The British prisoners, both civilian and military, never failed to reciprocate whenever an opportunity arose, and this appreciation of his labours made a deep impression upon him.  No attempts were ever made to encroach upon his generosity and kindness, and if any man had dared to deceive him he would have been drastically punished by his colleagues.  No man ever essayed to malinger or to shirk a duty to which he had been allotted by the doctor.  If the doctor desired a task to be done, no matter how repugnant, it was shouldered lightly and cheerfully.  Indeed, there was always a manifestation of keen eagerness among us to perform some duty as an expression of our heartfelt thanks for what he was doing among us.  It is not an exaggeration to state that had it not been for Dr. Ascher, his perennial bonhomie and camaraderie, his patience, and his intimate association with us, many of the weaker British prisoners and others would certainly have given way and have gone under.  But his infectious good spirits, his abundance of jokes, his inexhaustible fount of humour, and his readiness to exchange reminiscences effectively dispelled our gloom and relieved us from brooding over the misery of our position.

Although the medical officer was charged with the express duty of keeping the camp healthy and sanitary, unfortunately Dr. Ascher was not an autocrat in his department.  His powers were limited, and he was for the most part completely subservient to military decrees.  Time after time he protested energetically and determinedly upon the quantity and quality of the food which was served out to us, and struggled valiantly to secure more nourishing diet for invalid prisoners than the cuisine of the camp afforded.  But his labour was always in vain; the food which he laid down as being essential could not be obtained, or else Major Bach firmly refused to move a finger to get it.  As the Commandant’s position was paramount, and nothing could be done without his authority, Dr. Ascher was denied a court of appeal.  At times there were some spirited breezes between Major Bach and the medical representative, but the former invariably had the last word.  On one occasion, to which I refer later, Dr. Ascher tackled the Commandant so fiercely upon the sanitary arrangements of the camp, and was so persistent and insistent upon the fulfilment of the orders he expressed, as to compel the inexorable superior to relent.

When a man fell ill and became too weak to perform an exacting task to which he had been deputed by the tyrant, Dr. Ascher did not fail to intervene.  He could not be deceived as to the true state of a sick man’s health and his physical incapacity.  Thereupon he would issue what was described as a “pass,” which excused the man completely from the heavy work in hand in favour of some lighter duty.  The doctor’s “pass” was safe against the Commandant’s savagery; even he, with his military authority, dared not over-ride the doctor’s decision.  However, the British prisoners were not disposed to trade upon the doctor’s good nature.  They would refuse a “pass” until necessity compelled unequivocal submission.