The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1944-11-30
War Prison Camp In
Germany Described

Mrs. M. V. McWaters, Of Tchula, has
received a letter from a repatriated
American flyer, 1t. Cecil Fisher, who
was confined in the same prisoner-of-
war camp in Germany as her son, 1t.
Marcus d. McWaters.
1t. McWaters was the navigator on
plane shot down over Germany on
Jan. Goth, 1914. He is 20 years old and
mas been in the service since May, 1910.
He has been overseas since August,
1913.
Since 1t. McWaters was shot down in
January his family has received a good
many letters and cards, usually three
months old.
The letter, which follows, will be of
interest to all our readers:
October 10, 1914
Dear Friend:
| have just returned from Germany
as a repatriated prisoner of war and
am a patient at Walter Reed General
Hospital. Naturally | am eager to COM
municate with the friends and relatives
of the other American prisoners, whom
| knew while in Stalag Luft /. Many
nave written me and, before leaving
Germany, | received numbers of re-
quests from the men to communicate
with their families.
/ have resorted to this form letter
in order to write all of you promptly.
hope you will consider it as a person
al letter, for there is little more infor-
nation that could send you if l wrote
an original message in each case.
First shall tell you of camp condi-
tons. The prisoners live in wooden bar
racks-anywhere from 8 to Ia men to
a room. Sanitary conditions are favor
able. Inmates Of the barracks see to
the cleanliness of the barracks them
selves; equipment being furnished by
the Germans.
Each prisoner receives one Red Cross
food parcel per week. This is in supple
ment to the German issue of food and
assures each man of enough to eat No
one is suffering from lack OF food
Clothing and shoes are issued to each
man upon his arrival in camp. Laundry
is done by the prisoners themselves
They are required to do no work by
the Germans and anything they do Is
purely voluntary.
The Y. Nj c. A. made it possible tor
US to obtain musical instruments, sports
equipment and books. Therefore, we had
two orchestras in camp; one symphonic
the other popular music. We also had
equipment for baseball. softball, basket
ball. tennis, soccer, football and bad
minton. The library is fairly large and
contains varied types of literature. At
the chapel in the camp, both protestant
and Catholic services were held.
During my six months stay in Camp
I saw five plays produced by the pris-
oners which proved highly entertaining.
Along with plays, concerts. group sing
ing and boxing the prisoners nave
full and varied program Of recreation
Mail and packages arrived at the
Camp in good condition. Following are
some suggestions as to what TO seha
in packages: Powdered buildings. bak-
ing powder. chocolate, dehydrated
fruits and vegetables, safety pins
spices, prepared maearoni or spaghetti
dinners, prepared muffin mikes, DIS
quick, pancake flour, etc. would not
send meat since they receive plenty
through the Red Cross.
There is a stove in every room ana
coal is issued by the German authori-
ties. Although it is cold during the WIN
ter we suffered no i'll effects.
There is also a hospital at Camp IN
charge of two English doctors; one an
excellent surgeon. We were fortunate
| in having Dentist too.
Stalag Luft is without doubt one
of the best camps in Germany. II is an
Air Force Camp and they are acknowi-
edged by all to be the best. There have
/ been no atrocities committed IN TINS
camp. The treatment by the Germans
is good and fair. Since the INVASION
morale in the camp is very high ana
YOU may be assured that the boys are
thinking of home and you. The medical
care has been quite adequate and the
health of all the men was good when
left.
Very truly yours,
Cecil Fisher,
LET IT AAF