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| A group shot of the men of Schweidnitz from Desbaret's collection |
The story of the repatriation of our men has been divided into three parts.
Schweidnitz POW Camp repatriation- A Christmas time homecoming. (Repatriation Part 1)
Part one deals with the men repatriating from Schweidnitz POW camp. Ironically, when our men escaped Schweidnitz men were transferred out of Holzminden into Schweidnitz. Some who had transferred in in January 1918 with many of our tunnelling men were still there …if they hadn’t escaped in the meantime.
Much of the information for this part was taken from an article by JB Sterndale Bennett MC as reprinted in The Great War … I was there! Part 47. “A Prisoners View of Germany Our Happy Christmas Homecoming” Further information is provided from Lt Eduard William Desbarats’ memoir shared by his grandson Alexandre Desbarats.
When the news of Armistice came, there was obviously confusion. Some expected retaliation from the guarding soldiers. Others expected there would be “the infuriated populous” and starving German peasants perhaps invading the camp. Then there were the humiliated, defeated soldiers returning to their homes. The Schweidnitz POWs were advised to await orders.
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| Taken from an article by JB Sterndale Bennett MC as reprinted in The Great War … I was there! Part 47. “A Prisoners View of Germany Our Happy Christmas Homecoming” |
The allies could probably have walked out of prison but being hundreds of miles from the border they decided to stay. It was an uncertain time with fear of danger as it had been a bitter defeat for the Germans and the locals were suffering much hardship. Sterndale Bennett reports that after Armistice the German soldiers ripped off the Imperial Eagles from their helmets and cut off their epaulets.
Red Cross supplies increased for the POWs but it was an embarrassment of riches. The POWs who were relying on these parcels to be fed shared their biscuits and chocolates with the little starving children in the town on their parole walks.
The men still suffered food shortages and they were
uncertain as to when they were leaving. During the four weeks they waited to be free the POWs
spent seeing life in the countryside around Silesia. Freedoms were extended to
the men to leave the camp by day and some made friends and socialised freely
with local German families.
When their turn came, they were to leave 25 at a time. Those imprisoned the longest would be let out first. Sterndale Bennett reports that when they departed for Danzig by train they were farewelled by villagers with flowers and rousing cheers as they left. They boarded their ship at Danzig, now Gransk, Poland on the Baltic Sea. Once there they were greeted by music and bands on board.
They crossed the North Sea landing at Leith near Edinburgh in Scotland. Some arrived on Christmas morning and they were greeted by residents of Edinburgh with a breakfast in the quayside sheds and the Gordon Highlanders playing them ashore.
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| The Gordon Highlanders playing to some other returning interned men at Leith |
From there they moved to Scarborough where they spent a Christmas where they supped on Christmas fare in a fine hotel. Their happy homecoming was followed by a medical check over, the receipt of £2 pounds and a voucher for two months paid home leave. Each was presented with a welcome home letter from the King.
Over 31,000 men were repatriated via Leith. People of Leith gave a right royal welcome to the returning men by lining the streets, cheering and shaking the men’s’ hands. In turn, on the ships, the men stood crowded on the deck waving their hats and hankies as they approached the wharf.
On the day Captain Sterndale returned he reported that the first to land "by universal wish of all on board" was the very popular and gallant Captain Blaikie
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| Captain Blaikie was popular with the men |
Most of the other repatriated men arrived back, either via Dover, Hull or Leith.
Edouard Desbarats, a Canadian from the Royal Navy Air Service was captured in Disparu 20th September 1917 who had been a POW at Schweidnitz since transferring in from Holzminden with another 90 men on 19th January 1918. He had been incarcerated since being shot down during the Third Battle of Ypres in Sept 1917.
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| Edward Desbarets supplied by grandson Alec |
He wrote a memoir of his time and recorded those last days post Armistice in his memoir. They had been told they would leave around Christmas. However, some had been ordered out separately to assist in other repatriations. While waiting however, they had been able to cash their Cox’s Cheques and enjoy some local hospitality.
“The very first thing we bought was a sack of onions the four of us finished them in one sitting then we bought a cake that looks mouth-watering. A dreadful disappointment the frosting tasted like black bacon fat.”
On another occasion they were told that “up in the Reisenberg there was a castle with a restaurant that serves good meals so a group of us walked up the river to the big defile through which passed the road to Prague Praha (Prague )and found the Schloss Kynsburg -a frowning mass of towers and battlements way up on the hill overlooking the road. It had been built by a robber baron in the 12th century to levy toll on merchants passing through the defile.”There they found “a clean restaurant serving soup roast pork apple sauce baked potatoes with hot rum punch all for 5rm.” (1/- was equal to 25 Reich marks). Desbarats and his friends found it to be an agreeable day out despite the 15 mile walk each way. Returning via the coal mining district they stopped for” black beer and plum and cherry brandy.”
In his memoir Desbarats recounted meeting some of Von Mackensen’s army returning through Schweidnitz. Although “they felt very sore about their defeat” they put it down to a “betrayal by the home front”. In Desbarats words “ give us 20 years” they said “and we will show you” “1918+20 = 1938”.
Desbarats left a little later than Sterndale Bennett who was in the Christmas day in Leith contingent. Desbartes reported that the final parcels from the Red Cross were full of magnificent “proper Christmas Dinner” which was much welcomed by the remaining men. Desbarats embarked on a special train on Boxing Day via Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin and Swinemunde. The train trip to Swinemunde was quite eventful with protests by students and their train needing to be rerouted around the outside of Berlin because sailors revolted and were attacking the Reichstag. They were welcomed by one of their own- Gus Edwards who had been deployed out of Schweidnitz.
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| Excerpt from Edward Desbarets memoir supplied by grandson Alec |
They said goodbye to Germany embarking on a Danish ferry for Copenhagen. They were treated to a “splendid meal with Carlsberg “. After landing at the ferry port at night and then train to Copenhagen they stayed in a hotel for the night and had a quick walk around Copenhagen.
At a resort hotel high above the beach, they were treated to a well- earned wash, pamper and massage. After the R&R, sleep, showers and hospitality they spent New Year’s Eve in Copenhagen and then on board the ship to take them to Leith. Here they celebrated New Year’s Day with turkey, pudding and champers.
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| Excerpt from Edward Desbarets memoir supplied by grandson Alec |
Being Canadian, he too would have to wait months for passage home. Luckily Desbarats was able to catch a last-minute cancellation and was on his way home in February after a little bit of R&R and shopping for suits and coats.
Thanks to Desbarats’ well written memoir we get insights into the last glimpses of London before the expats returned home. Having left London in the summer of 1917 he had returned in winter to “sleet, fog, rationing, no hotels, no friends.” No doubt some were asked to sign up again with promises of promotion etc. Debarats complains of “no friends”. After being cooped up with a man in a POW camp or being covered in mud on the battlefields downtime would’ve felt quite odd.
After having organised his departure in February, Desbarats was given leave and he went visiting.
Imagine after all that captivity, strolling around London free as a bird, buying clothes and gifts for those at home, meeting up with relatives seeing parts of the British Isles never seen and maybe never to be seen again.
Remembrance Day 2022 of the Armistice on 11/11/1918
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