Jack Collins P.O.W. life 1940-45 part 3 ( Stalag XXB )

PART 3 Jack Collins P.O.W. Life 1940 — 45
1st January 1942 — Day off played Housey Housey.
3rd January - Now on tree felling in the woods — bitterly cold knee deep in snow.
4th January — Worked on lime all day coat in a terrible mess — what a hell hole this is.
11th January — day off wrote letters home — won 20 marks at pontoon.
13th January Going back to Stalag — pleased we’re going back as this is a terrible place.
14th January — Bought a loaf for tobacco and a pair of boots for ¼ tea.
15th January — Got new battle dress also shirt and pants. Its ok here.
16th January — Got Serbian to do some sewing for me.
18th January — Went to church service in tent.Swing session later latest tunes from Blighty.
20th January — Pretty good week - decent billets now — let’s hope it won’t be long now.
23rd January — Went to pantomime ‘Babes in the Wood’ put on by some of the lads — really good.
25th January - Bitterly cold temp 38 below. No parade on morning.
29th January — Feel terrible got awful head cold.
1st February - Got picked for 2 hours work to-day- mustn’t have been able to dodge the line.
6th February — Jose Smithson came into camp quite a surprise to see him.
11th February — Got caught for snow shovelling down town.
16th Februeary — Moved to Rosenberg farm — billets not too bad or grub — don’t like farms.
18th February — Now dung shovelling not too bad a job — have sore eye.
22nd February — eye much better — went to Faulkenuar another farm where we met up with some of the other lads.
25th February — Norman conked out had to take him back to the billets.
2nd March — Long working hours now 7-30am — 6pm. Lofty received an American parcel.
5th March — On hay making fell through loft but ok.
6th March — Made hay stack with Topper - very easy day.
14th March- On hammering earth down with Topper.
15th March — Read ‘Beau Gest’ - Guard got nasty.
16th March — Doing badly now with no Red Cross parcels.
20th March — Stan going back to Stalag as gardener.
22nd March changed straw in palliasses.
26th March — Saunders and Algy going back to Stalag — no reason given.
2nd April-Parcel arrived from church with some books lazing around and trying to keep the grey matter alert by
playing cards ,monopoly ,learning to sew.
5th April — Easter Sunday Fine day had cake for tea.
8th April — roll on that boat still no Red Cross Parcels.
12th April- George,Goldy and Taffy got out through window about 10pm,think these were lads from destroyer ‘Glow Worm’.
13th April — heard lads been caught.
23rd April — Gathering straw into wagons,very windy,browned off. Got new sandshoes for 5 cigarettes.
24 th April — Parcels up.
6th May Rained in afternoon got slightly wet digging up molehills.
8th May — Received clothing parcel dated January, included new slippers .
10th May — Falkenau lads came down and brought band good afternoon.
21st May — Porridge, sausage and chips for supper.
24th May — Whit Sunday, went to Falkenau played football and listened to band issued with pudding cake and beir.
25th May Whit Monday no work Falkenau lads came down with drums — more pudding.
26th May — Working in sand — getting rather hot these days.
27th May — Letters and parcels up .
29th May — Cut long pants down into short ones — hottest day of the year.
31st May- Last day of the month wrote letter to Gwen and card home.
4th June — Bootnose (guard) going away soon another guard is coming hope he’s better than this one.
5th June Got paid 15 Marks 40 .
7th June Lazed about listened to wireless lost 60 Marks playing pontoon.

8th June news bulletin 10,000 captured in Africa.
13th June — New guard arrived seems to be ok.
17th June — Parcels up Lofty got cigarettes.
21st June — Got pudding and roast for dinner and letters form home.
27th June — Unloading coal at station - leading horses in afternoon- very easy job.
4th July — On spud sowing terrible job , haymaking in the afternoon. Toppers birthday.
5th July — Had swim in fish dyke - first for 2 years.
13th July — parcels up Cigarettes for Lofty- new boots for me from Stalag.
19th July — Clothes inspection by officer only stayed 5 minutes.
6th August — Tas going back to Stalag.
9th August — Got paid- lost pay playing pontoon.
10th August — 2 months issue of parcels up.Loading corn.
24th August - new guard arrived not very popular bit of a know all!
1st September — Beetroot hacking.
2nd September — Put wagons together and spread corn out to dry in fields.
5th September — Parcels up got book and 200 cigarettes from relatives at home and letter from Gwen.
6th September — Went to Pholen saw Ginger Mckie from another farm and Joe Speddings brother. Russian dances there did folk dance .Went swimming in the pool there. Really good day.

7th September - 2men Ginger Mckie and Ron , Bert and Frankie escaped during the night. We knew they were going as it had been arranged yesterday.
11th September — Norman came back .
13th September — Lofty and I won 110 Marks playing pontoon.
18th September — Been laid of work for last few days suffering with ‘piles’ really painful — Topper off to-day.
21st September in sick bay sprained ankle riding haymaker frame after days work was done.
22nd September — Ankle really painful.
23rd September — Cannot put foot to the ground.
28th September — Went to work in woodshed - ankle much better.
8th October — Nearly finished picking spuds only another 2 days to go.
11th October — Played pontoon Lofty’s birthday.
20th October — Unloading Mangoes - good job.
24th October — Won 250 Marks at pontoon.
28th October — Christmas cake made — had few samples.
1st November — All going back to Stalag in a few days time hope we don’t stay there.
6th November — Came back from work with stomach cramps.
7th November - Day off. Cyril went back to Rosenberg.
8th November — Faulkenau and Faulen lads came down had a good time.
11th November — Parcel up — Lofty got July clothing parcel.
12th November — Heavy frost set in.
15th November - Stalag kit up at last got new overcoat.
19th November — New guard arrived yesterday very surly.
25th November — Jerry almost out of Africa now.
27th November — Berta’s brother Cont killed in Russia.
30th November- bitterly cold- broke glasses.
1st December — No work due to breaking glasses.
2nd December — Russians took over left for Stalag10am .Left loads of food behind spoilt our Christmas.Had tooth out at Rosenburg.
6th December — Back at Stalag.
9th December - Got glasses changed
11th December —Saw swing band concert — really good.Glasses returned.
13th December — Attended church service then afterwards listened to band.
16th December — Good propaganda lets hope this war is over soon.
25th December Christmas Day- Parcels up got 100 cigarettes. Concert after lights out.
26th December — Another concert after lights out.
27th December — Boxing Day match in afternoon read Treasure Island.
29th December — Finished off cake and chocolate biscuits.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.