Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Page 60



The reverse of this leaflet reads:

His way leads safe home

True, it passes through a prison camp and no true soldier likes to be taken prisoner, a Briton as little as any other.

And, Bill was a good soldier and naturally he was fed up like all of us, but he was no coward.

But, Bill was also an intelligent soldier and as his reconnaissance party was spotted by Jerry and he and his pals were wounded by spandau fire, he saw that the situation was hopeless,and further resistance meant senseless suicide.
So, Bill did the only sensible thing he said “Goodbye to Arms” and gave himself up.

Then, Bill got to know Jerry.
Naturally he was not pleased to be falling into the hands of men whom his own leaders had always described as “beasts in human shape” but he would have to take his chance. The first Jerry whom he got know was one of the paratroops called Walter who promptly produced his field-dressing kit and bandaged his head, then gave him a drink out of his bottle and a cigarette, and finally putting Bill's arm around his shoulder brought him out of the front tines to the dressing station.
Bill felt he had found a pal in this quiet boy and he .was sorry when they had to part. He soon realised, however, that Walter was one of many, all helpful, friendly, decent chaps - young men with the same sorrows and joys and the same feelings as his own pals.
At last. Bill understood that his capture was a piece of good luck for him He got the chance to see behind the scenes and learn to know the^ much-abused Germans.
Besides, in many talks with English speaking captors, now friends, he very soon realised that German “Nazism” was hailed by the London war- mongers merely because they feared it might open the eyes of the English workers to their own plight under the old system, and lastly, and most important of all Bill knew that he was safe on the road to Home, sweet Home,

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