Gunner Bellas POW Vol 2

November 15th 2005. This is a part of my Father`s journal that he secretly kept when he was a POW at Stalag 4C in Decin, formally Bodenbach in what is now Czech Republic. He was captured after the surrender of Crete in May 1941, he was a gunner in the Royal Artillery. This journal was written in secret and it took me a while to arrange the entries in chronological order. The Journal also had other comments and descriptions, poems, jokes etc, which I have not included. I would like to state that the language and some of the terms used is in the idiom of the times. My Father was a well-read man and his grammar was usually perfect. Any deviations from this standard have to be because of the situation at the time it was written. I am sure he could have been in trouble if the Nazi guards had found it. Some notes were obviously written in cryptic haste. He never really talked much of his ordeal until late in life and then only small amounts. I have remembered the tales and have noted them, but they are not included here. The words you read are all his, written at a time of great stress. I feel it is a lasting testament to him, and the thousands of other POW`s who suffered the same uncertain daily routine. In the summer of 2004 I went by train from Prague to Decin, where he was incarcerated. I went to the local Museum and all my enquiries of where exactly the camp was located were met with a blank denial of any camp being there, I called it a collective amnesia. If anyone else would like to discuss this with me I would be happy to share this experience, it unsettled me and left me with more questions than answers. Please contact me and I will be happy to reply. Michael.J.Bellas. son of 1557472 Gunner Leonard Bellas.
March 1943.
A number of Red X parcels came in the other day and Sgt Battle asked for vol. from the night shift to carry them in. Only two men came forward where upon he flew into a rage and said that none of the others would receive one that week. On Sat. several of them went up as usual and attempted to talk him round but he lost his head completely and went for them. He tore off his shirt and waded into them and it took several of the blokes all their time to hold him. When he “came round” he raved and blustered at us all about our “duties” and etc, and finally said the offenders would have to wait until next week.

March 1943.
Went to the flicks today in our new battle dress with loads of B.S. An orchestra from a French Kommando gave performance first. I enjoyed it thoroughly, then came the “Deutsch Wochenschau” showing the Gang dishing out medals and then a scene or two from the Russian front. The “big picture” was French and was quite easy to follow. Not a bad “do” at all.
April 1943
Notice on board from Stalag.
Several men in an A.K. (arbeit kommand — work party)recently refused to work alleging that the work in question was war work. As they had recently been told by the C.O. that railway work was not war work they were turned out of the barracks at the point of the bayonet. Some of them adopted a menacing attitude so the guards opened fire seriously wounding two of them. The interpreter who was among the malcontents was being court-martialled as he understood the orders of the guards and was able to translate them to the others.
Later. One man shot and killed by a posten who he threatened. 1 man wounded while escaping.

April 1943.
The wireless set has been out of order for about 3 months now owing to a broken valve. Sgt. Battle told us on parade the other day it was impossible to obtain a replacement from any source (even after obtaining a chitty from the military) except one and that was a civvy who had 3 or 4. The civvy said he didn’t want money; what he wanted was tea, coffee and cigs. SB said he was all against this form of bargaining and several of the blokes agreed with him with shouts of “tell him to stuff it” but he went on to say that we all knew how useful the wireless had been and might be where upon the shouters seeing the trend of his talk changed about and said “Oh well we do want a valve.” After discussion a collection was taken and later the valve was obtained. Corporal Wiltshire said it would be a good idea to pay for one valve and blackmail for the others. By the way the wireless has already been useful as the BBC news was obtained last night.

April 1943.
Digger McTacket told me in a very secretive manner the other day that he thought he might be able to manage a BT(??) within a day or so. He said that a female was in the habit of bringing a civvies dinner to work and on several occasions he and another bloke had been alone with her and she seemed all for it.

April 26th 1943
Easter Monday,
Went down to the Cypriot place today to watch a football match between two scratch teams. Fast but not a very clever game. I`ll bet they couldn’t have walked about for one hour 22 months ago never mind running.
Easter Sunday. On “boot parade “ this morning Sgt.Battle said that last night two men had escaped. He believed they were the first Englishmen in this area to make the attempt and though he had helped them out and wished them all the best he thought the chances were slight. He hoped they would not be missed on parade until Monday night, and his hopes were fulfilled on Sunday any-how. They had two weeks supply of grub, a map and a compass. I suppose there will be plenty of trouble when their absence is discovered.
Easter Tuesday. Their absence was not discovered until the night shift was called out for work tonight. Everyone in camp was immediately paraded and after about three checks they decided that two men really were missing.
Several Cypriots and Frogs and at least one German knew about it earlier today so some blatherer must have been “blowing his gaff.” When the Corporal in charge of the night shift shouted “Where’s Bacon?” (tongue in cheek of course) some wit replied “On the stove.” The garden door was nailed up at once and when the UO appeared the kits of the two men were searched. On Wed night Sgt Battle (who by the way was suffering from “flu”) gave us a “talking to.” He cursed the unknown blokes who had spouted to the Cypriots. And also to the blokes who had been through the escapee’s kits as soon as they had gone. He said that the C.O. asked him if it was possible for two men to leave the camp without saying “goodbye” to their sergeant and also what they expected to do when they reached Turkey. He said that things would now begin to get “tough” that was to be expected and we must grin and bear it. Later that night every mans kit was searched and it was about 11pm when we turned in. Some ginks still had unopened tins of food after all his warnings! On Thursday night Sgt. Battle said that owing to this affair he had been relieved of his command and must return to Stalag. I`m afraid he will be greatly missed; he had faults but they were more than out-weighed by his ability to control both us and the Germans. Late this order was counter-manded and the restrictions seem to be slackening off. On May 9 we still have no news of the escapees. Good luck to them and lets hope they are “over the border.” On May 12 we heard a rumour that one of the blokes had been killed and another wounded but on May 14 Sgt. Battle told us that they had been recaptured and would return to us. He said that the trouble would probably begin soon when they found out when the blokes actually did their flit.

May 22nd 1943
The 2 blokes returned today. They had been captured by 2 civvy land watchers; 8 days after leaving and about 200 kM away. They had travelled at night mostly but the day of their capture they had gone through a village in daylight. They were put in a police station for 1 night then sent to a French Kommando and from thence to Stalag. At the P.S. they had all their chocolate and photos taken from them but were not ill treated. At Stalag they were put into a Straff-lager (gaol) along with a Frog, Poles, English, Cypriots and Yanks. They said that escaping was a common affair and the escapes were referred to as tourists. One escapee got to Salonika before recapture, a Frog spent 14 months in Poland as a civvy and another got to 4kM of the Swiss border. A lot of Cypriots were in awaiting trial for f--ing(??) Germans bints(??) and a Frog was in from Bob. for the same crime. One Frog got 9 years for f--ing(??) Mother and 2 daughters. They let Cypriots down lightly because of their nationality. The imprisonment was served in a place referred to as the Fortress which is on the Polish border. One Frog had already served 9 months there and said he lost 20 kilos in that time. Hard work and no grub and thrashings was the order. They saw two Yanks who had been captured in Feb at Tunis and they had already had one do at escaping. They said they would do no work for Jerry but I reckon a bit of hunger will make them toe the line. They said that our Kommando appeared to be one of the best in Germany for sanitation etc. and certainly we are pretty well off. Stalag was primitive they said “still standing on the seats.” They said that the Russians are having a horrible time, in some cases whole Kommando`s dying off from disease, the guards not daring to go near. They were told that two Russians would carry a stiff between them when drawing rations so they could divide 3 rations among 2. On their way before capture they went through a number of towns passing soldiers and convoys and not challenged once. They said Bruno(?) was stiff with AA and SL and officers. When they left Stalag they went to Tetschen S.H. and spent 8 days on bread and water They had a good feed when they got here but the U.O. has it in for them. Plenty work for them for a while I`ll bet. On the way they had a number of chances with bints, smiling and speaking to them but they didn`t risk it.

June 1943
About 290 Russian women have started work in the factory.
Some of them are inside doing odd jobs and others outside. They vary from about 25-50 and come from Kharkov, Rostov and the Crimea. They are all strong healthy women but none are attractive. They (as seems to be the case with most peasant women of Europe) seem to have a crinkled lined face at a very early age. One of our guards speaks a little Russian and he told us where they came from after speaking to them. We gave him the ‘S’ about the number of women and children the Germans had enslaved but he didn`t see it in that light. He told us that the region the women came from was an area with a great fruit growing industry. They seemed cheerful enough and were all clean and except for footwear well dressed. The Cypriots have started making eyes at them already.

June 20th 1943.
Only about 3 of them are any good and one of them is a “bit of a lad”. Their names are Anna, Diana, Ra, Eera (phonetic) and all seem to be doing OK. ‘Big Annie’ is in charge of them and fusses like an old hen. They are very “unselfconscious” (one of them makes water under the wagons with no more thought than we did before they came) The only Russian I know so far is Dobbra (good)

June 20th 1943
The two blokes (Thompson and Bacon) eloped again last night and their absence was discovered on check this morning. They have gone in an attempt to get a transfer to another Kommando. As they have been “put on” since their previous escape. No developments so far.

June 1943.
Sgt. Battle was to have gone on a 6 weeks tour of Germany but owing to above it was cancelled. These tours have been going on for a while (object — I cannot say.) 3 men came here to be forwarded with Battle to the rallying point. One of them was captured in France and marched from France to Poland on very short rations. Was told on arrival that this was done purposely to make them too weak to fight as guards were short. Escaped and lived as civvy in Poland for 15 months and nearly married a Polish girl. Captured by Gestapo when rounding up Poles for work in Germany. Has since escaped 3 times.

June 1943
Beer laid on tap today in Kommie!

Snuff. Just a little to near the hour your dads??????????

July 11th 1943
Went to the flicks in Bodenbach this morning and for a change enjoyed them. The news showed a cathedral flattened by the bestial English; French volunteers in action in Russian and the sinking of a British U-boat. Very interesting. Heard about Sicily on our return. One of the blokes bribed him to let him listen to the news (it was all about an increase in pay for soldiers he told him.) Things seem to be looking up. Won a battle against overtime this week. On Saturday we worked until 7 stacking wood, on Sunday until noon and when Monday came round we had 5 wagons to unload at night so we took it steady and managed 2 by midnight. The following day the masters all complained because the prisoners were unable to keep awake so from now on N.W. is finished.

Week’s Rations.
Grub 2-3/4 Kilo bread PW(?) ¼ pound marg. ¼ pound sausage.
2 spoons jam 4 spoons sugar quark or cheese.

July 1943
Five blokes did a flit last night, 3 going from work and two from the camp. They went 60 kM by train the first night and were captured the following afternoon whilst sleeping in a field. Some women saw them and thought they were Russians so called in the men. They were taken to a Russian. Kommando and treated well and the following day returned here. Things have been much easier since they escaped and the only punishment they have got is 7 days each in clink.
Charlie Close went off on his own this week from work and so far (4 days) has not been recaptured. Captured after about a week and sent to another camp.

August 1943
Big turnout about Battle this week. Most of the blokes have voted that he does not come back. Plenty of war news. Mussolini gone, martial law in Italy — Sicily nearly done — big alarm last night (Aug 1) and all the guards standing to — Hamburg in flames and refugees coming up the Elbe.
Things have been much easier in the camp since the recent escapes; swimming, walk & etc being the order of the day. All the guards we have at present are F.L. and old and they have always been much more decent than the stay at homes.

Price of grub going down 1K. now 30 instead of 60. 1 tin milk 40 from 50 etc

2 Air raid alarms this week- the first time I’ve heard 2 in one week here.

Everybody very optimistic. Some say 3 months and some 6 months before end, I say 18 months.

Saw some Dunkirk blokes last week. They said they marched from France to Poland and were given no rations reason being that so few guards were available. On arrival in Poland they were on double rations for a month.

Big Propaganda drive starting for our benefit.
Posters about Katyn plastered in camp.
Blokes back from hospital bring news from B.R. (British Radio?)All good.

August 1943
Last weeks rumour said that Goebbels and Goering had done a bunk.

A poster in Germans dated 1940 ran something like this.
Poland has fallen- France has fallen — Denmark etc has fallen. Only England to fall now. Underneath the last caption was fairly big blank space and some prisoner had added — And Russia & American, & Free France.

The night shift is at present having a glorious time. They spend half the time outside the factory. Last week several of them went to the circus and a number went with bints. One of the blokes was out from 10-2 with Bradle and one of the works bints. One of the blokes has had to ask off the night shift as he was getting so much he was going down the nick.

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