A Prisoner of War’s Diary from Stalag VIIIB — 1943 April to June

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A Prisoner of War’s Diary from Stalag VIIIB — 1943 April to June
By
George Irving Beck

April 04, 1943 — Sunday
Most of the day I spent in bed. This existence is terrible, we’ve begun to accept this life as permanent now for we’ve been prisoners so long. Roll on, Wrote to Alice but I’m afraid it was a poor letter. No news at all regarding the war.

April 05, 1943 — Monday
Latest news to hand “Paris was bombed this last weekend and it appears bombs were dropped on a big race course, and a sports arena. Thousands of people were in attendance and the number of dead and wounded is not known yet. Our eighth army has broken through the strong defences in the south of Tunis.

April 07, 1943 - Wednesday
Today’s newspaper report says that several hundred people were killed in the bombing of Paris and seven hundred were wounded. American planes and English were responsible. Not much fighting in Tunis at present. Weather snowing.

April 09, 1943 — Friday
Latest news “Heavy bombing in Antwerp, two thousand civilians killed including women and children”. Information just received that British troops have landed in Italy and taken a port, the Italians can’t hold them, this has not been confirmed yet. Forty thousand Germans have been captured in Kharkow, Russia; this is not mentioned in the newspapers. Received cigarette parcel from wife. Weather terrible, snowing.

April 10, 1943 — Saturday
Latest propaganda “British troops have made a landing in Sicily”, this news is from a Frenchman. Fourteen hindered English and American planes have been over here and given Berlin a terrific bombing. This has not been confirmed yet for we haven’t seen a paper. Another Saturday night round once again, what a life, it just seems as if this routine is permanent now, can’t imagine ever going home.

April 12, 1943 — Monday
“Our sixth brigade has been captured in Burma by the Japanese, General Cavendish was also taken prisoner. All quite on the eastern front. The news from Tunis is good “The Germans have withdrawn again according to plan and our troops are pushing forward in the south”. Middle sector our troops are being held. Today I went over the boarder right into Czechoslovakia fetching timber in by lorry. Went through Glasledorf, Pöhler, Kränau (Germany), Gewitsz, Haus Brünn, Breisen, (Bohemia), Böhmisch. Called in Gasthaus and had two bottles of beer with Darkie Roberts. This day must be remembered by us two as commemoration day When back in England Roll on.

April 20, 1943 — Tuesday
Today was a rather depressing day for I said goodbye to one of my dearest friends, Arthur Roberts. We’ve been together for a long time now and I thought we should accompany one another back to England. He’s the only Sheffilder I’ve ever met, may luck be with him and above all, roll on Blighty, it seems as if this darned war will never finish. Three and a half years this war has been on now and still no signs of peace. Fifteen of us left here now out of the twenty that came, they wouldn’t have left if the Gaffer had been OK but he’s a dog.

April 21, 1943 — Wednesday
All quite in Tunis. In Russia the Germans are said to to be doing well. Yesterday was “Hitler’s” birthday and the newspapers demanded that every house should fly the German flag. The penalty for not doing so is two years. What a country.

April 22, 1943 — Thursday
The Royal Air Force bombed Berlin once again, one bomb was dropped weighing 1,000 kilos and it fell in a garden, and sank 9 metres in the ground and failed to explode. France is being bombed daily. No further news.

April 26, 1943 — Easter Monday
Holiday for the firm but some of our lads had to work because a wagon came in. I was a bit fortunate myself for I escaped it. The last news received from the Tunisian front was that we were doing well, we were attacking with superior forces and the German newspaper said they were withdrawing according to plan, to take up better positions. The Russians don’t seem to be doing well lately; they seem to do better in the winter. This year we all seem confident that some decision will be forced one way or another, all we can do is “wait and see”. Weather lovely today, just a slight wind.

May 02, 1943 — Sunday
Walked round the works till we were fed up. Stood by the fence and watched the Russian men and women pass. It is a shame that women should be prisoners of war. Slipped bread and cigarettes to them, we’ve done this for a few weeks now and they look forward to it. Some of the women are terribly dressed, how the German people can see them walk about like this I don’t know, Germany will pay later on for the way they’re being treated, poor devils. No news regarding the war. Roll on.

May 04, 1943 — Tuesday
Last Thursday received parcel of books from the regiment and forgot to enter it up. Latest news to hand “Sinking of one of our destroyers ‘Beverley’”. Some district fighting in Tunis. Strong attacks in Russia around the Kuban bridgehead but the Russians were driven off.

May 09, 1943 — Sunday
We smuggled two Russian women into the camp today. I stood guard while two men were in the sawdust cellar with them and food was given to them and clothing. I was caught out by the guard and he searched all over for comrades but they got away. Later on I got and got the women through the gate showing them the direction to take, for the guard was coming round again. Latest news from the German wireless “British troops doing well for we have captured the town of Tunis and another. Arrival this week of two new lads to our camp from Munich.

May 10, 1943 — Monday
Latest news from the German newspaper “The war in Africa is just about finished” Italy says that it isn’t over yet for they will be back again. Very little activity in Russia. Still waiting for that great day of repatriation. Roll on.

May 11, 1943 — Tuesday
The two new lads who have joined us from Munich brought us first hand information regarding happenings in some of the big places.
It appears Munich has been bombed terrible by our air force and they have been compelled to leave, one of the bombs dropped nearby and their barracks caught fire. Nightly these raids have been carried out, and our lads have helped to clear away some of the debris, women and children mutilated and dead have been brought out of buildings, and others have been trapped in the cellars. Our lads volunteered to remove some of the ruins and save a few lives as the civilians were to slow, but it is forbidden, regardless of everything the Englishmen were well liked in Munich. Some fellows were employed in cemeteries keeping them clean etc. Regarding food the civilians are in a terrible state.
In Berlin their has been a bit of rioting, one of our Red Cross camps was raided and five German guards were killed and an English sergeant major. The police were turned out and they had to use machine guns on the civilians, it appears the big towns are suffering terrible from food shortages. Some of our Royal Air Force who was brought down in Berlin were lynched and strung up on lampposts. Ration cards have been dropped from planes and all the shops were sold out of food and other things, the colour of the cards are changed every time now on account of this.

An Englishman arrived in Lamsdorfe a couple of weeks ago and he was bound with thick wire around the wrists, the fellow broke down as soon as he arrived for he’d never had his hands undone for five days. The camp commandant hit the guard straight between the eyes when he saw him, the wire had cut through the fellow’s wrists and his arms were swollen up. The doctor informed Swiss representatives.

May 12, 1943 — Wednesday
Fire broke out in the factory at 9:00pm started in the boiler house and there was no one here but the manager and two daughters. We ran the hosepipe out and finally put the flames out. When the fire brigade arrived they were too late. Manager praised out good work up to the police and others, and a special report has gone in to the Wehrmacht, had a bottle of beer each as a present.

May 16, 1943 — Sunday
The German newspaper reports today that the “Battle for Africa is ended”. The last of the German and Italian troops, have finally laid down their arms after heavy fighting, and shortage of food and ammunition. Very little to report from Russia. Our air force bombed Stettin, Rostock, Duisburg, Oberhausen, and Mülheim, heavy civilian losses. Wonder where our next landing will be now.

May 17, 1943 — Monday
Today’s news — German paper reports that the Welsh Guards lost 80 percent of their regiment in Africa, and the Irish Guards landed with 850 men and only 150 were left. Newspapers headlines say that the Jews will once more have their star flying now that Africa is ours. Very little activity in Russia.

May 19, 1943 — Wednesday
Report received from a Pole goes that an Italian minister has deserted and gone to England. Today’s newspaper states that our air force were over here and bombed two dams, civilians were drowned. The Germans are advancing in Russia, and the Americans have landed on the island of Attu against the Japs and are doing well. German planes visited England and successfully bombed London, Newcastle, Chelmsford and Sunderland, our air force bombed Rome and Sicily.

May 23, 1943 — Sunday
Not a deal to report. Very little activity in Russia, something will have to break soon. The weather has been glorious today and I just whiled away the hours on the grass. Days like these make one wish I were back in England, roll on. Wrote a card to wife at night. Four civilians who work here have to stay in the firm at night in case of air raid alarms or fire etc.; it has to work round the firm, four different people each night.

May 24, 1943 — Monday
Today’s news is that the Americans have landed another division on the island of Attu, and the Japs are being driven right into the mountains. Nothing worth mentioning is happening in Russia at present. Weather today is lovely. Departure of Unter Officer and arrival of a new fellow. Roll on peace, wonder when this damned war will finish, dropped my pocket watch in a wagon and its gone to Prauge.

May 25, 1943 — Tuesday
No news to put down. The weather has been terrible today, pouring down with rain, got drenched wet. Early in bed. Roll on a long time.

May 26, 1943 — Wednesday
Today’s news “Twenty five of our planes have been shot down over Sicily”. Quite a lot of talk in the paper about the second fronts, they’re expecting us to land somewhere but they don’t know where it’s coming.

May 28, 1943 — Friday
This last fortnight we have had some Frenchmen working here and they’re a decent set of fellows, the youngest one is eighteen and the oldest fifty-four. It appears they come from around Metz where all the families have been turned out of their homes. Men, women and children are all living together now in the same barrack rooms. Poor devils are just surviving so we give them soup and potatoes.
Komm Zurück

Komm Zurück! Ich warte auf dich,
Denn du bist für mich, all mein glück!
Komm Zurück! Ruft mein herz immer zu,
Nun erfülle du mein guschick!
Ist der weg auch weit.
Führt er dich und auch mich in die seligheit,
Darüm bitt ich dich heut,
Komm Zurück! Komm Zurück!

May 30, 1943 — Sunday
Nothing to report. Had a nice quite weekend but the weather spoiled it. The manager has loaned me a hunting horn and is giving me the music, so I can go hunting with him when I’ve learned a few calls. I blow a few infantry calls outside with it.

June 01, 1943 — Tuesday
Today’s news from German newspaper. The following is a report of damage done by our terror attacks on Germany by our air force. 191 schools destroyed. 920 heavily damaged. 105 hospitals destroyed, 231 heavily damaged. 133 churches destroyed, 494 heavily damaged. Hundereds of other places destroyed including universities, museums, and opera houses. Heavy civilian losses. Names of places being heavily bombed are, Köln, Mainz, Essen, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Soest, Mannheim, Karlsruhe, Munich, Mürnberg, Kassel, Bremen, Lübeck, Rostock, Berlin, front page of paper is full of places and damage done, it says “Auge un auge”, “ Zahn un Zahn”.

June 02, 1943 — Wednesday
Walked round the place alone for about a hour tonight in deep thought. Too much thinking makes a man fed up so I went up to bed early. What a life. It appears I’m just destined to be out of England. It seems years since I was in Sheffield and that was only for a few months. Wonder what Alice and the folks at home are doing now. Latest rumour “England has delivered an ultimatum to Italy and it expires at twelve o’clock tonight.” This as not been confirmed. Waiting for radio report. English naval experts in Turkey.

June 03, 1943 — Thursday
No news whatsoever to put down except to say I received a cigarette parcel from the wife. Weather lovely. Roll on a long time.

June 05, 1943 — Saturday
Tonight there was quite a stirring speech on the wireless by Dr. Goebbels, we thought he was going mad, what hatred for England and America.
Today’s Volkisher Beobachter News “German planes flew over England yesterday and bombed Ipswich and other places on the south east coast, they lost one plane as usual”. Sicily shelled by our navy, and another article blames us for starting the bombing of civilians first. New government been formed in Argentine. The paper shows a page full of buildings that have been blown down by our bombing raids, in Kassel — The oldest church in Germany, a cathedral library, and other churches and large buildings in Nürenberg, Lübelk, Dortmund, and Duisburg. Received four letter today, one asking me to write to Rex in India, and the next letter I opened said he’d been to our house, what a surprise but I’m glad he’s got home.

June 06, 1943 — Sunday
The Abyssinians in Africa have collected together and are willing to help the allies in an attack on Italy, they will form the spearhead. We seem to be shelling and bombing Italy terrible.

June 10, 1943 — Thursday
Today I received the sad news that Frank Britton has been killed, it came, as a shock to me for it hardly seems possible. Its about time something happened to end this war, been a prisoner over three years now. Roll on.

June 14, 1943 — Whit Monday
Latest news to hand “The island of Pantalleria by Italy has had such a severe bombing and shelling that they have capitulated. The next place is Sicily and we hope that our troops smash Italy and finish one of the axis powers. Our air force were over here again yesterday and bombed Bremen and Kiel, their Luftwaffe visited England and bombed Bristol and two other places on the south coast. We lost 47 planes, they lost two, and they must be a wonderful nation according to the propaganda. Seems to be all quite in Russia excepting around the Kuban where fierce fighting continues.

June 21, 1943 — Monday
Tonight I watched the Hitler Youths and girls march by, there were thousands of them and the girls looked lovely dressed in white and blue. Drummers were leading flags and banners rearing swastikas were flying, Red Cross nurses were there and firemen etc. They all formed in mass in a great field and a huge bonfire was set alight, community singing was held and a great speech was given, some parts related to the war, soldier at the front and England and Bolshevism. It was a wonderful sight and people came from all over, marvellous weather.

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