October – November 1916

Rebecca has taken and passed the examination for Manchester Girls High School and she has started there, going on the train each day. She very much enjoys being back at school, and finds the work much more challenging but has much more preparation to do than she did before.

In September we also had the first experience of school for Beth. She goes to St. Mary’s where she has Miss Dorothy Moseley for her teacher. The school has two classrooms built on behind the church. They also rent a room now at the Congregational Church Hall which is used for the Belgian children, as they need their own teacher, as many of them do not speak English well enough to be integrated. The larger room for the juniors is called the School Room and the smaller for the infants is called the Class Room. There are 8 children her age and 4 in the next year up. They sit on benches in two tiers – with the younger children on the lower tier. The room is very full when all the children are at school.

Beth took to it very well, and enjoys every minute of it. Luckily from playing with friends and going to church, she already knew most of the children in her class. I made sure she had met the teacher in advance too. She eagerly awaits the trip to school each morning, and I find my days very long without her there. But of course it leaves me more time for writing to John and Peter. I have not heard again from Paul. I thought he might have continued to communicate with Peter but apparently not.

John appears to be keeping well. Here is his latest letter.
 

“Dear Barbara, Rebecca and Beth,

I am so pleased to hear that all is well at home and both the girls are happily settled at school.

I spent all last Sunday on the beach at Cyrenia, on the North coast of the island. It was very hot considering it is almost winter. The sun is much higher in the sky out here, and is much stronger than one realises. The sea by comparison is very cold I should think it stays cold from the snow melting into it. They have already had snow on the highest of the mountains.

On Friday I was orderly officer again. Very quiet it was too. At one time it looked as if the Greeks were going to cause some trouble and if they had attacked the camp I would have had to take command of the defences. However, nothing materialised and I didn’t take any action other than opening a box or two of ammunition and putting it in the guardroom. The guard is armed in any case, so there isn’t much danger of a direct attack. The only excitement comes when a bomb goes off so we have to search around but so far none has been found here.

Rebecca, darling, I am so proud of you and your achievement at getting into Manchester High. I do hope you will learn as much as you can, as education is so important for your later life.

And little Beth, you must write and tell me all that you are learning too.

Love
John (Dad)”

“November, 1916
Dear Barbara,

We have had a death in our camp. A German named John Evers, and he was in his mid fifties. I spent some time talking with him, sometimes in German and sometimes in his halting and limited English. He was arrested in Liverpool in May of last year (about the time I arrived at your house) and he had been taken first to a Prisoner of War Camp in Stobs, Scotland.

He is buried at the Patrick Church, no doubt there will be many more of us there before this internment is over.

I remember him telling us about his time in Stobs Prisoner of War Camp. He was transferred here from there because they decided to make it a camp for military prisoners only. But the camp he said was very organised, and they printed their own newspaper, had schools and concerts. It didn’t sound nearly as bad there, as he more things happening there compared to when he was moved here. Anyway, his war is over. May he rest in peace.

Mrs. Anderton, the wife of Lieutenant-Colonel W. I. Anderton, devotes much time and money to the maintenance of the soldiers’ graves, and she will arrange for the erection of a marble headstone over John’s grave. We formed a Burials’ Committee and I volunteered to be part of it.

Love from Peter”

“Dear Barbara, Rebecca and Beth,

You asked about our food and eating situation. The prisoners of each compound (1000 prisoners) appoint a Kitchen Committee to take over the rations for the compound in bulk, instead of us drawing our individual rations of certain articles. If we are unhappy with the food we can only complain to the Kitchen Committee so all the officials do is supply the food and the cooking equipment.

One officer is the Camp Engineer. He is responsible for the electric lighting of the entire Camp, and for the Sewage Pumping Station. The drainage system allows the sewage to gravitate to a certain point, and then, by means of an electric pumping station, to pump it over the cliff into the sea.

As I have spent a time in control of the stores, I know a bit about what supplies we now have in. We sell blankets, shirts, clogs, towels, socks, soap, and flannel and moleskin fabric. We have a tailoring department where clothing is made – shirts and trousers, and underwear.

Love from Peter”

Of course, with only Peter writing, I get half the number of letters as I did before, and it seems a bit as if he is struggling when he writes – and his don’t have the easy and elegant flow of Paul’s letters. I asked him to tell me more about those who take care of them – whether they are regular army personnel or policemen, or what. And I asked for more information about the cooking. Here was his reply a few weeks later.
 

“Dear Barbara, Rebecca and my little Beth,

The Camp Guard and the “Blue Staff” occupy huts similar to those built for us – wooden and not very elegant. These were erected on the outskirts of the Camp. The “Blue Staff” consists of about 250 civilians, and represents the personnel of the various civilian departments and they work as Censors, Pursers, Clerks, Storekeepers, Hospital Dispensers, Engineers, and many other classes of employees. They derive their name from the blue uniform which they wear.

The baking for the Camp of 26,000 (this includes Staff, Troops, “Blue Staff”, and Prisoners) is conducted in a central bakery containing all the most modern appliances. Prisoners are employed as bakers, and 15,000 two-pound loaves are baked daily. My friend John who died a few weeks ago used to tell us that when he was interned in Scotland, the German bakers used to put the imprint of a German cross on each loaf of bread.

When an extra large hut was erected in our camp, which was meant for a dining hall, we in our group chose instead to use it as a recreation hut. We have a very talented group of individuals here so we are having the most excellent concerts by orchestras composed entirely of prisoners, and high-class plays. I have not been involved directly in performing but much enjoy the end products. We also use the hall for classes and some craft work. I am now learning to do pottery, and each week we have a young woman who lives nearby come in and help us with our pots. She is very kind to us. I find it very relaxing. I will try to send you a copy of my wares.

Of those attending to the spiritual welfare of the interned, I must mention Dean Crookall, of St. Mary’s, Douglas, who looks after me and the other Roman Catholic prisoners, and who devotes so much of his time to his work at the Camp.

I am so pleased to hear that my Beth is doing well and enjoying school.

Love from Peter”

When I next wrote to Peter, I asked him about whether anyone had ever escaped. We heard of several tunnels which were dug in other prisoner of war camps in Europe, and wondered if anyone had tried it there. Here is his letter in reply.

“Dear Barbara, Rebecca and Beth,

In the early days of Knockaloe Camp there were several attempts at escape on the part of inmates by tunnelling, but such methods being found to be of no avail, they were soon abandoned. But someone actually almost escaped at Douglas Camp. He, having evaded the guard at the Camp, proceeded to Douglas harbour and attempted to swim to a steamer bound for Silloth. But alas he was caught and brought back.

Occasionally the conduct of some of us at Knockaloe Camp necessitates the guard firing, but, considering the size of the Camp, disturbances in the compounds are remarkably few. And no one has been as of yet killed as a result.

We have been getting classes organised and various islanders come in to teach us various things. Some of the articles are most artistic and these are sold through the efforts of the Friends Emergency Committee, whose adviser is Mr. James Bailey. I think I mentioned him earlier as one who started us off in our education scheme. In fact some of the articles we manufacture are sold on strict trade conditions to firms in England who cannot cope due to the labour shortages. We have also got a small gift shop here, and some of our goods are sent to Canada.

Changing the subject, I have been told that the law has changed, whereby dependants of internees can be given a payment which amounts to 3 shillings per week per child for those who live outside London. Of course there is an allowance for wives as well.

I went to see the group commander and explained my situation, and how I had used a fake name. He suggested that I make a report giving all the details and if my case is favourably reviewed, they will see that you get the 3 shillings a week to help take care of Beth. It is not very much, but I would like to think that I am helping to contribute to her well being.

Love
Peter”

 I have some more news to write to Peter and John, as they may not have heard, Woodrow Wilson has been elected the President in the United States, and in Montana, a woman has been elected to the House of Representatives. As an American, these facts are of great interest to me, but probably also to the rest of the world. I wonder if President Wilson will bring America into the war. I also wonder how long it will be before women get the vote in this country. But with the US showing the lead in having a woman legislator, I cannot help but think England will try to follow suit.