Jack Collins P.O.W. life 1940-45 part2 (Stalag XXB )

PART 2 Jack Collins P.O.W. Life 1940-1945
3rd January 1941 — Arrived back at Stalag and met up with Tich and Roy.
10th January - Received my first Red Cross Parcel all to myself and a letter from home
25th January — Weather has been coming increasingly colder over the last 2 - 3 months . No work — pipes are frozen — so cold standing around.
26th January -spent day with Tich and paid 2marks for work done
27th January-moved off in cattle trucks very cold were given 3rd of a loaf and soup
28th January -Had a good meal of potatoes and cabbage worst billet in camp.Very cold.
29th January -.Managed to buy 5 loaves from the canteen.No work yet problem getting water as pipes are frozen.
30th January.-Got more rolls wish I had more money. Sun is quite warm.
31st January- bought more buns,still no work,did some washing.
1st February- More buns had rest given from George’s parcel. Broke piece from front tooth hope I get back in time to have it filled.
2nd February -lazed about all day and made bread pudding .
3rd February - More Red Cross parcels non for me.
5th February - more buns again to-morrow last day for buns no money left.
6th February -Hurray 15 letters including 3 photographs. Read book.
10th February — Started to thaw — What a mess everywhere is. Read ‘Vintage Murder’.
18th February —Got more sugar to-day made another bread pudding still no work yet.
19th February-Snowing again played Lexican.
20th February-Played Monopoly all day starting work on Monday.
25th February —Received parcel of 6 Penguin books from home.
27th February-Still managing with a few buns lots of the lads broke now, still we’ll be working again shortly.
28th February-We had oats with sugar for dinner.
3rd March — No soap left even the Gerry’s don’t have any.
5th March- no mail since last Tuesday.
6th March-More letters latest date December 26th.
7th Mar — 900 Red Cross Parcels arrived. Penguin books censored only 7 left now.
11th March — Working on the roads place called Swaroschin-something to do at last.Very windy.
14th March-sprained thumb on the skips and had sausages at night.
15th March-On hammering earth down with Topper(Harold Brown).
16th March-Made Yorkshire pudding and custard both turned out well, got extra bread for tea.
25th March- Out shovelling snow
26th March —Letter form home.
2nd April —No food.no work.
8th April - Moved to Troop rotten camp only good thing is beds.
10th April- Now 145 in camp sometimes given extra soup at night.
11th April - (Good Fri)-.Burnt old clogs and issued with new pair like boots.
17th April —Bought 50pfennigs worth of saccarins from Marienburg.
21st |April- Very cold day- very few lice now.
23rd April-Its now one year since leaving England seems like a century. Its a horrible camp.
26th April-Received 6 letters to-day.
28th April- Raining quite heavily wash house finished at last.German soldiers said it is the coldest winter for 35 years.
6th May —Broke glasses in the middle good job I still have army issue ones.
13th May-Received letter from Mam dated Jan 20th.
14th May-Lot of propaganda about Hess going to England
16th May -At last received clothing parcel but January’s not November’s hope the next one doesn’t get lost.
19th May -Working in sand quarry good job.
23rd May- One year since being taken prisoner seems like a century.
24th May- Received 1Red Cross parcel between 2 of us all tins had been opened (the lousy Gerry’s).
25th May-Ate all the food stuff from parcel feel full for once.
26th May-Started new job.
2nd June-Day off lazed about all day,wonder how long now weeks,months years?
8th June-This has been the most awful week of my life I pray God they aren’t worrying about receiving no word at home.
9th June-21to-day hope I shall be home before I’m 22.
!0th June —Issued with 3 more Red Cross parcels and 50 cigarettes must be because I’m 21.
13th June —Flogged coffee for bread and eggs to-day.
20th June birthday card from Gwen
23rd June-The answer to our prayers-Russia is in the war.
24th Russian planes bombed Elbing.
26th June - Last day at Stalag moving ?where.
30th June - Issued new pair socks no move yet, end of another week, hope Russia comes before long.
4th July- Moved 60 km to new camp, Meuve in Poland. About another 100 English have been here for 2 months making new roads.
9th July- Ripped jacket up in the hope of getting a new one.
14th July — Not too bad a week had potatoes for meals all week.
20th July- Measured for new clothes.
23rd July —Had Red Cross enquiry about Gribben, he was one of the lads killed when we were taken prisoner.
26th July- Brought back from work by Gestapo they wanted to know about selling shovels to the Poles for food. Of course we knew nothing about this as we were prisoners of war and were guarded all the time so how could we possibly sell shovels. After interrogating the guards who substansciated our story the charge was dropped. However we had been doing exactly this in exchange for food when the guards wandered away for 1-2 hours leaving us to do as we wanted. If they had stated this they would also have been in trouble so they had to say they guarded us all the time and it would be impossible for any trading to take place
27th July - Issued with Red Cross parcel and new pyjama’s. This camp has a committee for complaints and suggestions.
1st August- Got gramophone at camp and 12 records.’Tiger Rag’etc. Moved beds sleeping next to Jimmy and ?Barber now, both good lads.
2nd August —pair of slippers form Red Cross parcel.
7th August Jimmy(?Darrant), Ginger and all the guitar band moved to different place sorry to loose them.
12th August- heavy bombing in the area last night.
19th August —Going back to Marienburg to-morrow.
21st August-Got 100 records for the gramophone and lots of canteen goods.
24th August —Another week over thank goodness Red Cross comes regularly now.
25th August — Finished about 7pm plenty of grub through swapping cigarettes etc.
31st August — Worked on barges on early shift air-raid siren during the night.
1st September — Easy work on barges issued with 50 cigarretttes.
7th September — Quite an eventful week for a kriegsgefangener.
8th September — Got word we are moving shortly. Russian prisoners are coming.
10th September — Got new glasses to-day.
14th September — Lived better during these past 2 months.
19th September — Stayed in Stalag going away to-morrow leaving Darky Laurence behind sorry to loose him.
20th September — Walked to station then on truck to Dakau and then on cart to Rodau this is a farm where we were sent to work.
21st September — Good food but terrible billets, and washing facilities.
24th September — Can walk down to village for water with no guard.
25th September — Continuing to dig potatoes grub not too bad working with about 12 girls.
1st October — Red cross parcels up one for ‘Lofty’(Reg Ayers),we met for the first time on this job,also Topper(Harold Brown) and Geoff Hall.
7th October - According to propaganda Russians are being defeated.
9th October — Received 6 books from Grannie
19th October - Rained most of this week- wrists are sore.
22nd October — Stalag clothing came got boots , not much good —old.
23rd October — Letter from Red Cross thanking me for information about Gribben.
26th October — Another week over and pulling up sugarbeet.
29th October — Turning colder — letters up from home.
1st November - Got some new braces — first fall of snow.
7th November — Threshing in the morning terrible job. Shame young girls have to work so hard out here.
26th November — Put on a charges called one of the chefs a Jew.
3rd December — Plenty of snow to-day .
9th December — Heard America and Japan are in war.
10th December — Threshing - first day.
14th December — Red Cross parcel — lost 40 marks at pontoon.
15th December — Sold lighter and won 30 marks.

17th December - Month’s issue of parcels also bulk supply of soap and butter.
21st December - Issued with cigarettes and cake. Life quite passable these days.
23rd December — Cold set in and snowing , looks like we’ll have a white Christmas after all.
24th December — Finished work at 12md — issued with parcel and medical parcel.
25th December — Holiday lots of beer and pudding made from bread.
27th December - Threshing again — now 2ft of snow.
28th December — Pretty good week.
30th December — Snow clearing — 6ft high — very cold.
31st December — Grand day received October clothing parcel, it’s the best ever everything I needed.
Another year nearer home Thank God it went quicker.

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