Talking to only other Aussie
here, a Sergeant in the machine gunners. Went to
England. He is crippled for life. Blown up by mortar
11 MONDAY
580
Did not get to sleep until after 12 owing to sleep
in afternoon! Feel pretty good except for slight
pain in stomach when pressed in certain spot! 

Lunch: Rice & choclate & soup. Sitting in
sun in afternoon with shirt off. Still
fed up with nothing to do. Four Englishmen
got cards to write home this afternoon!
were sent up from their camp. Tea: Rice &
choclate also some biscuits - no jam!

AUGUST -1941
581  
12 TUESDAY
Usual morning. Had new dressing - slight weep in
one spot. Surprise! Got 2 cards & 2 letters to send
home! Wrote to Mum & Margaret. A fine, warm
morning! No news! Lunch: Barley & cabbage soup.
milk & Macaroni. Train that goes past here at
1 P.M. (down) and 4-40 PM (up) runs between VILLACH
& BERLIN and has a sleeper (SCHLAFENWAGON)!
Tea: Same as lunch. plus butter & extra bread. Am
eating well!
13 WEDNESDAY
582
Pouring rain until nearly lunch time. Played bridge
all morning. Lunch: Barley & cabbage soup, milk &
macaroni. No news! Sent letters to Mum &
Margaret. Lord knows when they will get home,
or how far they will travel! Rumors of 25 Divs. Germans
cut off! Also Americans landed in France & England in
Belgium! Wouldn't it! Tea: Milk & macaroni
Tea, butter & 1 piece sausage. Another 2 English
men came in this afternoon!
 HOSPITAL

1941 - AUGUST
583 

14 THURSDAY
A good night and a fine morning. I had to sweep out
the room before 8 A.M. Quite a job considering I
have done nothing for three weeks. Lunch: Milk
& oatmeal & usual soup. No further news of either
of yesterdays rumors. I had to sweep out the room
again after lunch. Had to be in room for inspection
by German doctor at 4 P.M. A lot leaving tonight for
Stalag. I go in 2 or 3 days time to WOLFSBERG! Don't waste
much time! 21 days!
15 FRIDAY  
 584
A good tea last night: extra bread, biscuits, jam, butter
milk & oatmeal and plain macaroni from the French
Red Cross. Had a good nights sleep. The morning
simply dragged. Lunch: Potatos & fish, maize & choclate,
very nice. Played Ping pong in afternoon - won
every game! Rumors that 17 German infantries
cut off. Also Huns have 10 Italian divs. fighting
with them. Must be hard up for men if true
Tea: Same as lunch! Weight - 58 kg 200 grams
 

AUGUST  - 1941

585

16 SATURDAY

A good nights sleep.  Had another dressing this

morning! Don't know when I leave, yet!
A beautiful morning, just like a mid-summer

day back home. It would be just nice to be

lying on Manly beach! Wouldn't it !!!! Lunch:
Usual barley soup, and milk and macaroni. ½
loaf bread. Played ping-pong after lunch. Move!
The sick parade from Krieseldorf and I had

to go back with them. I then had to go back

to Edling! Was I tired and sopping wet with

perspiration! Am on 'no work until 15 Sep.
The boys at 'Kriesel' will be all moving

out next week to 4 diff. camps. Are using

that camp for civilian prisoners! Edling is

the same except we are all in 4 rooms instead

of 5. Had some beer! Although the beer ran
out & lemonade too.  Things are very easy

here. I am to just potter around the camp.
1941 - AUGUST

EDLING

586
17 SUNDAY

Had good sleep but missed sheets. Fleas bad.
Coffee & milk at -7-30. Up at 7. Nothing to do
all day.  Played contract bridge in morning.

Lunch: Bowl of soup - bowl of spuds, roast pork
gravy & beetroot! Wonderful meal! ½ loaf bread
in morning ¼ loaf in afternoon and some jam.
Some cold coffee for tea, being a Sunday. More

bridge in afternoon.  Wrote letter to Mum.
18 MONDAY

587
A fair sleep, up at 5-30 I didn't like that! Coffee with milk

5-45.  When the crowd went to work I lay down for
2 hours sleep! Lunch: Soup, spuds & gravy.  Very nice.

Did nothing all day except help do some beans

in afternoon. Tea: Soup with squares of white

bread. We got ½ loaf of brown bread in the morning

Chaps bought back rumors of Germans getting a

hiding! are supposed to have lost Smolensk that

they took last week! They claim 8,000,000 dead

Russians!

AUGUST -1941
588

19 TUESDAY 
Another good nights sleep - a few fleas - up at 5-30
usual morning coffee & bread: did nothing all
morning. Lunch: Spuds and soup like cabbage. I did
not feel very hungry, so gave it to somebody else.
Had new dressing (sticking plaster)! Tea: Spuds
boiled in jackets and a soup which was very nice
Had hot shower - very good. Two officers came
and inspected the camp. Did not say anything!
£52-14-10  
589
20 WEDNESDAY
Up at 5-45. Usual routine. Was going to hospital
but looked like rain so did not bother. It
did rain too. Some of the boys were back at 8-15
All had morning off. Lunch: Same as yesterday
Showers in afternoon. Parties were coming back
all afternoon. From 4.30 on it just fell down.
Had fire going to try and dry clothes! The
time drags a bit but I don't mind. Tea: Oatmeal.
Canteen open at night - bought lemonade.
1941 - AUGUST
EDLING
21 THURSDAY

590 
It rained nearly all night - up at 5-30 usual routine.
very foggy morning. The winter's supply of coke arriving
The day turned out fine. Lunch: Spuds and
saur Kraut. Did not eat mine. Read a book
in afternoon 'Hurricane' I saw the picture
back home. Tea: a good soup with bread
cubes.  Got very cold in afternoon. Played
snap at night won a few pfennings!
591 
22 FRIDAY 
Another good sleep! the coffee in the morning
is good. An inspection was held last night just
after tea by 2 officers. Everything O.K. Talk of
parcels from England for us. Lunch: Dumpling
made out of bread and soup. Not bad. Finished
off a monopoly board in afternoon also wrote a few
more pages to a book I am writing of my war life!
Tea: Maize (unsweetened) and coffee. Shower
night - look forward to them now!

 1ST PARCEL 
RED CROSS
AUGUST -1941
592  
23 SATURDAY
Up at 5-30. Coffee & bread as usual. Rumors
of Red Cross parcels soon. Working on
another Monopoly board! Interpreter gone to
get Red Cross parcels. They are here! Don't
know when we get them! Lunch: Spuds &
tomato gravy. ½ loaf this morning & ¼ loaf
tonight. We got the parcels at 2 P.M. 16 -
articles in each. We had to put 7 of the tins in.
We got a tin of margarine, milk powder, & jam
1 pt biscuits, tea, sugar, cocoa, etc. 100 cigs!
The 'Red Cross' have come good at last!
They are English 'Gold Flake' cigarettes. Had
some fun in the afternoon. The Russians are
supposed to be pushing the Huns back and
Canadians are supposed to be in France!
The Jerries must be getting a hiding. They
have not made any claims of advancement
in last 2 weeks. Missed out on beer again.
EDLING

1941- AUGUST
593 
24 SUNDAY
The Hun CSM was drunk last night so was a bit of
S.O.L. this morning when we had inspection at 9 A.M.
But everything was alright. Played cards in morning
Lunch: Soup with bread cubes, boiled spuds, roast port,
with gravy and lettuce. A real Sunday dinner.
Have more butter & jam & bread that I know
what to do with. More cards in evening. No.1 played
No.4. 'Tippet' great fun. Tea: an issue of jam & ¼ loaf
making ¾ loaf for day.
594 

25 MONDAY 
Usual routine, inspection 6-30. Send card to Mr.
Bennett. Nothing much in morning. Lunch: Spuds
& saurkraut. Played monopoly in afternoon.
Helped clean store room out. Lot of fleas! An
inspection by two officers. - everything right!
Tea: Soup with green peas and spuds. Spud
peeling at 7. Only took ¾ hour. Had some
fun in playing on mouth organ and singing
between 3 and 4 rooms. Changed beds.