After what I had experienced at Wesel I was prepared for anything.  I had already learned the futility of giving way.  I felt no inclination to sit or lie in the blistering sand.  I caught sight of a stretch of inviting turf, made my way to it, and threw myself down upon it.  But I was not to enjoy the luxury of Nature’s couch.  A soldier came bustling up and before I grasped his intentions I was hustled off, with the intimation that if I wanted to lie down I must do so in the sand.

The fact that no arrangements had been made for our reception was only too obvious.  It was about noon when the two officers disappeared into the official building to discuss the papers referring to our arrival, and it was six in the evening before they had come to any decision.  Throughout these six hours we were left lying on the scorching sand in the broiling sun without a bite of food.  Seeing that many of us had eaten little or nothing since the early evening of the previous day it is not surprising that the greater part were knocked up.  One or two of us caught sight of the canteen provided for the convenience of recruits, and succeeded in getting a few mouthfuls, but they were not worth consideration.  I myself whiled away the time by enjoying a wash at the pump and giving myself the luxury of a shave.  I bought a small cake of coarse soap and never enjoyed an ablution so keenly as that al fresco wash, shave, shampoo, and brush-up at Sennelager.  When I came back thoroughly refreshed I had changed my appearance so completely that I was scarcely recognised.  Even the soldiers looked at me twice to make sure I was the correct man.

Later a doctor appeared upon the scene.  His name was Dr. Ascher, and as events proved he was the only friend we ever had in the camp.  He enquired if any one felt ill.  Needless to say a goodly number, suffering from hunger, thirst and fatigue, responded to his enquiry.  Realising the reason for their unfortunate plight he bustled up to the Commanding Officer and emphasised the urgent necessity to give us a meal.  But he was not entirely successful.  Then he inspected us one by one, giving a cheering word here, and cracking a friendly joke there.  The hand of Prince L——­ received instant attention, while other slight injuries were also sympathetically treated.  The hearts of one and all went out to this ministering angel, to whose work and indefatigable efforts on our behalf I refer in a subsequent chapter.

At last we were ordered to the barracks near by.  It was a large masonry building, each room being provided with beds and straw upon the floor.  Subsequently, however, we were moved to less comfortable quarters where there were three buildings in one, but subdivided by thick masonry walls, thereby preventing all intercommunication.  Here our sleeping accommodation comprised bunks, disposed in two tiers, made of wood and with a sack as a mattress.