A Brief Time in the Life of a British Prisoner of War (january 6 till 10).

The early pages of this battered and torn diary are filled with names, some addresses and what looks like soldiers identification numbers. I have not reproduced any these as perhaps they may still be important to someone who may wish that they be kept out of the public domain.

Before going on with my reproduction of the diary I will reproduce details of where my dad was kept prisoner;

Camp details;

Camp name / location – Thorn Podgorz.

Camp number – 20A

POW number – 14890

Rank – private

Army number – 2824029

Regiment – Seaforth

R.O. number – 16 (not sure what that refers to, perhaps something to do with the Regiment)

There is no reference to him having been in any other camps. From my recollection of dad’s stories of that time, he was in more than one camp and certainly he made references to punishment camps and ‘work’ camps. Perhaps they were all part of the same camp. There appears to be no reference, officially, of the movement of prisoners to Danzig (now Gdansk) in West Prussia. If my knowledge is correct, that area of West Prussia, if not it all, was incorporated into Poland after the war.

Thorn, or correctly, the Polish, Torun, is in North-Central Poland, to the North-West of Warsaw in the direction of Bydgoszcz.

I am told that the most detailed accounts of the lead up to and the capture of the 51^st, are contained in the official war diaries, held in the National Archives. 

Back to the diary;

On one of these early pages a badge is drawn (eight pointed star with feather atop and on bar underneath the star the words ‘Royal Sussex’). I assume the badge represents a cap badge. Under the ‘cap badge’ is a very feint name (cannot make it out).

Then; No 2979918 29/9

DG 59 PM 3300

ITALIA

These details are not my dad’s, suggesting the diary perhaps belonged to someone else before coming into his possession.

Nothing over leaf and on next page two unfinished sketches of the Seaforth Highlanders cap badge. (my father’s regiment). Then a date, 2 January and the following;

2979918

Camp SETTIMORE 11

CC 53

PM 3300

ITALIA. Thereafter a few more names and addresses, presumably fellow prisoners. Then on January 6 he has a list of what look Polish words and phrases and their English meaning. The Polish words, if that indeed is what they are, seem to be written phonetically. I can only assume these were regularly used words and phrases that would have been useful to understand and use.

January 6

Gy-Bi     sat

Uorki nu tillo-ji      sack on the wagon

W oose     wagon

Ts-o pa – tcheesh     what are you looking at

Za-ba-tch-ush     forget

Yas no      light

Aem no      dark

Fen     he

ta     she

Loo-ji     people

January 7

Ta es tish – si mars wa     you are cold

Zist tshi     are you

Nye vol nyck     pow

Wrote to Cathie and Father. Nothing interesting happened today. Played bridge in the evening, got beat.

January 8 (Page one)

Working on ice all day, Controller came. Some news of R Cross may be on the way. Terrible job on ice. Changed my socks at dinner time, got wet through. Still no mail, expecting it any day. B. was mad today, the boys were taking a rise out of him about the jobs he gets. The boss was kidding Yorky today about our activities. Played stop patience in the evening, won 2-1 (Brookie). Went to bed at 8.15.

January 9 (Page two)

Today I worked on the Ranch Loch. Pretty hard work until George gave us a hand. Was the cause of a lot of trouble today between George. (assume that meant George and him).

Still no sign of the Red Cross or ‘mail’, hope to have both this week. Inspector was away all day, Chef did the detail. Turned in at 8 o’clock. I had word from one today. Still thinking of me, roll on Saturday if not tomorrow.

January 10 (Page three)

I was off loading dung, had a good day. At night we loaded two wagons of sugar beet. There is a lot of snow been falling for the last few days. At work I got covered with snow. We had a good snow fight. Asked for a trip to Stalag this week. Guard said it might be arranged. Perhaps I will have some luck on Saturday. Things are pretty bad at present, no Red Cross no mail, but still hoping to have some soon. Going to start a book now, ‘Hash Knife Outfit’. 8.10 o’clock, going to turn in. Played stop patience, one game each.

More to follow.