| Flt. Lt. Ian William Tweddell World War II P. O. W. Diary January 12, 1917 to June 19, 1975 |
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| 'drome. Group Captain on motorbike with 2 Tempest escort. In camp at 21:00 or else. Began construction of cart in evening. Schnapps, coffee and Klim. Sky cleared about 18:00. Heavy dew but no rainfall. Thursday, April 19 Cold but cloud breaking. Wind 15 - 20 / 270. Found camp not at Pennegerg but at Ellerbeck, 7 km. away. Start 10:00. Rugensbergen. w/v 315/40. Dusty; cool. Breakfast; 2 toast, coffee; packet of Canadian prunes during morning. Rugenbergen 75 km from Kiel, 16 from Hamburg. Blankets on wagon. 3/4 of people now wheeling. Carts range from 2 pram wheels to 1/2 a light farm wagon. No police today. Many people in houses, etc. last night. Some ousted. Halts during morning 30 - 10 - 10 - 10. Short cut through scrub country raised hell with weaker wheels. Tempests about again. Beautiful clear day with white clouds. Country poor farming, sandy, scrubby country. 3 kms of very poor "fussweg" then stop for lunch. Salmon, 1 bread, 3 biscuits, cheese, coffee. Very pleasant lunching alone. Fell sound asleep. 14:00; on road. Stiff march of about 5 km. To outskirts of Harkscheide, 53 km from Lubeck, 15 from Hamburg. Obviously new suburb of Hamburg. Very neat, clean and new. Saw 5 houses under construction. Shops empty as usual. Smooth, hard road surface now. Feet hot. 16 minute stop then through Glashutte and 3 kms. to a battle school 88 mm people from Osnabruck here. Had it. In usual field at 16:15. 1/4 mile down road for 2 lots of water and 2 of heather. Very comfortable bed. Night very windy; clear, cool. Supper 3 spuds, 1/2 kilo goon meat, 2 brews. 3 pieces bread and cheese. Wash and to bed at 21:00. Usual air activity. Tempests raised hell here at 16:30. Saw Don. Very tired last night. 16 km. Friday, April 20 Up at 07:15 after good night on heather bed. Breakfast 3 pieces of fried bread, cheese and Kam and coffee. Not so windy today. Blankets and tunic on wagon. News good. 50 km. still to do. Start 10:15. A few refugees. Rest at Tangstedt 45 km from Lubeck. 12:30; Lunch 3 biscuits and sardines, 1 bread and Spam, cold coffee. 13:50; on again to Bargefeld, 38 km from Lubeck. 16:15 in field at Elmanhorst. Supper; Cheese, Spam, bread, coffee. Erect shelter of sods, blanket and great coat. Rain began about 03:00. Dry all night. Bombing, flare dropping and gunnery very close. A cheerless night. 3 tins of bread issued. Feet very tired. Ground hard, trampled. Crossed Alster. 15 km. Saturday, April 21 Woke up at 07:00 after uncomfortable night due to intruders, rain and hard ground. 07:30 told to find cover. Located shed in rear of house, close to field. 3 of us in to make a total of 11. 5 in shed; 2 upstairs; 2 in pigpen; 2 in workshop. 2 old men, 1 old woman, 2 young women with children. One very charming and cheerful. Baby 10 months. Husband killed in Russia. Evacuated from Koenigsberg. Lunch - huge stew. Household supplied spuds adn 1/4 can of meat each. Big coffee bash in house. Wood gathering. Session with SS - booth cleaning in house. Told to stay in yard or else. Tea in kitchen. Weather blustery and showery all day. Amazing kindness shown in use of workshop etc. So far 7 slices of bread today. Rumors but no news. Kriegies all over the countryside. All semblance of order gone. Shave, wash, shoeshine. |