The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-11-17
(By Capt. Norman G. Thwaites, For
merly Of the New York World
xHy,.;tto,, fo,. Tho MZ0rldl

SCau. written Tor Inc w OTlu)
suppose every soldier has consid-
cred the possibility Of being captured
by the enemy at some time or another
He has doubtless speculated upon the
4 wretchedness of being prisoner OF
war in an alien land, possibly wound
ed, receiving inevitably scant care
and inferior food, and probably fore
ed to uncongenial toll of humiliatine
kind.
The first enemy prisoner in the
present campaign that came under my
notice was a young non-commissioned
officer who, in private life, had been
q schoolmaster in Stuttgart. He was
a highly educated man of twenty
eight. His company had occupied a
ditch just outside Messines when the
Germans were endeavoring to turn a
British cavalry brigade out of that vii
lage in October, 1914.
All night the Germans had occupied
this ditch, but when, in the early
morning, a British machine gun,
brought up carefully in the dark,
opened fire, enfilading the German
cover. the company had retired. This
young soldier had crept beneath a
sort Of culvert and the daybreak &C
ton had not disturbed him. Present
ly several British ~cavalryn1en came
along the ditch, awakening the sleep
er. He grabbed his rife a second too
late and was unable to make a fight
OF 1t.
As walked him back to regfmental
headquarters we chatted. AT first sui
len, he presently thawed out when
talked to him in his own tongue.
He would give no information of him
self and CURLY refused food when /
offered him bully beef, and biscuits.
I was beginning to despair when he
suddenly broke into a torrent of pro-
family.
II would never have been taken
! armed" he said. spluttering with rage
and disgust. "Only last night I was
boasting that would never surren-
der. All our fellows had sworn new
er to be taken by the British. But
have been on night duty for a week
with practically no sleen I was ex-
hausted."
He burst into tears. I kept close
watch on him. His eyes strayed this
way and that, finally catching sight
OF my holster had used the pistol
that morning and had neglected to
fasten the flap. Surreptitiously fas-
tened it. He saw my action and smil-
ed. led the man inside the broken
down cottage that served as headquar-
tiers.
Shall I be sent to England 2" he
asked. ] nodded.
Great God! Fancy being taken by
the contemplate little armyY
Then he told me he had been fight
ing against Belgians and French, and
that his division had been promised
an easier time by being sent against
the British. He admitted that he and
his comrades had changed their opin-
ion Of the Contemplate little army
Later in the day the senior officers
interviewed the prisoner. He was a
model of respect, coming stiffly to at
tention whenever spoken to, but not q
word would he say that could be in
any way helpful to us.
That night made him sit down to
the best meal available. with a liberal
supply Of rum. His tongue loosened
considerably, but most of his remarks
were directed toward the horror of
being prisoner Of war. I realized
/ better than before the humiliation of
such a situation. and months later,
when face to face with what seemed
certain capture myself. I thought of
what he had said.
Treated Like Guests.
All this Is apropos of visit to a
German Prisoners Of War Camp in
England. On lovely afternoon in
August last I obtained special permits
sion to go over an officers prison camp
not far from London. I was to be
allowed to speak to them freely and in
their own language without the pres
ence of an interpreter. Especially I
wished to converse with certain of the
German officers who had come from
America.
The camp is situated in one Of the
prettiest counties in England. An old
country residence, surrounded by
beautiful grounds, forms the nucleus
Of the abode, but numerous wooden
huts have been built around the main
structure to accommodate additions
that arrive from time to time from
the battle front. In the main build
ing reside the senior officers. Here
8A6O dIc ulAlldIO TOOTH, dining room,
class rooms and kitchens. The place
is run on the lines Of very free and
easy school, the discipline. being en-
tirely in the hands of the senior rank
ing officer among the prisoners On
one side of the house are other class
rooms where lessons in Spanish, Eng
1ish and other languages are given.
Here, too, is a large swimming pool
and numerous hot and cold baths,
showers and douches. Close at hand
is a hut furnished and decorated as a
bar. Liquor OF their own choosing is
served to the officers at certain speci-
fed hours conforming to the rules
governing the local population. Ar
tistic souls among the detained have
decorated the walls of this establish
ment with highly colored designs,
! notices, &C., all of them fattering
to the might OF the Fatherland
Surrounding the driveway and en-
trance porch is q pretty garden with
flower beds in full bloom. A little
further away Is a large kitchen gar
den where those who are agricultur-
ally inclined may practise husbandry
to their hearts content. All the fresh
vegetables eaten in camp are supplied
from these gardens, as we'll as floral
table decorations, A large field Of
fers football ground. baseball dia-
mond and hockey ground, besides nu-
merous tennis courts of green turf. All
these attractions are surrounded by a