UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted May 5, 2014 http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/nostalgia/imperial-war-museum-world-war-7060575 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted May 5, 2014 Thanks for sharing this, Widowmaker. Damn, they were so young! I wonder how many PoW camps there were in Germany, and how the general treatment was. In the years 1917 and 1918, the food supply in Germany went very poor. The naval blockade by the British on one hand, and the many missing hands on the other were two main reasons. I was asthonished, that this PoW could use his cheques to draw money from his English bank. I would have expected that they would have taken any money away from the prisoners. So it wasn't all as bad as I had expected. No pleasant time either surely - I bet they had turnips all week long. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeanba 1,920 Posted May 5, 2014 From what I read, PoW were helped by the red cross who delivered them food from their native countries. Due to the high number of prisonners on both sides, they were usually fairly well treated for fear that if one side mistreated prisonners, the ennemy would retaliate. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted May 6, 2014 I don't expect having a broken thigh was very pleasant, but whether he was in a hospital or not, drawing money from his bank does seem uncommonly civilised. I reckon however there were a few million men who might have volunteered for some brutality and hardship as prisoners if offered as a choice between that and the fate they did recieve. That's not to imply criticism, in fact I would bet Mr Riddell would have observed the same thing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites