Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-01-17
Stories of the War
German Prisoners at Dorchester.

For the second time within one
hundred and fifty years German SOL
diers are occupying the historic old
horse artillery barracks at Dorches-
ter, England, but while the firsts oc-
cupants, an Hanoverian regiment,
came welcomed as a guard of honor
for King George I, the fortunes of
war have made the present occupiers
the enforced guests of the British gov
eminent. Another striking instance
discovery by the German prisoners,
while excavating roads for an addition
to their camp, of the bones of French
prisoners who died in the barracks
during the Napoleonia wars.
Over three thousand German pris-
oners, now occupy the camp, and ad-
ditional huts are being built for more.
The old barracks are inadequate to
house all Of the prisoners and streets
of huts extending over both slopes of
little valley form a small town for
their accommodation. The whole camp
is surrounded by a wooden and wire
fence inside of which barb wire en-
tanglements form barrier dominated
by sentry boxes from which a squad
of guards armed with rifles overlook
every possible avenue of escape. These
sentries are the only visible evidence
of human restraint for except a few
commissioned officers assisted by four
sergeants and small squad or red
cross orderlies there is not a single
British soldier inside the compound,
For the first time since German war
prisoners have been brought to Eng
land unofficial neutrals were allowed
to inspect one of their camps and an
Associated Press correspondent was
personally conducted over the place
by the commandant, Major W. C.
Buckley, d. S. o., who not only al
lowed him to see everything in the
place but permitted him to talk freely
in private with the prisoners.
The visit was made under the worst
cold rain having flooded the lowlands
near Dorchester. The camp, located
on sloping hillsides, escaped the ac-
tual floods, but the mud Of the I'M
paved streets was. deep and sticky.
The prisoners, paid two pence an hour
paved drainage bitches which will
soon make progress about the place
much more comfortable. Several Of
the huts were leaking. but the occu-
pants. who do not care to be sepa-
rated from their units, preferred to
await their repair rather than move
into other huts in the new portion Of
the camp.
Many of the prisoners occupy the
old artillery barracks, a long row OF
ground and quarters for the men
above. The stables, well warmed By
sheet iron stoves, form primitive but
comfortable quarters, while the rooms
above, each equipped with from two
to four hunks, are the prize quarters
of the camp. The other quarters are
in long rows Of temporary wooden
huts, each housing about thirty men.
All are warmed with sheet iron
stoves, and in estimating the comfort
Of the camp this feature stands out in
the. viewpoint Of the neutral observer,
who finds the prisoners huts consid-
erably more comfortable than the av-
erage grate-heated London house.
In the old barracks are we'll equip
ped tailor and boot shops, where the
prisoners Of those trades repair the
uniforms and footwear of their COM
rades. These worlmen are paid six
shillings weekly. Many Of the pris-
oners arrive with their uniforms and
boots in wretched condition, and the
tailors and bootmakers are kept very
busy. These workers were the most
contented looking OF all the prisoners,
except the cooks and ther Kitchen
wprkers. who are also paid for their