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George Wilkinson · 28-04-2008, 06:55 PM

#16 Mar 21/42

1st day of spring, no Red Cross parcels for two months, living on German issues need I say more. Supposed to be moving to Luftwaffe camp, waiting for spring invasion by Briton. Hope to be in Blighty by Oct or Nov. Some back issue coming through easing our hunger and a few private ones. German civic rations cut, snow is going.

Well it's April 23rd now and things are still in a hell of a state regards food. German rations in camp and for the Gerry people in general have been cut to a considerable degree, the bread ration is 1/2 loaf three days a week and 1/5 four days, spuds have been cut and we are just existing. There have been no Red Cross parcels to date and this has been for the past three months. Our cigarettes have been cut off and all we get is what the boys get in personal parcels of which I have received exactly nil. Cigarettes are fetching 50 marks for a tin of fifty. equivalents in our money to $12.50. We are getting two fish soup a week and sea-weed about twice, both of which are well u ndesirable, the pigs would turn their noses ar it back home.
John Moyle and I went into our combine a couple of weeks ago and then I was asked by Les Stephens & the mad monk to join them which I did, the monk then left us. In the meantime George Cole my wireless op who had spent some four months in hospital and about six around Dulag arrived here, we sure had an experience to talk over and George, Les and I then combined together and have been getting along swell since. George is a nice looking kid and really looks like a little boy, he is actually married and is 21 yrs old. Les is married also he is 21 too. Myself incidentally having a birthday in a few days, my 23rd, am the sole bachelor but a certain person will probably have something to say about that when I get back to "civilization"............
Our lot is a very unhappy one and what makes us burn up is the disillusionment our folks at home are under and also the fact that Jerries are getting good food and treatment in Canada & Blighty. However this period of hell should end this year of 42 "God Willing". Incidentally the Red Cross has sent us new uniforms and we look like a lot of dandies with no place to go, of course you can't eat a uniform although I am mightly tempted to try.

The German guards themselves want this war to end as soon as we do and don't go around hailing Hitler like they used to when I first arrived in this country of barbarians. There is so much discontent among them and it is all derived out of the lack of food.
I am not blaming you folks at home or the Red Cross for lack of personal cigarettes, food parcels & mail etc. the Gerries just haven't got the transport as they are using it all on the Russian front.

It is at this point that Sgt Stephenson's Diary stops for 2-1/2 yrs. There are letters home-- heavily censored by the Germans, but I will try and relate a few items from this blank period.

28-04-2008, 06:55 PM	#38 (permalink)
George Wilkinson Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Burlington Ontario Posts: 63	#16 Mar 21/42 1st day of spring, no Red Cross parcels for two months, living on German issues need I say more. Supposed to be moving to Luftwaffe camp, waiting for spring invasion by Briton. Hope to be in Blighty by Oct or Nov. Some back issue coming through easing our hunger and a few private ones. German civic rations cut, snow is going. Well it's April 23rd now and things are still in a hell of a state regards food. German rations in camp and for the Gerry people in general have been cut to a considerable degree, the bread ration is 1/2 loaf three days a week and 1/5 four days, spuds have been cut and we are just existing. There have been no Red Cross parcels to date and this has been for the past three months. Our cigarettes have been cut off and all we get is what the boys get in personal parcels of which I have received exactly nil. Cigarettes are fetching 50 marks for a tin of fifty. equivalents in our money to $12.50. We are getting two fish soup a week and sea-weed about twice, both of which are well u ndesirable, the pigs would turn their noses ar it back home. John Moyle and I went into our combine a couple of weeks ago and then I was asked by Les Stephens & the mad monk to join them which I did, the monk then left us. In the meantime George Cole my wireless op who had spent some four months in hospital and about six around Dulag arrived here, we sure had an experience to talk over and George, Les and I then combined together and have been getting along swell since. George is a nice looking kid and really looks like a little boy, he is actually married and is 21 yrs old. Les is married also he is 21 too. Myself incidentally having a birthday in a few days, my 23rd, am the sole bachelor but a certain person will probably have something to say about that when I get back to "civilization"............ Our lot is a very unhappy one and what makes us burn up is the disillusionment our folks at home are under and also the fact that Jerries are getting good food and treatment in Canada & Blighty. However this period of hell should end this year of 42 "God Willing". Incidentally the Red Cross has sent us new uniforms and we look like a lot of dandies with no place to go, of course you can't eat a uniform although I am mightly tempted to try. The German guards themselves want this war to end as soon as we do and don't go around hailing Hitler like they used to when I first arrived in this country of barbarians. There is so much discontent among them and it is all derived out of the lack of food. I am not blaming you folks at home or the Red Cross for lack of personal cigarettes, food parcels & mail etc. the Gerries just haven't got the transport as they are using it all on the Russian front. It is at this point that Sgt Stephenson's Diary stops for 2-1/2 yrs. There are letters home-- heavily censored by the Germans, but I will try and relate a few items from this blank period.