RETURN from the SLAVE-CAMPS
THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1954,
A report on 10,000 homecomings without a smile...after 9 years
Hunger-strikers organise to defy the Russians
REMAIN in awe of the Germans. Their bubble of omnipotence was pricked us Hitler went down in Wagnerian magni- fleent madness in his Berlin bunker.
But the ragged remnants of the once great army who back to
came
Friedland told one story nt least which exhibits
their rigid obedi-
THEN
THE
never dared strike. We admire your show,
1 tank the Bussinns FOO I'm after the war to realle that
they Butl an enormous potential labour force on their band in The thousands of prisoners rafting in camps.
Conditions le the early years were simply appalling. Prison ers, I was told, died off like
TORTURE
ence aux alarming discl pline.
In Dezember LOAD 11'! than a thousand prisoners of war in a camp near Stalingrad were comical Terios of sentenced to
25, 20 and 15 years 121900- ment,
Although the Germans knew that this was 13 unt, formally approved, ti engage the
slave labour
184
ENDS
mang knew that Barrack No. 1 had not eaten. The strike was still un
heaped The Russians
their plates with food far briler than they had known for years. The
sik sheep, and were arcorded a burlaj no better than a farm- W elves D dend sheep.
CYRIL AYNSLEY
himsaif spent four years sa prisoner of war of the Germans-held at various timos li
camps. In:
East Prus
sta, Poland
and Han- ovor, at Breslau and Segan, south of Berlin. Ho went back
to Germany to compile
this report on the man who were Bialin's staver.
to howing conl, often had worse jobs than the men. One gong of women was put to construc.- ing a rallway in the tundra in 40 degrees of frost.
their
In 1948 and 1940 the prison- ers, in desolation, lived on the By 1948 conditions hope that the Western Powers had begun to improve The Gu would attack Russia and drop mans did not attribute the im
Arms ta them. They would provemit to humanity. The willingly have sacrificed Soviet authorities had come to Hives in fighting their way out. underland funt, in
But it became clear, several of the old tag. the only good Ger- talked to the returned prison-
was
Te ive German.
ers, that conditions
the since e ut by pu
proved to work, and be- eve of his nature
Stalin. he would work well.
FI
Hospitals, which previously
con uelion Germans, notoriously big raters, affered little in medical advice jobs and in cont mitte to sit declined to touch it. Soviet economy,
they rele that a protest
Way
WIL
£11
31
A hunger strike was called Now
there Now
control organivation la the camp. #142 Dommelize,
112
constibuloval
body to give phirectors
instructions.
In the barracks Ciernan generals alongside corporals,
of the camp Wha
and privato. But the spirit of the protest quickly made Baelf apparent. And! in Jarunay 1 1950, the hunger rike bene
IT
Trick fails
is interesting:
to note that the Russian39, about who
many stories of brutality have been told, made no attempt to break the strike by force. They isolated the barracks.
On the second morning of the strike they went into Barrack No. 3. They said:
hottr
After half 1 Hussion, admitting defent, or dered them back to their bar- rack.
Discipline
S day-to-day
03
GILES ON THE GUERILLA STRIKES:
ง
00
મ
QU
"Be brave, Miss Loris. Maybe the electricians will call off their strike tomorrow."
have
death
m- of
London Express Service
Always fear
TINALLY, odd impressions I caught of the Russian char- acter were;~~
the
[FT equipment. became better
Penicillin, * ૬/11/papel, drogs, and streptomycin mido ele appearavire, At first the penicillin WOS exclusively American origin,
Soon it Russian laboratories,
sulpha
FIN
of
coming from
for told
Ictan and
programme
of the strike was given to me by a returning German:-
Day hunger
1;
Very
but.
Awful
Day 3: That was very und. the heart. We get prins over We were dizzy.
אפטר
A German who worked some years in a hospital me that deaths dropped 30 day to two a week.
rose abruptly M that if they
Day 2: Hunger increasing mission from Moscow would Almost unbearable.
arrive to Investigate the cause. Typhus, once the scourge of Russia, became practically un- known. Delousing was an in- of portant priority in the list emelencies to keep the
labour force effective although the old method of heal-and-gas treat-
not
Day 4: We were
We lay un our beds hungry. most of the time. The Russians ut down the hent in the bar
racks. The cold was shocklog.
Day 5 and 6: We just lay on eur beds. We no longer had any #ppetite.
this
ไป
j
"All right. Barrack No. 1 has cuten morning. The hunger strike morNow
come down to the over. kitchen and ent."
The inmates of Barrack Nu.
3 trooped down to the kitchens,
Sense
mont on the prisoners' clothes was used instead of the quicker DDT treatment,
THUS
זה
Desolation
เกษ
Όχι The seventh day the hunger strike was
called off. The Germans had made
their mans protest. Their
the Germany breume of
Integral disipline was as strong as ever.
of part askerl, and
that Soviet economy. Many of the was told not a single
un had disobeyed men man
worked
the coal down t gene & nauction.
mines in the Urals, where the Apparently
temperature, even at the coal face, was seldom above freezing point.
even the people forbear
hunger gnawing their stomachs. of Russia could scarce
The cunk, as they went in, gave to cheer this performance. The a slight, almost imperceptible, story got out, and Russian
The shake of the head.
Even then, I was told
that
Ger- workers told them: "We have the women, who were never put
Whiteaways
STOCKTAKING SALE
THE
GREATEST OF THEM ALL!
GENUINE
BLANKET VALUES
EARLYWARM BLANKETS
Satin Bound Ends in Lovely Pastel Shades
Size 60 x 80
Size 70 x 90
EARLYWARM BLANKETS
"WARMBOUND"
Satin Bound Ends, in Popular Pastel Shades
Originally Now
$39,50 $52.50
Originally
Now
Sizes 60 x BO Sizes 70 x 90 Size 80 x 96
$ 65.00 $57.50 $85.00 $75.00 $110,00 $92.50
$49.50 $65.00
DON'T MISS THESE
EARLYWARM BLANKETS ROYAL QUALITY
Merino Wool, Corded Ribbon Bound. Ends. Delightful Pastel Shades
Size 60 x 80 Size 70 x 90 Size 80 x 96
Now
Originally
$ 85.00 $ 75.00 $1.15,00 $ 99,50 $135.00 $115.00
LAN-AIR-CEL BLANKETS
All Wool Cellular with 54" Satin Bound Ends. Size 77 x 92,
Originally $95.00 NOW $85.00 WARMTH WITHOUT WEIGHT
AMAZING VALUE GREY BLANKETS
All Wool with Blue Whipped Ends Size 60 x 80 Originally $27.50 NOW $19.50
ATKINSONS BLANKETS SUPER SUPER QUALITY. In Pure Soft Merino Wool, 54′′ Satin Bound Ends. Pleasant Pastel Shades.
Originally Now Size 60 x 80 $105.00 $ 92.50' Size 72 x 90 $145.00, $130.00. Size 80 x 96 $175.00 $150.00
4
WHITEAWAY, LAIDLAW & CO. LTD
HONGKONG & KOWLOON
10
Their Strange formality: Everything done has documented, However farelcal
trial may be the prozepninas | are written down and reported to higher authorities. They have an obsession for commissions of inquiry.
Passing the buck: All offelals live in fear of the other man. Often a high-level decision will be passed on to a loent offlciat. who will then have to accept
} responsibility things
aclase
Ko
of
*
THE MOST COVETED DISTINCTION FOR VALOUR
THREE HAVE WON
T
wrong
Their ironic
Ong German, humour: Technician, after eight years of three slave labour was asked, as he
THE VC TWICE
HIRTEEN
and
hundred
thirty-nine By PETER
sailors, soldiers and airmen of all runks.
LOVEGROVE
flaཡ}}}+l—f{{{{f+-འཝf;
Crimean War; now The metal is supplied by the Royal Mint, some of it from a Chinese gun captured in the Boxer Rebel- Hon. It costs only £2 to make Army padres and stituted 98 years ago. Two May 1941, the second being a VC-and they have all been
jewellers since 1850, was coming home, if he would four civilians have won the hundred and ninety of the bestowed for a gallant at- made by the same firm of West
in good job
made post tack on El Ruwelsat Ridge the East Victoria Cross inve Bri- awards were
The colour of the ribbon is. "We can do with men of your tain's
in the Western Desert four-
Until July 1910 the colour dis humously. coveted musl ability," he was told. He turn-
was blue for the Royal Navy The tinction for valour was in- ed the offer down.
British Army has teen months later.
and red for the Army, but it produced 864
There are three cases of VC's, the
was then changed to red for all Royal Navy
Victoria Cross being arms, including the and
Royal the
Royal Alr father and Force, by order of King George Marines 118, and the Royal bestowed
V.
like
BROADWAY is seeing British comic Hermione Gingold for the first time in John Murray Anderson's Almonat, and every night she kept the jam-packed, sophisticated audience in stitches with her antics. Columnists quote her party quips as if they were the totest from Dorothy Parker, Gingold, in short, in the current pet of New York. Here is har MANHATTAN DIARY (transcribed by Evelyn Irons).
ONE MAN WORE A CORONET IN THE STALLS
New York. RAZY things happen here To the BALLET on Sunday-and what do I see? A man wearing coronet, in the audi- ence. He wore a business suit (lounge suit to you). I do think that with a coronet a man ought to wear evening dress. But nobody took any notice.
HERMIONE GINCOLD
A party trick for your eyes.
Evening dress is not the wear for the theatre in New York. But New York audiences do not smoke in the theatre, and they are not served with tea or coffee. There is little coughing, no rattling of cups after the curtain goes up, and no rush back from the bar, because leatessen refrigerator, I am out New York theatres do not have at the STOCK CLUB, tho
Twenty-One or elsewhere, tai Ing a look at celebrities like Faye Emerson, or Oscar Hom
bars..
THEY PASS THROUGH
dressing-room is known
Mas PICCADILLY CIRCUS.
Ava Gardner, Veronica Lake,
merstein.
on
Air Force 31. One hundred son, and brothers have also *un! eleven awards have won the award.on three oc- been made to members of casions. The most remark- the Indian Army,
to able record, however, is 87 Australian forces, 79. io Canadians, 28 to South Africans and 21 to New Zealanders, Newfoundland (in World War One) and the Fiji Military Forces and the King's African Rifles (in World War Two) have cach received one award.
Three Doubles
ONLY three men-une
of
them is still alive-have won the honour twice, and two of them served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Lt. Col. A. Martin-Leake, who died recently, woa his first VC 48 Surgeon- Captain in the South Afri-
his
red.
Recipients below commission-
ed rank are entitled to a pen- ston of £10 a year, with an additional £75 In case of neeu, and in the case of posthumous awards a sum of £50 Is eroålted to the estate of the individual.
First Award
THE very first Victoria Cross was awarded to Mate Charles David Lucas, a sailor who later became an admiral, for remark- able gallantry and presence of mind in action in the Battle Sea. He was serving on boord HMS Heckla, and during the bombardment of the Russlan fortress of Bomarsund, In
the
Aland Islands, a live shell with a burning fuse fell on the deck. Lucas rushed forward. picked it up and flung it overboard, the
sheli
exploding before reaching the water.
Though it was originally ordained that the decoration would reward bravery in the face of the enemy, exceptions
family, have been made for acts under- which or extreme danger. Thus Pri-
Battalion, received
T.
taken under other circumstances
OHea of the Int Ride Brigade. the award for his
ean Constabulary in the held by the Gough Boer War, and the second three members of near Zonnebeke in Belgium have received tho distinc- vato in 1914. Capt. Noel Chevasse tion.
Major C.J.S. Gough (5th won both awards for conspicuous gallantry while Bengal European Cavalry) courage in suppressing a Are in attached to the 1/10th Bn. and his brother Lieutenant away car containing live ammunition in Cazada, while The Liverpool Regiment in H.E. Gough (1st Bengal an assistant-surgeon and five France and Belgium in 1916 European Light Cavalry) privates of the South Wales Borderers were similarly," "de» and 1917-his second VC won their Crosses in the corated for their daring in the Indian Mutiny, and 45 years Andaman Islands in 1867. They being made posthumously.
The third double VC is later Major Gough's son, saved seventeen offietics and Capt. C. H. Upham of while serving with the Rifle men, in a storm at sea. Christchurch, New Zealand Brigade in Somaliland, All four awards to
to civilians were mado for exceptional who is now a sheep farmer. earned the family's third bravery during the Indian Mia first distinction re- award.
Mutiny, but civilions are warded exceptional bravery The Victoria Cross was the eligiblo if serving with one of Large numbers of British
They have a mlee halut in people passing through Manhat- these places which I commend at Malame, Galatos and first award instituted for valour the Armed Forces. It is also
only, irrespective of rank. lan puas through there on thely to other managements, They Sphakia during the German was the great Queen's own Women's Services to win the Elve me a bottle of scent or airborne invasion of Crete in taon; she had appreciated that VC, though no woman has yet Sample twe yourg British some other expensive triste, so Navy AB's, one from Harrow that I go home with parcels and the other from Dulwich, from there, too. I felt highly who ore learning to ny In flattered the first time it hap- Florida. They said they would pened, but now I um geliling never have had the courage to used to .
way.
go backstage in London, but
hore it was different..
TEA PARTIES
OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT NOTICE none of that anu- British feeling they talk
I
ONE
Not
NE of the many things I like about in the newspapers,
about New York-shopping once have been reproached for In the night. A BOOK AND trading with Red China. Ameri- RECORD SHOP
on Fifth ears are even kind enough to Avenue, open until midnight, fs tell me that I have no British like a club. One meets all one's accent, which means that they friends there.
can understand what I say. They don't go just for con- versation. Some shut themselves To keep the old Kinnerton up in cubicles and spend an Street flag flying, I have an enjoyable hour playing new to English tea party with cucun
week. cords. One man reads novels, ber sandwiches Ho puta a marker in his place Nobody asks where the Chinx ica comes from. It comes from when the shop closes and comes back the next night to read on. my midnight delicatesach, and
оцсе п
I do my household shopping sometimes wonder how it got
me, it there.
in the night, too. The deleates sen store round the corner from
"When I -any · something even my apartment is open till one mildly funny, it is repeated in in the morning. In this way I somebody's column.
n. and again i am' becoming domesticated." wonder how it gets there, The other day sa o digest: ¡magazine
·LOOKING FOR FACES" - sent me. 10 dollars, :: That was
sadaga Bigbhatenia for the perfectly common VENINGS When I am not statement that what w. Brillan
EVEN How bout whRANCHEN
| POCKET CARTOON
by OSDERT LANCASTER
Well,"{}\
・you'd get
Avshouldn't.
thrar annual.
It possible for a member of the
there existed. 3o means of accomplished it. adequately rewarding the Ins dividual bravery of junior offl-
cers and other ranks, and her in Korea
Orst
warrant.ruled;
VIL IN
ordained, with a view to place E British Unkown Warrior all persons on perfectly cautior World, War One.burled lu footing in relation to, eligibility
for the decoration, that neither Westminster Abbey, and the nor American Unknown Warrior of rank, nor.
war, were awarded reum- the esme
wounds, nor any other stances or condition whatsoever, the Cross, though neither award WIS gazetied.hor award save the mèrit of conspicuous
Six hundred and
thirty-three bravery, shall be held to estab
decorations sumfelent claim to the World War One and 183 from were conferred in Hahn honour."
1939 to 1945. Four soldiers in
Gun Metal
the Korean campaign have also won Britain's supreme, milltary! distinction, two of the awards being made posthumously. They THE Prince Consort is usually are the late Major K. Muir, of
credited, with the design-int
the
Sutherland Argyll and
Maltese cross of bronze, AVE Highlanders; tho atu Lalcute-
inches. In
who was
diameter, adorned nant, P.K.E. Curtis, with the Royal Crown sur attached to the 1st Battalion the mounted by a lion, with a sorol): Gloucestershire Regiment; Pie. bearing the inscription"For W. Speakman, of the Black Valour, On the reverse side Watch; and Lieutenant-Colchel is the date of the act of bravery James Costers during the
who led the for which it has been dearded historic stand at the Imjin Hiver
Cilorious whilst the name of the recipíoní
fa sinscribed" on the back of the
clasp to which it is)
a loop-khapel like ki
month
In April 1951.
DSO
earlfergallantryb received both suto: bourgeoise Hruck" from to metal off the recorations from, Hans, Minjari
guna exptured by fK"^" British the Queen // file-Buckin
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.