from natural causes_--as the German
authorities would relate--to be inevitable.

CHAPTER IX

THE PERSECUTION OF THE PRIESTS

Although we British prisoners, both civilian and military, constituted
the principal butt for the spleen of Major Bach, we never raised the
slightest audible complaint or protest, although inwardly and in the
seclusion of our barracks we chafed at the unrelenting tyranny to which
we were exposed and against which we were completely helpless. In strict
accordance with the instructions of the Commandant we were always the
last to receive attention. If we ever had to go to the hospital to
receive any treatment and were the first to arrive at its doors, we had
to kick our heels outside and possess ourselves in patience as best we
could until all the prisoners of other nationalities had seen the
surgeon. As a rule we had a lost journey. The surgeon in his haste to
get away either would notify us that our cases could not receive enquiry
until the morrow, or he would treat us in a perfunctory manner.

As at the hospital so at the cook-house at meal times. We were never
given our rations until all the others had been satisfied. The
consequence was that we generally went short of food. The first to be
treated received liberal quantities of the cabbage soup. What was left
had to be eked out amongst us.

"The damned English swine can wait!" This was the dictum of those in
authority and the underlings were only too eager to fulfil it to the
letter. If there were the slightest opportunity to deprive us of our
food, on the flimsy pretext that we had not answered the summons with
sufficient alacrity, it was eagerly grasped. Under these conditions we
had to go supperless to bed, unless we could procure something at the
canteen or our more fortunate comrades came to our assistance by sharing
with us the comestibles they had purchased.

Some ten days after the appearance of Major Bach a new target for his
savagery and venom appeared. This was a party of Belgian priests. I
shall never forget their entrance to the camp. We were performing
necessary daily duties outside our barracks when our attention was drawn
to an approaching party surrounded by an abnormally imposing force of
soldiers. Such a military display was decidedly unusual and we naturally
concluded that a prisoner of extreme significance, and possibly rank,
had been secured and was to be interned at Sennelager.

When the procession drew n