Black bread and cocoa

While we were in solitary confinement, our breakfast, consisting of cocoa and one small piece of dark bread, was served at 7.30 am by our own volunteers.

At 12.30 pm we got cabbage water, 2 oz of horse flesh and one and a half hot potatoes. 

At 5.00 pm it was cocoa again with one piece of dark bread.

On Sundays we got our cocoa at 3.30 pm so that the English officers could get time off, while the prisoners had to wait until 7.30 next morning for their next piece of food.

The horse flesh was as hard as plug tobacco and when the cell was opened next morning you had a ‘shot’ at your comrades with it!

When we went to Stafford prison first we were not allowed any reading material – not even a prayer book or bible. All pencils and pens were taken from us to make it more trying.

While we were in such confinement, the sentry, passing round on duty, used to halt and pull out a banana, hold it up for us to see and then consume it. 

But within minutes he was showered from the windows above with all sorts of litter. He’d move off, surprised, but not as surprised as we were!

Our men above had not been deprived of their belongings as we, the fifteen pilgrims had been, thanks to the Staff Sergeant.

… more later …

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