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Tuesday,
May 1 1945.
We were up and about early in order to prepare for the move but
before describing the extraordinary events of that day I must
mention an incident which happened to Ted the previous afternoon.
He went to the stores with a small handcart to collect some tools
and he left the cart outside the door while he talked with the
storekeeper When Ted came out after a few minutes the cart had
gone and from a bystander he discovered that an American NCO
had calmly walked off with it; Ted quickly borrowed a bike and
dashed off to the American quarters where he failed to find any
trace of the cart. On his way back he was stopped by a Russian
who dispossessed him of the cycle and so within half an hour
Ted lost both handcart and bike both of which he had borrowed
in the first place. After our disturbed night we packed as much as we could find of carpentry tools and personal kit so as to be ready for immediate departure but it was nearly midday before we were instructed to join the main party at the other end of the camp. No transport was forthcoming, although it had been promised, so we had to rush around for another handcart in order to get all the packing cases to the main gate. There we found that there was only transport for equipment and that personnel had to march so the four of us decided to take our handcart and tag onto the rear of the party. We made our way through woods and sand flats for a few miles until we reached the main Berlin-Dresden railway line after which we walked along the track to our destination. We had no Russian guards and were led by a member of our Reconnaissance Section who had done the journey previously. After being cooped up for so long it was a very pleasant walk with evidence here and there of recent battles but no damage was seen to country dwellings or to the railway line. All the houses displayed white or red flags and many had notices written in Russian on the gates but very few people were seen. Everyone kept a wary eye for signs of any Germans, who were known to be scattered in disorganised bands throughout the area, but none were seen or heard. During the walk we were passed by several POW on cycles who were trying to reach the American lines across the River Elbe and numbers were leaving the camp for this purpose contrary to Russian and Allied orders. But it was understandable considering the bad living conditions and the very trying period of waiting for repatriation. At this point I should explain something of the negotiations which had occurred concerning the transfer of Allied personnel from Stalag III A to the new camp. Shortly after our liberation we were visited by a Russian General who insisted that we should move to the new camp so that we should enjoy better living conditions during our enforced stay with the Russians. This was the Adolf Hitler Youth Camp near Juterbog, reputedly a show place of Nazi Germany but the SBO demurred on the grounds that (1) it was not a recognised POW camp and therefore liable to attack by the Germans and (2) that a move might further delay our repatriation and (3) that a whole new administration would have to be set up. There the matter rested for a few days until it seemed clear that there was no sign of repatriation for some time and SBO decided to make the move. On our arrival at the camp it was obvious that its reputation as a show place was well merited as it was situated in a beautiful pinewood setting and the so-called barracks looked more like country mansions. We were directed to HQ building where a billeting party showed us a house where we were to live; the South African billeting Officer calmly told us just to look around and find beds in adjoining buildings which had been allotted to the British and Americans. These had been occupied already by civilian refugees and they resented being turned out and deprived of the beds but eventually we succeeded in obtaining real beds - what a sight these were to POW who had seen only wooden bunks without mattresses for years. Each room was for two and fitted out as well as a West End Hotel but what a shambles met our eyes as much wanton damage had been done, many fittings were smashed, equipment had been stolen, no water or electricity was available and the only food in the kitchen was potatoes. By 7pm with civilians pouring in constantly it was obvious that to move many thousands of POW into the camp was impossible and in addition it would have taken weeks to make the once beautiful camp inhabitable again. Accordingly the Works Dept unit, to which I belonged, was ordered to return to Stalag III A by lorry so once again we had to pack all our heavy Kit and load it. The small number of Russian troops in the camp were unable or unwilling to deal with the horde of refugees who became increasingly menacing towards the few British and Americans left to guard valuable equipment. After we left, serious trouble developed during which it became clear that many civilians were armed and determined to loot and damage as much as possible; their attitude was 'Germany has destroyed our country, now it is our turn'. They were mostly French, Dutch, Belgians and Italians. |
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