Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

A TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRISONER OF WAR DIARY
KEPT BY CORPORAL PATRICK JAMES DURHAM (SERN 19)
10TH BATTALION AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE




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[Most of this page is illegible owing to deterioration of the original and the obliteration of some words by a German censor’s stamp: “Postprufungstelle Lager-Lechfeld.” A full account of the circumstances of his capture together with a candid description of his subsequent treatment as a POW is contained in the statements made following his repatriation to England in 1918.]

Went in the trenches at Pozieres on Aug…[19th 1916.]


in charge…

enemy at 6 p.m. Aug 22nd at Mouquet Farm…..France…

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enemy’s main trench(?) (our (?) objective) but what could 7 or 8 of us do (and some of them were wounded). Sgt. Badger who was in charge of our platoon was alongside me wounded, in the shell hole. We couldn’t make out what had happened, no more reinforcements coming up. So I proposed going back to see what was holding them up. Just before I left, Segt. [sic] Badger got another nasty wound in the Groin. I left him in charge of the

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other chaps and went to see what help I could get. I hadn’t gone 200 yards before I got a crack and head over heels I go. I thought I was done for and I crawled in a shell hole where 2 or 3 of our wounded lay. One of them tied a bandage round me & there I lay bleeding like the devil. It was getting dark now & the firing was still very hot. I thought I would make another attempt to

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see if I could get into touch with our chaps. I crawl as best as I could for a few yards until I was completely done. I got in a shell hole not being able to move another inch. Later on some of our unwounded chaps come into this shell hole and I learn from them that the Germans were in the trench that we had already taken. That meant we were completely surrounded, what a fix

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to be in. There I also heard that Sergt. Badger* had died. The unwounded men propose to try and break through and inform our people of how things were with us wounded chaps. Away they go leaving 7 or 8 of us wounded chaps in this shell hole. That was the last we saw of them. It started a drizzling Rain in the night & a more uncomfortable night I never want to have. I must have swooned

[*Sgt Badger, a 20 year old former bank clerk from Peterborough South Australia, is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.]

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off through loss of Blood because I was suddenly awakened at dawn. When I had finished rubbing my eyes I find I am looking down the Barrels of Rifles with Bayonets on them & Germans behind them. They saw that we were all wounded and they then started to carry our Chaps that could not walk into their own trench. I was the last to be removed. While they were away with my comrades I

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wrote in my Diary that I was about to be made prisoner, then I wrote my address in case any of our chaps would pick it up later. Then although I hated to do it, I left it in the shell hole with a bit of earth over it. I was then carried into their trench where I remained until about 5 p.m. in the evening. I was then carried under shellfire about a mile away to the dressing station. I got dressed

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there. Then I got carried on a stretcher to a Motor Ambulance which took me to a Field Hospital. Stayed there a couple of hours then got carried to a Station yard nearby and put on a Train which took us to a place called Courtrai [Caudry]. Motor Ambulance then took us to the Hospital which proved to be in an Old French Lace Factory. Whether it was the early morning of the 23rd or 24th when we arrived I fail to remember. There proved to be quite a good number

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of Australian & British wounded here, some of the poor chaps being badly knocked about. This Hospital is well fitted out, and our chaps get every attention. There being no Difference whether one is English or German. They both get the same treatment. The Food, though there is no Luxuries is plain, but good & Nutrisious [sic]. I went under the X-Ray today after I had been dressed. My leg is very painful & sleep is impossible. About Aug 29th they

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operated on me and took out some Bone Splinters. On Sept 10th a lot of us got told off for Transport. The Train leaving for Germany after tea. We got put on one train which took us about 7 miles, then the Stretcher Cases got transferred onto a German Hospital Train. This train was fitted out real good, 10 Beds to a Carriage & one (?) Orderly to wait on us. The treatment on here was excellent

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& the food Good. We went through Belgium (?) [word obscured by another censor’s stamp] stopping in the Train for 2 Days & 2 nights. We passed some Big German Cities Coblenz & Bohn [sic] being two of them. We arrived at Grafenwhor [sic] (our destination) at about 4p.m. on Sept 12th. We were taken to a barracks which is being made into a Hospital. We are the First British troops that have been here & it is mighty hard to make oneself understood. We are in

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small Barrack Rooms 11 Beds in each room. We are allowed to write one Card each week & 2 Letters per month. The first Card I wrote (?) from here was Sept 15th [the next 4 lines have been rendered illegible, having been deliberately scribbled out] Mam & Dad the next. After being here 3 weeks they In(n)oculated us 5 times for (Typhus & Cholera) and vaccinated once. The French prisoners have been very good to us, having given us several lots of Biscuit and a little Tinned Stuff

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once, also a little chocolate twice. On Oct 21st I got my first reply from home answering my Sept 15th Card. Needless to say I [was] mighty pleased to hear from them. It seems they knew I was missing & Capt Maginess who was home on Leave nearly convinced them it was all up with me. But no-they never gave up hope. I can imagine how delighted they were when they got my Card. [The next 2 lines have again been crossed out.] Our Joe* is still going strong. I am pleased to hear that he has got his 3 stripes. There would have been a pair of us if I had

[*Joe, Pat’s younger brother was serving with the 7th Battalion Rifle Brigade in France]
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(?) the (?) through. Mick* has gone to Mesapotamia that will be better than putting in another Winter in France.

[*Mick, Pat and Joe’s younger brother, was serving as a driver with the Royal Horse Artillery]
Nov 30th 16
The weather has been splendid up to now. We had a few inches of snow last week but it soon cleared off. It is truly remarkable weather for this time of the year. I am still keeping in good health and my leg is stronger, for I can put more weight on it. But my wounds don’t seem to improve any. They are continually Discharging and get

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rather painful at times. My foot is still useless. The Swiss commission came on Oct 30th re exchange of Disabled prisoners. I saw them but it was no use, I haven’t been prisoner long enough or I might have stood a chance. There is another Commission in January I believe, if so I shall certainly have another try if I am no better. There is only about 50 Englishmen here now. The others have got well and have been sent to a place 90 kilometres away called Nuremburg there is a big camp there for prisoners. I am now getting



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plenty (?) of letters & have also had 4 nice parcels from home. The first was Underclothing socks & Scarf pipe, tobacco & Large Bottle of Bovril. The other 3 were of food, Cake, Biscuits, Tea, Cocoa, Milk, Sugar, Jam, Marmalade Fish Paste etc. They were just what I needed & I sure thanked my Dear Mam & Dad. I have received Underclothing, shoes, Boots etc from the Aus Red Cross. I am well fitted up now with clothes. They have also sent me 3 Parcels of food. But they are not much they don’t seem to have any Idea what to send. The best thing they send

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is from Switzerland, 2 small loaves of Bread & ½ lb of Cheese [a] week, that is if the Mails are running to time. One of our Officers has been transferred to Switzerland & 2 men went direct to England on Nov 30th, one chap was named Kelly & I asked him to write to my people. I Believe the Exchange takes place on Dec 7th he ought to be in England by the 10th. The weather is getting very cold & we are having snow every other day. I am now in a room where six of us are English and the remaining 5 are Frenchmen. They are all a lively

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lot and the time does not drag because they are all up to practical jokes all day long. At night the French will start singing & our Fellows do their share. We all get on real well together. Since I have been here I have been in a room where there have been English, Australians, Russians, French and there are also Morroccans [sic] in the building. There are now only 22 English left here now. The remainder having got better, were sent to Nuremberg. I haven’t been receiving too many letters lately but Mam’s parcels are arriving every week. The letters

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that I have had state that they haven’t heard from me since they received the first letter and card. I cannot understand it because I am writing regular. Dec 23rd My Birthday & yesterday I received in the way of a present 2 nice Big Parcels from Mam. Dear Old Mam & Dad they are looking after their Pat [overwritten “PJ”] alright. Today is Saturday & I went to church in a little Room in the Building, Mass being said by a French Soldier Priest. Mass is always said on Saturdays instead of Sundays on the Continent. Sunday I had a slip & had the Misfortune to open my wound. It is rather bad luck

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because it was getting on so well. My foot is still as dead as a doornail. The doctor spoke to me about an operation to join the nerves that are broken. I said I would tell him later, but he came a couple of days after and said No Operation. One is handicapped here, not being able to understand what the doctor is saying.



Dec 25th Xmas day
Went to Mass at 11 a.m. The hospital Routine is just the same as any other Day. We had a good feed in our Room because we had been saving up some of the contents of our Parcels. At Night we had a bit of a concert

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in our room French & English singing for a couple of hours.

Mon Jan 22nd 1917
There has been snow on the ground since Xmas & the last few days the weather has been very cold. I am very pleased to state that my people are now getting my letters but I am real mad with Kelly because he has wrote to my Mam & Dad saying I might possibly lose my leg. I wasn’t too good when he left but then at that time I never dreamt of such a thing happening. I know only too well that if they had taken my leg off (?) [the last line is barely legible through damage]

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it would have been the end of me. The operation couldn’t possibly be done. Anyhow at present I am thankful to state that where the Bullet entered is quite better & where they operated on the Backside although there is a big gash it is practically healed up. I do a lot of knocking about (not outside it is too cold) the Building and I am up to all the jokes imaginable. We play tricks on each other & that helps to Brighten me up also it passes the time away. The last (?) [word obscured by repair] month we

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have also got plenty of Books & Old magazines so the time doesn’t drag so much as it did when we first came here. There are only 17 of us English & Australians also 1 Officer left here. The Remainder have gone to Nuremberg about 90 miles away. But one thing we are all anxious about is how the war is getting on. We get very little news here not being allowed to have any papers. But we do hear Rumours now & again Especially when Our friends have done some good work. Myself I am looking

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forward to the next visit of the Swiss Commission. I sur(e)ly ought to stand a chance of getting to Switzerland. But when they will arrive & if I do face them how long I will be before I get there I haven’t the faintest Idea. The other day we had an all English sup(p)er. Plenty of Swiss Bread & Tinned Meats also a Singsong in our Room & I can state that we had a very pleasant evening. To see some of my Comrades faces you would think they were in England they were so happy [remainder of line illegible owing to repairs]

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[Top line missing-torn away] snow has now practically cleared all away. I am now anxiously awaiting the Swiss commission. My wound is practically healed but the foot is just the same paralysed. Wrote to Red Cross asking them to send me 15/- worth of food & stop it from my account dating from Nov 1st. Wrote a card stopping same (?) month ending February 1917. Received letter from Miss C (?) Sec Aus Red Cross saying that she would do what she could to get me exchanged. Also she said that Mam had sent her some parcels (?) & that she

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would send(?) [words obscured by repair] it with the Next (?) parcel. Feb 27th (?) a little more snow weather rather cold. Feb 28th Wonder when we will get any parcels. Myself I haven’t had a parcel except Bread since the first week in the New Year. It is on account of the New Regulations in force (No Civil Parcels to be sent). The Doctor asked me if I would let him operate on my leg to join the nerve. He said it is necessary because the nerve would die. I asked him if he would guarantee success, he could not do that so I said no operation. I am rather doubtful now about getting

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to Switzerland. March 1st Received parcel of food from Mam Cakes, toast, Sausage & Butter milk etc. It was knocked about some but everything was eatable. The Weather is still very cold, snowing, thawing and freezing on alternate days just about sums the weather up. Received a parcel No 30 from the Australian Red Cross. This is the first parcel which includes my allotment. Can’t judge what they are really like because we do not get all the Parcel issued to us at once. All the tinned stuff being kept over in the Office. And we have to go over with a basin when we want any tinned stuff

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and they open it & pour it out in the Basin. It is a precaution against prohibited matter getting through to the prisoner. Received a Card from the Aus Red Cross dated Jan 24th saying that they are sending my allotment also a gift from my Mother. I have received the Parcel that caused a lot of trouble at home on account of being overweight also the Difficulty about the new Regulations. The Aus Red Cross sent me a card saying that they sent the Parcel because it was addressed to them on Jan 30th 17. On St Patrick’s day March 17th I finished

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getting Bandaged my wound being healed up. On April 9 I left Grafenwohr for the Camp at Nurnberg. The reason the Doctor sent me away was because I would not consent to be operated on. Well I have been there since Sept 12, he never troubled about me. When it was healed up he said Operation, I asked if he could guarantee success. He said No so I said No Operation. I had to walk to the Station and it nearly killed me. In the train we were mixed up with the Civilians. They were all gawping on us (Englanders) being

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an object of great interest. They don’t seem to take any Notice of the French & Russian prisoners there are so many of them. But Englanders are Curios. There was four of us getting transferred to Nurnburg 1 English & 3 Australians. 1 Sentry was in Charge of us. When I got to Nurnburg the sentry tried to get me a tram ride to the Camp. A UnderOfficer [unteroffizier-corporal] was speaking to me for a long while in the train. He could speak very good English we were giving each other our opinions with regard to the war. They are all anxious for peace but they are not

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so confident of victory as they were a few months ago. He seemed a decent sort of chap. I told him I could not walk very well, asked him to ask the sentry to try to get me a Conveyance or tram to the Camp. He told the Sentry & he went in some Military Office at the Nurnburg Station But he came out & said it could not be done.
It was Easter Saturday afternoon & the Station was crowded with Soldiers on Duty, Soldiers wounded Soldiers on leave & Crowds of (?) women (?), [two words crossed out] Girls & children. It is a very big station with Great big Subways. The 4 of us

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had to go through the lot of them. They did not half stare at us but the only remarks I could hear was “Ah Englanders.” There was I hopping along with a walking stick. I was rather enjoying the commotion we were causing. We were laughing & joking with each other. We had to walk through the town & it seemed a nice clean place with fine buildings. I had not walked far before I was in trouble & I had to stop every so far for a spell. The women drive some of the trams. The Sentry asked one if I could get on but

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she said it was forbidden unless he had a pass for us from the Commanda(n)ture [kommandantur-administrative office]. I wanted to pay for the lot of us the Sentry included-but it could not be done. Anyhow we got to the Camp at last & I wasn’t sorry I was just about done up. The Camp is a square Enclosure 250 yards square in the inside. The Barracks is about 15 yards wide & it runs right around the Camp. It is all of wood about 9 feet high the roof having a slight incline. The Germans give you a Straw paliase & most men when they can get hold of some Cases

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they generally make a Cot & then they manage to get hold of a box to put their things in. Sergeants & Corporals are not supposed to work but the privates & Lce Cpls are sent out most of them work on Farms & building jobs. I think the French & Russian Corporals & Sergeants have to work. There are very few English attached to this camp 150 all told. There is only about 40 of us left in the Camp. For the first 2 weeks we didn’t get any Packets but we had some bread & managed to pull through. Three of us put all our food together &

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take out turns in preparing & cooking the food. I am writing this on May 7th I have been here a Month & I have only had 2 parcels of Food & 2 of Bread. Three weeks before I left Grafenwohr I did not receive any. It is a good job my mates are receiving theirs. My wound opened up again last week but it has healed up again. The Doctor Ordered me Electric Massage when I came here, but the Machine is broken & there isn’t any hope of it being removed. The English play the French Soccer, 3 or four times a week we always manage to win they have drawn a couple of times. Four times a week we get a couple of potatoes

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& every day we get 200 grams of bread, they serve out other stuff but this is the only stuff we draw. The weather is now getting good the last 2 or 3 days has been quite warm. Still no news of the long sought Swiss Commission. On the 18 of June nearly all the French Sergeants also The English Sergts & Corps were sent to a place called Lechfeld about 90 miles from Nurnberg. I was Included in the Party. We got there on the evening of June 18th. I could not walk to or from the

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different stations & I had to be thankful of getting pulled along in a handcart by the prisoners. The Surroundings of the Camp is far more pleasant than Nurmberg we are not boxed up. There being 2 rows of Barbed wire all round the Camp. On a clear day one can see the Mountains of Tyrol which are not far from Switzerland. This place will be alright in summer but I (‘m) afraid it will be dreadful cold in winter. We sleep on a Straw paliase which is placed on the floor of Course. There are about 870 French Sergeants here & they say it

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is a kind of Reprisal Camp. We don’t know how it will effect the English. There are only 22 of us. The Captain in Charge of the Camp is an Old Man who has been a civil Prisoner in England. He was sent back to Germany Last year because he was over the age limit. He was 18 years in England, also he has got a son a Prisoner there. He treats us pretty fair and often comes & has a yarn. He seems to think it is a mistake that we have been sent here. And while we are here we will come under the same rule as the French.

[At this point the POW diary ends abruptly. Perhaps under the punitive regime in force at the Lechfeld camp the keeping of diaries was forbidden. However, his later experiences at Lechfeld (10/6/17-2/10/17), Constance (2/10/17-28/11/17) and Interlaken (29/11/17-?/3/18) are documented in the statements he gave following his eventual repatriation from Switzerland (24/3/18). Diary entries resume as Pat prepares to leave England to return to Australia.]

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On Sept 15th 18
Left Weymouth Camp at 2 a.m. Left station at 6 a.m. arrived L’pool [Liverpool] 4.30 p.m. embarked on Troop Ship Arawa & pulled out in the Stream. Set sail on Tuesday Sept 17 in a Convoy of 14 Troop Ships escorted by Yankee Destroyers. We kept together for 5 days our course being towards America until we got out of the danger zone when 5 left in a direction which indicated they were going to the Mediterranean Sea. We stayed with

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the ships that were going to America for another day then we went for Capetown escorted by the Armed Cruiser. She stayed with us until we were abreast of Sierra Leone then we went along unescorted arriving at Capetown after 26 days sail. Stayed 3 days for coal & water No Leave being granted on account of Serious Epidemic of The Flu among the People. The people sent us some Fruit.

[This is the final diary entry, but several names and addresses (presumably fellow POWs or their relatives) were written on three succeeding pages together with miscellaneous notes in Pat’s hand.