Work Camp  224 L

Location: Nestelbach

Type of work: Farmwork

Man of Confidence: Sgt Skip(p)worth

Number of Men: 12

Known to be present

R. Bibby on left		James Wildes

Date of visit: 9 September 1943

General Description

Big, very pleasant farmhouse

Interior arrangement

Big room with 8 windows, whitewashed. There is electric light. The men sleep in single beds.

Bathing and washing facilities

There is no boiler for hot water and no bath tub. Both have to be procured.

Toilet facilities

Adequate.

Food and Cooking

Adequate

Medical attention and sickness

Medical treatment is given by a civilian doctor at Ilz 5 kilometers from the camp. Medical supply adequate.. Dental treatment at the Stalag.

Clothing

Rather bad. This will be fixed up by the Stalag.

Laundry

Done in the village.

Money and Pay

Correct.

Canteen

Very poor. Some beer can be bought in the village.

Religious activity

No visit.

Recreation and exercise

During the summer, the men went swimming. During the cold season, walks will be organised.

Mail

Some private parcels were missing. Otherwise the mail is fairly good.

Welfare work

In order.

Complaints

No complaint.

General impression

This is a very fine camp and accordingly the spirit is good and the state of health is excellent.

Extract from Diary of Dvr James Thomas Wildes, RASC

JULY 1941

16^th  Arrived in Austria. Slept night in train.

17^th   Arrived at camp in Marburg.

18^th  Cig issue of 100 (brown bombers).

19^th  Taken away my name and given a number. Working in camp putting up barbed wire.

20^th  Sunday. Working until 11 o’clock. Dinner:-soup. Tea:-bread, marge and mint tea.

22^nd Deloused again. Finger prints taken and inoculated.

23^rd  Photograph taken. Cup of coffee without milk or sugar for breakfast.

26^th  Went out working on a garden for the morning. Gardener gave me a finger of bread.

27^th Sunday. Dinner:-Sauerkraut. Tea:-tea, bread and jam.

28^th  Moved to another camp 100 yards down the road.

29^th  Sent letter card home. Arose in morning at 4 o’clock. Coffee at 5 o’clock.

30^th  Had names taken for farm work.

AUGUST 1941

1^st     Today will live on in our memories as we had a wonderful parcel of food stuff from the Red Cross. Also cigarettes. Moved from Marburg.

3^rd    Set out with guard to farm in Nestleburg (Nestelbach). Semi freedom at last.

4^th    Up at 4.45am. Started work at 6 o’clock after ¾ hour walk.

7^th    Cut the corn today. Very tedious craft.

8^th    Cut more corn. Hands getting a few blisters now.

10^th  Sunday. Best day of all. Up at 7 o’clock and to the farm for dinner.

12^th  Work still hard. Can’t seem to get used to it. 15^th week of POW. 106 days.

13^th  Rain this morning which gave me a break.

15^th   Thinking about giving it up. Too much of a good thing. 6 o’clock in the morning till 9:30 at night.

17^th   Day of rest.

22^nd Little easier today.