The Country - Poland
The Location - In an early British P.o.W Camp at Schubin (Stalag XX1). (Under the control of the German Army).
| I was born in Bedfordshire and in January 1940 joined the R.A.S.C and served with the B.E.F in France (before Dunkirk), being attached to the No 3 Field Petrol Depot on the French /Belgium frontier.
On the afternoon of May 20th our Unit was encircled by one of the German Panzer Divisions under Tank Commander Rommel. In the weeks previous, heavy supplies of petrol and aero- octane had been issued to army units and R.A.F Squadrons from our Depot and with the rapid German Advance, our R.A.S'.C unit was classified as "disposable" by the British High Command as other Army Units fell back towards the Channel Ports and the R.A.F flew home to re- group against possible invasion. |
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By the Autumn of 1940 Schubin Camp in Poland (Stalag XXI B contained several thousand P.o.Ws from France, Holland and other then occupied territories. The conditions in camp during the hot summer of 1940 had been horrendous, with plagues of fleas, lice and flies and a prolonged dysentery epidemic & starvation diet, a reminder since of what Belsen and similar camps must have been like. By early October, early snow had already begun to fall and "life saving" Red X Medical parcels started to arrive at the Camp, and with them 3 R.A.M.C. Medical Doctors who had worthily volunteer to leave their more comfortable Oflag to try and organise some semblance of a Camp Medical Service out of what had been chaotic conditions.
Col. Hankey (one of the Medical Officers) being of the high rank, became our Chief Medical Officer and also our Camp Leader By early November he had already officiated at several of Camp Funerals (too many deaths being - the result of malnutrition and associated illnesses), and on Sundays he agreed to lead the simple Camp Services that had been held during the tortuous summer months, these always under the close surveillance of the German Security Staff (for fear of plotting of uprisings and mass escapes).
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Also by November with the colder weather, the small Polish Church that was within the camp complex,
was brought into its proper use and as November 11th (Remembrance Day) approached Col.Hankey felt it would be fitting to hold a
short Remembrance Day Service to honour those who had died on active service and in the camp and also to think of the
folk at home who would be thinking of us. With the 11th falling mid-week, a request was made the Camp Commandant
(without specifying the purpose) for a 10-morning Service which was granted and a German interpreter was detailed to attend (as per usual).
In preparation for the service, Col Hankey was concern on how to bring the "2 minute Silence" to a conclusion and he enquired whether anyone knew the familiar verse used often at War Memorials about "They shall not Grow Old" etc. |
In preparation for the service, Col Hankey was concern on how to bring the "2 minute Silence" to a conclusion and he enquired whether anyone knew the familiar verse used often at War Memorials about "They shall not Grow Old" etc.
As a member of Toch H. since 1936 I mentioned that I knew verse t (as used at the "Ceremony of Light" in Toch H), so it we arranged that at a given signal the verse should end the "Silence” by my reciting it from the Church Gallery at the back.
Two minutes after 11-0'clock on Nov. 11th 1940 the rafters of that small Polish Church rang out with my words -:
With proud thanksgiving
Let us remember our elder brethren,
They shall not grow old,
as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn
At the going down of the Sun
And in the morning
We will 'Remember' them.
The service closed and all the lads went back wandering round the Camp, waiting for their meagre ration of watery potato soup, but at the main gate there was activity as a squad German Guards entered under their Guard Commander seeking P.O.W 3847 of the name of CHEW.
Before I realised it, I was marched out of the Camp under this armed escort and taken before the Chief Security Officer who proved to be a typical Prussian type, heavy built, cropped hair, over bearing manner and in a filthy temper and by his side was the small built German interpreter who had "sat in" at the service, holding his little black book.
Standing between two of the armed guards I enquired what it was all about. I was informed in no uncertain terms that I was under close arrest on a most serious charge of "Incite mutiny" among my fellow Prisoners. "How so"? was my reply The interpreter then referred to his shorthand notes and accused me of shouting out from the gallery at the back of the Church at the recent service to my fellow prisoners the following words "With Proud Thanksgiving let us REMEMBER our Elder Brethren (with a rejoinder 1914-18 War!!), placing Guttural stress on REMEMBER.
He quoted the whole verse with a vicious tone making it sound pretty horrible and after the last line "We will Remember Them" he drew his hand across his throat in a slashing action declaring , "Revenge! You seek Revenge”?
It suddenly struck me, how could a prayer verse be transformed into a hymn of hate and as he had recited it 7 it was certainly hateful.
In thinking over a quick defence t it dawned on me that the then German mind had interpreted and revealed their own motivation in their war aims. It was they who were seeking revenge for the 1914-18 defeat and the Treaty that followed.
In my defence I explained that the verse in question was used in Britain when remembering the Dead both of foe and friend and that Britain needed no revenge and had entered the current conflict to fulfil a pled and Treaty with Poland and their German Leaders knew the circumstances when they attacked Poland and Britain's Word was her Bond. If however Germany was waging their war as Revenge "so be it" but the verse as spoken was a prayer and not of Hate.
After my defence was translated and there was join cogitation in German, I was informed the current charge would be dropped but my actions would be watched and with further trouble I would be sent to a Strafe Lager for an indefinite period. I got the impression they realised they had completely misunderstood the whole incident but could admit it.
I realised from this early happening in my 5 years of captivity how important the role of an interpreter is in the translation of language. Words can seem the same but the deeper meaning and understanding can be missed.
I now appreciate the importance in international negotiations, how underlying intentions have to also to be translated or interpreted.
We may not give full credit to current "Common Market" and international negotiations but with each passing Nov 11th I not only recall lost, chums but. I include a thought for the army of interpreters who are helping to reach a better understanding between the nations.