|
|||
|
Date
written:
Saturday, May 5 1945.
Since I last wrote much has happened but nothing which gives
us any hope that our repatriation is near. To continue the story
following our occupation of the workshop, it requires much cleaning
and reorganising both as living quarters and as a Carpenters
shop so that it took two days before we were really settled.
We were given free rein in the Stores and we appropriated spring
beds and other bits of furniture so that we were more comfortable
than ever before in our prison life besides enjoying peace, quietness
and some privacy; we even managed to acquire a radio set which
was a great boon. About the same time as our removal was taking place a Russian repatriation Committee of about 100 arrived, including some women. At first this caused great rejoicing but it soon became known that they held out no prospect of an early return home and for the time being could only help to make us as comfortable as possible. During this period we knew from reports and actual gunfire that considerable German forces were still in the neighbourhood so that it was generally accepted that the Russians could not move us until these forces were eliminated. For the reason therefore that this was still very much an operational area, the Russians issued an order that no one was to go into the town as not only would prisoners endanger their own safety but their presence in the countryside would hamper Russian operations. In fact this order was not being strictly obeyed owing to holes in the wire but so far no untoward incidents have occurred. Monday, April 30 1945. There was very heavy gunfire in the district and we went to bed to the accompaniment of explosions to the N and E. About 11pm there was a loud banging on our front door and a guard from the main gate was there to warn us that a German attack on the camp in order to get food was imminent; consequently we were advised to return within the wire. We therefore wasted no time and while Ray and Johnny returned to our old barracks, Ted and I went to HQ in search of the facts; we learned that the Germans were no longer likely to attack but that our section was detailed to move the next morning as an advance party to prepare a big camp near Juterbog. When we got back to our old barracks all the lights were out and it was impossible to find a bed, so we retreated to the main Guard room and claimed two palliasses on the floor. This was quite comfortable and we dozed off only to be disturbed at 2am by the guards coming off duty; we were duly ejected from our temporary sleeping quarters but this was too much and we decided to return to our own beds in the workshop, Germans or not. At the gate we were stopped by fully armed Russian guards who ignored our passes and made it very clear that we would not be allowed out. Finally we got beds at Police HQ and slept until daybreak when we succeeded in getting through the wire into our own quarters feeling tired and fed up. |
|||
|
|||
|