id instructions which were laid down, notably the Prussian guards,
who were about the most brutal and despicable blackguards it is possible
for the whole of Germany to have produced to mount watch and ward over
us. One set of guards was withdrawn to bring a Westphalian regiment to
fighting strength and proceeded to the front. Afterwards we learned that
every man had been lost--killed, wounded or missing.

The severe mauling which the German armies were receiving--we knew
nothing about it at the time--undoubtedly was partly responsible for the
harsh treatment extended to us. Unable to smash the "contemptible little
army," which was certainly proving capable of looking after itself,
vengeance was visited upon our defenceless heads.

One day a huge crowd of prisoners was brought in. Whether the Commandant
had been advised of their coming or not I am unable to say. But one
incontrovertible fact remains--he failed utterly to make any food
arrangements to meet the increase in the camp's population. The
prisoners reached the camp in the usual famishing condition and were
given a small ration. But they were satisfied partially at our expense.
The remaining food was only adequate to give us one-half of our usual
small dole, and we had to rest content therewith. The canteen being
closed we could not make up the deficiency even at our own expense.

My health was now giving way, as a result of my privations in Wesel
prison, accentuated by the indifferent and insufficient food and hard
work at Sennelager. I was assigned to various light duties. One of
these brought me into the cook-house, where I was ordered to cut up the
black bread--one brick loaf into five equal pieces, each of which had to
last a man through six meals. I was either unfitted for kitchen work or
else my presence was resented. At all events I soon realised that my
first day in the cook-house would undoubtedly be my last. I had to serve
out the bread, and ostensibly, either from lack of experience or
nervousness, I bungled my task. The men had to go by the boiler in
single file, passing on to the table to receive the bread, where serving
was carried out so dexterously that the moving line never paused--until
it got to my table. But there was method in my bungling. I was zealously
striving to double the bread ration to the British prisoners.
Consequently the pieces of bread persisted in tumbling to the ground,
thereby hindering and upsetting the steady progress and