F.A. MIDDLEMISS

A DIARY OF MY LIFE AS A PRISONER OF WAR
1944 - 1945

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Some additional notes were added by Dr Middlemiss at the time of transcription, in April 1987 from his first copy. These are shown in brackets. Also, some Editor's notes have been added for the Website.


APPENDIX 11

A diary kept by Corporal Cyril Codd, which he later gave to me.

1944

Captured about 17.00 hrs while attempting to evacuate casualties under cover of Red Cross flag. Marched 5 km with stretchers. Search and interrogation on arrival. No food, water or sleep.

24th February, Thursday.

Marched about 4 km to a cave where we join other prisoners and are searched again. Later marched 11 or 12 km and slept in a barn for the night. A pint of thin carrot and lentil soup, the only food for 24 hours. No drinkable water available.

25th February, Friday.

Marched about 22 km with only 2 halts after breakfast of black bread, cheese and black coffee. Arrive at camp near Rome. Evening meal of bread, margarine and jam. Slept in big hall packed tight with men, about 1500 [this was the film studio, see 3rd March in Frank's diary]. Air very bad as there are no windows and the doors are shut for 13 hours.

26th February, Saturday.

No move today. A long time spent in queuing for meals. The majority, having no eating utensils, get food in their helmets and eat with home-made wooden spoons. Breakfast- coffee. Lunch - macaroni. Tea - bread, margarine, jam and coffee.

27th February, Sunday.

Same routine today. Food still scarce. Nearly everyone out of cigarettes. Lot of hopeful talk about moving to the next camp.

28th February, Monday.

No move. Feeling pretty hungry. Food the main topic of conversation. 40 more men arrived. Now over 1700 in one hall.

29th February, Tuesday.

Warm and sunny today. Had a good [ ? ] when able to shake off lassitude. Worst food yet.

1st March, Wednesday.

6 men to a loaf today, because 50 loaves were stolen from the stores. Rain adds to our misery. C/E chaplain gave a not very successful service.

2nd March, Thursday.

Herb tea instead of coffee: not worth drinking. Nearly 2000 men in here now. Queuing is a terrible business.

3rd March, Friday.

Great excitement this morning. All British were moved from the camp. 3 to a loaf and a tin of meat the rations for the day. Packed tight in open lorries for the journey. We are going to Florence. Friendly demonstrations from civilians in Rome. Midway we stop for the night and are packed into a school room so tightly that some have not even room to sit down. Consequently discomfort as no sleep all night.

4th March, Saturday.

Back on the trucks again with no food before starting. Cold, wet journey, arriving at camp about 2.0pm. [Laterina, see Frank's diary 23rd March 1944]. Searched again and lose more kit. Fill in identity card and give up money, which is supposed to be returned in Marks. Food - macaroni soup; bread, butter and jam. Reasonable sleep in huts with concrete floors. Better organisation.

5th March, Sunday.

Main event today was the sending off of printed cards notifying relatives. We all feel easier in mind now. Food much better here. Very cold, snow and sleet all day, hard to keep warm. Rumours that some may be moved tomorrow.

6th March, Monday.

Move postponed. A bit warmer today. Managed to get some straw to sleep on. Coffee in the morning - bread, butter and fish paste - pint and a half of rice and meat gruel midday and evening.

7th March, Tuesday.

Approx. 1000 men left today for Germany. The camp is not so crowded and food is more on time. Only a matter of days before we go, we hope.

8th March, Wednesday.

In order to save soap, am only washing every second day and I have not shaved since capture. I am keeping my one blade until there are prospects of getting more. Life goes on as usual.

9th March, Thursday.

Sweet rice for supper was the high spot today, it was really filling. Am taking an hour's exercise every day to prevent "frozen feet" which many are suffering from through bad circulation and cold.

10th March, Friday.

About five or six hundred Yanks arrived today, camp is once more crowded. I shaved off my three week beard.

11th March, Saturday.

Warmest day so far. Practically everyone takes advantage of the sun to sit outside and have a wash and a bug-hunt. I found three [he must mean lice, not bugs].

12th March, Sunday.

Bombing of Florence prevented Yanks, officers and sick being moved from here today. Cold, windy and wet all day.

13th March, Monday.

Fine and warm until mid-afternoon. Rumour of a move tomorrow, hope it's true. Got hold of a buckshee card and sent it off to [ ? ]. Am hoping to get some work in the sick bay if still here in the next few days.

14th March, Tuesday.

Very good sweet rice early today because of movement, which was eventually postponed again. Warm again; sat outside all day.

15th March, Wednesday.

Approx 800 men left today. About 50 or so officers came in, including the two M.O.s. Shall be able to get news of the others now.

16th March, Thursday.

Glad to hear from Capt. Graf that Ted and Frank are at the studio and likely to be with us tomorrow. Good day today - fine weather - reasonable food and second roll-call dispensed with.

17th March, Friday.

No fresh arrivals, but more rumours of likely move for us in a few days. Overcast and cold today.

18th March, Saturday.

Had another bug-hunt today, as it was warm, removed two offenders and applied powder liberally [again, he means lice]. No sign of the others turning up.

19th March, Sunday.

Another day of drowsing in the sun, also another good issue of sweet rice. Otherwise same as usual.

20th March, Monday.

Make arrangements for move tomorrow. Fine day once more.

21st March, Tuesday.

Day of disappointment. They decided to take [names from] H to Z and we got left behind. Spent day sun-bathing. Food still fairly decent (pea soup). Sent card to Iris.

29th March, Wednesday.

Indefinite postp onement through damage to the line. Goodness knows how long we shall wait now.

30th March, Thursday.

Cold day again, so we sit around and talk about food as usual.

31st March, Friday.

Spot of rain today. Shocked to notice loss of flesh from arms and legs. Definitely feeling weak. Found it an effort to force myself into taking a walk before bed. Sent card to [ ? ].

1st April, Saturday.

Extra parade today for visit of Max Schmeling*, who is obviously not as dead as had been reported. Good cabbage skilly tonight.
(* A famous Heavy Weight boxer of the 1930's.)

2nd April, Sunday.

Another lazy day in the sun. Tried my hand at hair-cutting with indifferent success. Plenty of usual rumours flying around, but am taking no notice this time.

3rd April, Monday.

Bombers have done it again. Resigned to stopping here now. Sweet rice again today, not quite as good as previously. Swopped my jerkin for an overcoat.

4th April, Tuesday.

Tomorrow seems to be the day.

5th April, Wednesday.

Long day of hanging around, being searched, etc. March to the station and entrain. Loaf and tin of bully for the journey.

6th April, Thursday.

50 men in a van was too crowded for sleep. All food gone before midday. All very bored. Surprise meal of savoury rice in evening, during a halt in Brenner.

7th April, Friday.

Another sleepless night. Cold as well, as we went north. 1/3 loaf and xxx tin of bully for the journey. Arrive at camp near Munich [Stalag V11A, Moosburg]. Searched again and issued with 50 cigs and our first Red Cross parcel. Great excitement and bartering which lasted till 4.30 am in the morning.

8th April, Saturday.

Terrific improvement in rations. Thick macaroni and meat, 6 boiled potatoes, bread and slice of Wurst. Tea in morning and, of course, a real feast from our parcels. Must try and get a job here.

9th April, Sunday.

Some good grub. No cooking of Red Cross yet but experimented with mashed spuds, butter and salmon. Easter holidays are holding up delousing. Looks as if NCOs will be separated from men.

10th April, Monday.

Wet all day today, keeping us in the hut, which is pretty overcrowded. Quite a number are ill from unwise eating.

11th April, Tuesday.

Transfer to main camp today [from North Lager]. Delousing and hot shower were grand, as were palliasses, three blankets and a bunk to sleep in. Mostly South Africans in hut. Saw blowers in use for the first time.

12th April, Wednesday.

Attempted some cooking in the form of bully toad-in-the-hole and chocolate pudding. Quite successful.

13th April, Thursday.

Feeling better for extra food already. Warm day, so spent afternoon out in the sun, until an air raid sent us in. Enjoyed a whist-drive in evening.

14th April, Friday.

Parcel and letter-card issue causes excitement. Indulged in a little bartering, to my gain.

15th April, Saturday.

Made my first bowl of porridge this morning, enjoyed it tremendously. An attack of diarrhoea spoilt the rest of the day and I went to bed early. Sent off my first letter-card.

16th April, Sunday.

Vain attempt to clean vest and pants. More success with my effort at bread pudding and roast spuds though, so I finished up even on the day.

17th April, Monday

Settling down to a steady routine now. Wood shortage spoils our breakfast, but we manage some porridge every morning.

18th April, Tuesday.

Two good plays put over this evening. More entertainment going here than I have ever known before. Hardly a dull moment.

19th April, Wednesday.

Cold and wet all day. Spent most of the time on my bed reading. Getting the better of my diarrhoea.

20th April, Thursday.

Still wet. Am waiting for a decent day to do some more washing.

21st April, Friday.

Sent off cards home and to [ ? ]. Arrival of parcels produces usual excitement.

22nd April, Saturday.

Won the draw for some wood today, so assuring brews for two or three days. Even less fuel about than before.

23rd April, Sunday.

Two good football matches. Beat Yugoslavs 3-2, lost to a crack French team 3-1. Took advantage of the fine weather to wash pullover.

24th April, Monday.

Spent afternoon sunbathing and evening watching rugger practice; otherwise had not much to do.

Bitterly cold wind and rain today. Celebration of Anzac Day the main event, really smart turnout for POWs.

Started on a bit of part-time work as compound medical orderly. It may develop into something.

Swopped my old pullover and fags for New Yankee sweater. Good bargain.

Red Cross parcel issue took a long time as it was a bulk issue. Better than usual in some ways.

Weather still cold and wet. Slept all the afternoon. Unsuccessful attempt to contact Eric [who was in a different Block]. Apparently all the other Ranks that arrived with me are being moved on.

Handed in particulars for job as orderly in the officers' compound. Should be a good thing if I can land it. Sent letter-card home.

Had a game of football today. Only ten minutes each way, but plenty for me.

Details of all RAMC taken this afternoon; may be just routine. Am spending quite a bit of time now on duty as medical orderly here.

[The diary ends here. Cyril liked it at Moosburg. He got a job in the camp medical room and, as far as I know, spent the rest of the War there].

Excerpts from a letter sent from Frank Middlemiss to Marjorie Dilworth, 3/5/2003. Marjorie was Eric Dilworth's wife.

Isn’t it strange how a casual remark, in the middle of the night, can be handed down for over sixty years. We came to Iraq from India and landed at Basra on Armistice Day 1942. We spent five days encamped at Shaiba, next to Zubair outside Basra, then on the afternoon and night of the 16th November we travelled by train up to Bagdad. Late that night the train stopped at a station and we all turned out to get a cup of tea. The station was "Ur Junction"! I couldn’t help being overcome by a feeling of awe at being there at one of the foundation stones of civilization. I stared into the impenetrable darkness and said to Eric "This is Ur"! He was intrigued that I could be so interested in ancient history at that rather dark and miserable moment, and never forgot the incident.

We arrived at Bagdad the next morning and then travelled on to Kirkuk on the 18th November. We stayed encamped at Kirkuk right through the winter (the Germans had reached Stalingrad and the Army was afraid that they would come c rashing through the Caucasus into Iraq).

We left Kirkuk on the 21st March 1943 and travelled by road convoy right across the desert to Jordan and Palestine and eventually down into Egypt. Yes, I do remember vividly what a wealth of flowers there was in the springtime in both Jordan and Palestine and what a contrast they made to the desert. Arab urchins were selling us stolen Jewish-grown oranges in Palestine!

We only remained a week in Egypt, as the fighting by that time was far to the west. We went on by road convoy all along the coasts of Egypt, Libya and Tunisia and eventually joined the 8th Army in Tunisia where we actually saw our first real "action". During all that journey Eric and I were medical orderlies to the 100th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery.

When the fighting in Tunisia finished we went back and spent the whole of that summer camped just outside Tripoli, swimming in the Med. every day! Until on the 9th September 1943 we were hurled into the real grim action of the invasion of Italy. When I have got rid of the effects of this "flu" I will send you photocopies of two things which I think will interest you - (1) an article which I later wrote for a College magazine describing the journey from Bagdad to Palestine, and (2) the diary which I kept as a prisoner of war, with its very frequent references to Eric.

Yours sincerely,

Frank