72
THE YPRES TIMES
By G. H. JOHNSON.
Captured March 21 st, 19x8, at Queant, and arrived Havrincourt Wood in June.
THE last week in June we had sudden orders to vacate Havrincourt within the
hour. Fifteen minutes sufficed, as marching order consisted of walking staff,
and a blanket done in bandolier fashion with a few pots and pans tied on the
end. Jangling along we went through Graincourt, and stopped at Inchy for the
night, al fresco. We did some salvaging in the district during the week-end just
to keep our hands in, and on the Monday started off in earnest, led by the Koin-
mandant in a horse and trap. I heard him bawl Sauchy-Lestree," and off he
raced. We did not catch him up till we reached that place. On to Aubigny-au-bac,
the rail-head, where we had a day's rations given to us. As soon as this had been
disposed of we were told it was the next day's rations as well.
Entraining here we settled down for Deutschland as we thought, but had
hardly been two hours run when we had to get out. The place was St. Amand.
We were put into a large building on the outskirts of the town, on the top storey.
To reach the ground 200 steps had to be descended and retraced. Some were so
weak they slept on the stairs or stayed outside entirely. The next day was a
rest," but we only had coffee. The following day we unloaded barbed wire and
timber from barges. French, Russians, Italians and Algerian prisoners worked
with us, and the variety of languages made a babel of sound. No food was offered
while going through the streets, the inhabitants probably having learnt discretion
by that time.
From the balcony of our prison we could see orchards and vegetable fields,
but no scheming could get us by the guards.
July 2nd we left St. Amand for seven kilometres farther on (Raismes), and
were put into an old factory roofed with glass. This was to be our home for the
next three months. Coarse palliasses filled with bracken were provided, and placed
on wooden bunks ranged round the walls. Those in the under berths were made
uncomfortable by the small bits of bracken shaken down during the night.
The work was to be lumbering in the Forest of Raismes and, before com
mencing, we were warned not to do any damage, because it belonged to a German
prince. There was plenty of varietyfelling, carrying, sawing, and splitting, but
the most sought after was taking the logs on the light railway through the forest
to the mill, and back. This work was very healthy, and had we only had sufficient
food, our lot would have been considerably lightened. As it was, acorns and
bilberries were much sought for, while resin from the trees made a somewhat
tacky chewing gum. Occasionally a guard would lend us his rifle to have a shot
at squirrels but, if one was hit, don't remember seeing it.
Working in small parties of twenty, work was fairly easy, and frequent rests
allowed unless an officer happened to be within a mile. Life with the sentries was
not worth living then. We finished at 3 p.m. and returned to the billets. Soup
was ladled out, and the remainder of the day was spent in sleeping or talking on
the everlasting topic of food.
One half of the billets was occupied by French prisoners. Their soup was
issued in sections, with a corporalen charge. Our system was all to get outside
and file back through the doors, and receive a ladle fuil in passing. With 1,000 all
trying to get through at once it took a long time.
