Diaries and documents of John Dominic Palandri - Part 13

August 

19

During the last few sick parades the light workers

have been asking to be sent back to their jobs because 

the toil allotted them in camp by the Kommandant

has been harder and longer than what they get

outside. To-day reached its peak - most of them were

shovelling coal and coke, or digging - one case of

anaemia almost passed out, and others could not

get in for the treatment they are being kept in camp

for, and those with ulcers were showing up with dirt

and cold coal-dust impregnating their wounds and

dressings. Those working outside the wire were

allowed neither to come in for a drink nor to take

water with them. The guards were as "browned off"

as the men, partly for their sakes and partly for

their own. The Head-of-Camp took my protest

across to the Kommandant, who went up in the air

and then calmed down.

8

August 

20

During the morning I took Smith with me on a

round of inspection of the leichte-arbeiters, and found

that, apart from two or three still working in the

coal-shed, the rest were all on light jobs, and even

the coal-heavers were very much better-off. Had

a walk with Smith this afternoon, and watched

the local inhabitants having a dip in the dam

alongside the factory on which most of our parties

are working. Gerries jubilant to-day apparently

about a division of our chaps landed at Dieppe

and, according to the local rags, were pushed off

with heavy losses. Best of all I received a bunch 

of letters - four from Glad and one from Eileen Noonan

dated between Oct 14^th & Nov. 8^th of last year and all

addressed to Kukinia - old news but acceptable,

delightful to get them, Glad telling me about herself

and the kids (Grand) Joan Cawley's daughter and

Marge Bird's son! Three new snaps - Glad and David,

David & Mark and Mark & John. She has been sending

me cigs. & books etc., she's gorgeous, but I wish she

wouldn't as they don't get here. Dick Bird's been a great

help about the house - I'll remember it. A letter from

FitzSimmons who has gained another ship - now at the

Eire Legation, waiting to start for Lisbon - Geneva receipt-form

for the cap, and request for medical information of a lad in

Camp from "Invalid Comfort Section, 14 Carlton House Tce, London S.W.1"

August  

21

1 a.m.  German N.C.O. came into Barrack and

turned everyone out, some thought it was time to get up

and were fully dressed when they came on parade, most

were half asleep. Roll was called and two men, Guyler

and Murphy found to be missing. Kommandant was

there and later supervised the mending of the hole in the

wire through which they had bolted, (opposite my window.

Stayed in bed all day to-day with a bad back, then

learned later that two more men walked off from a

working-party, when ^one straight into an A.A. post, though

the other is still at large.

This evening one of the N.C.Os came in to me and

showed me a letter from his brother telling him that

his wife had gone off, leaving his four children, one an

invalid, who are now in the care of his mother and

brother-in-law. Ghastly! Poor blighter! Thank God

I'm the last one it will happen to. Glad is sweet, and

loves the kids and me. I think I should be off my

head in his position, but he's pretty steady and is

taking it on the chin. Wish I could help him.

I think it was to-day that I paid 50M. in

advance for a set of Spalteholz in German.
August 

22

Nothing much doing to-day, checked over the lads who

had lice or eggs last week, and found that quite a few of

the old offenders had made no effort to get rid of their

eggs, one had actually hatched out a body-louse from

an unaffected egg, and one a "crab" from an egg which

had been attached to the remains of his pubic hair. Some

of these fellows are absolutely hopeless. Kommandant

has not taken any action so far against the men

reported last week.

6

August

23

Played an interesting game of chess against 

S.M. Woodfine this morning, lost of course, but it was good.

After lunch the regular four played Bridge from a little

after 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. with about ¾ hr. break.  We

were well towelled up.

Wrote two letters to Glad, and cards to Mum & Dad,

the in-laws, and the Bird's, all air-mail, and

returned to Geneva the signed receipt-form for my cap.

August 

24

Quiet day again.  Don't know how the gefangeners

of '14-'18 stuck four years of this life without going dippy

Our living conditions must be infinitively better than theirs were

but it's bloody awful for all that. Dont know what I would

not give to be with Glad again.

Arranged to do some work on German with Ellis.

August 

25

Hewitt went off to Dentist this morning, and I was still

asleep at 9.30 when Walkerden walked in to ask me a 

question about something or other.

Asked for an interview with Stabsarzt Dommels to-day to

stabilise something re medical supplies and dental treatment,

both of which are in a deplorable state. 

August 

26

Quiet day, but a bit before midnight the air-raid

alarm sounded and we made ready for a night's fun.

However, it turned out to be a lone plane, which dropped

a parachute-flare, collected some Ack-Ack, then made off

without dropping any eggs, or so the papers said.

Played bridge and were beaten.

Ellis and I put in an hour or so at German

to-day.

August 

27

Nothing to report. Did some more German, and 

played a little more Bridge (lost again), but the raid

which we were expecting to-night did not come off.

August 

28

Had a walk this afternoon, but the goat in the office

made out the paper for only one hour, which I pointed

out to the Kommandant when I came in, and he proposes

to have it fixed up. He left to-night, but wound up

by having all the lads on parade at 8.30 correctly

dressed, then had them all searched for money. Rest of

the Germans thought it a hell of a joke.

August 

29

Off to 119 this morning at 8.15, Capt Morrel checked my eyes

and wrote a script for glasses. Took the opportunity of

renewing acquaintance with everybody. Found that Duguid

has been sent off on the first leg of repatriation on account of 

age - he's 48 and a grand-dad, and that Crapon is being

transferred somewhere where he can practice his specialty as

stomatologist, and went to confession to the Padre.

Got back at about 3 p.m. and arranged for a two-hour 

walk - Commandant agreed to phone Stalag re

permission to swim as well.

IP. 5

August 

30

Fun commenced last night soon after I had finished

writing in my diary. A lone plane came over from

north to south, did the trip twice and had everything

thrown at him. From the angle at which we were

watching he seemed to be smothered in nastiness, but

he flew serenely on, though in the lights all the time,

and finally went his way. Smell a decent show

to-night. Two sections of Stanway's opposite numbers

have become our neighbours overnight, not forty yards

away, and they may turn out to be quite entertaining.

Father Scarborough turned up unexpectedly to-day,

so we had Mass and Communion. None of the old

Kommandant's rudeness and lack of taste to spoil

things either. He was no advertisment for Germany, a

rare old b____d to everyone, including his own men.

Two-hour walk with Smith to-day and watched

the youth and beauty of the place out bathing. These

dreams I have! - had very dishonourable intention on

two wenches, Glad turned up and saved me from disgracing

myself, as usual, and just as we were coming together, I

woke up - oh Hell & Damnation! Oh Glad, if I could

only be with you! I was never intended for the celibate

life. Received two books, presumably from Glad, and addressed

to Kukinia. "The Murder of Steven Kestar" and "The Man from

Madagascar". Letters to Glad, the Kids, Dad & Mum, Ines, and Geneva

re sending letters here and not to VIII B.

August 

31

Quiet day, up late and loafed most of the time.

1P

September 

1

Received a 1939 edition of Tidy's " Synopsis of Medicine"

to-day - library's improving by leaps and bounds.

Spent most of the evening sorting my letters and collecting

data for giving Geneva, through Confidence Man, an average

of the time taken by letters to reach us from home.

Three years ago Germany attacked Poland.

September 

2

Another quiet day.

September 

3

Captain Eric Cooper, dental officer of the 26^th General

came to us to-day to start work here.

Three years since Glad and I came out from

seeing "Wuthering Heights" to buy a special " Daily News"

and find that the Empire was at war.

Six years since Glad and I went to

196 Walcott St., Mt. Lawley, to begin practice.

1

September 

4

Woke this morning to find that a letter had

arrived from Glad, dated June 12^th but without a

snap. Scraps of news indicate that my letters are

not getting through very well, that Mick Connaughton

was doing Ken Cowden's practice for him while he recovered

from appendicectomy, and that Elsie Throssell was fading

away with worry about Jack, about whom no news had

been received. The kids were well except for John's being

home with a bad cold. Glad is still sending

me parcels, bless her, I wish she wouldn't, but her

letter appears a bit listless and dispirited - hope

she's quite well. Can't be much fun looking

after three lads like them on one's own, wish I

were there to give a hand. She's probably having

as bad a time as any of us.

Eric put through his first batch of dental

cases to-day, eleven of them.

4

September 

5

Must be popular with the postal authorities as

I received two more letters from Glad, dated April 31

and May 21. The first was rather queer - it told

of hearing of my shift from VIIIB to IIID, mentioned

the return of Bobby McCubbin, Frank Wallace (promoted

Lt.Col), Stan O'Brien, that  Morrie was doing very well,

that the kids were fine & David commencing to talk & that

she loved me. All that was good, but, in spite of

the face that she could not mention the names of

many of those who had returned because of lack of space,

she wrote on only one side of the page. I wonder if

there is anything worrying Glad, she's usually not so

absent-minded as that. The second letter starts by

saying that Glad had had no letter from me for four months

that she hoped I had received the snaps, and that the

kids were all sprouting, and that she would have a

photo taken of them. No more Poker, too expensive, Frank

Frank Wallace's face and patella smashed in a motor-accident 

and Glad bewailing the fact that Ralph Honner had reached

home a fortnight before, and that I had not. Frank G. was

on the air not long ago, means at least that he got there

from Salonika. Julie is in Adelaide & Jean may go soon,

and John, Mark and David want a toy A.A. gun. Glad

forgot it was my birthday when she wrote my letter - must be

something on her mind. Letters from B.R.C. enquiring re

Gunner Edwards & Fusilier Williams.

8

Sunday 

September

6

Quiet morning, Padre Bill Hurst held C of E

church parade at 10.30, and we said a word or

two to him afterwards to pass the time of day. Had

almost a full afternoon's bridge and during the

evening and afternoon, I wrote letters (2) cards to Glad,

and cards to Dad & Mum, Ines, Nell, Zia Celestina,

Liugi Palandri, and John Stefani.

The letters to Australia in this batch, and

those in the last two have been sent air-mail,

and so will all those in the future.

September 

7

Nothing of note to-day except that our neighbour,

the Ack-Ack train, left us this evening.