Broedchen in limited quantities were brought in every day.  We could buy these at 5 pfennigs—­one halfpenny—­apiece, or in the early days three for 10 pfennigs.  The latter practice was abandoned when the pinch of flour shortage commenced to be felt.  The broedchen came in during the night, and owing to the totally inadequate quantity purchased to meet our needs, one had to be about early to secure a supply.  I, with others, have often been up at four o’clock in the morning, lounging around the canteen, so as to be among the first to be served when it opened at five o’clock.  The scenes which were enacted around the canteen in the early morning are indescribable.  Civilians strangely clad, and later badly wounded, limping soldiers, sickly and white, waited patiently, no matter what the weather, to buy a little bread.

The necessity to depend upon the canteen for a sufficiency of food to keep us alive hit those who were blessed with little money extremely hard.  There was one man—­he said he was an Englishman, although I have my doubts about it—­who was brought to the camp.  He had not a farthing in his pocket.  He said his home was near the frontier, and that he often slipped across it for a ride on his bicycle.  He related that he had been caught during one of these excursions, to find himself ultimately at Sennelager.  That man was a mystery.  He was kept alive by the others more or less, and he accompanied us to various prisons.  But subsequently he obtained his papers in a mysterious manner, and was seen no more.  He vanished in the darkness as it were, and the German guards were not disposed to talk about him.  It has always been our suspicion that he was sent among us with an ulterior motive which it is impossible to divine.

Those who could not purchase supplies from the canteen were assisted by their more fortunate comrades.  The lucky ones divided their purchases so that the unfortunate individuals might not feel their position or suffer want.  This practice was tangibly assisted by one or two prisoners who were well supplied with money, especially Prince L——­, who became the general favourite of the camp from his fellow-feeling, camaraderie, sympathy, and sportsmanship.

One morning he came across a poor prisoner who looked very ill.  He appeared to be half starved, as indeed he was from his inability to buy any food.  After a short conversation the Prince slipped five sovereigns into the man’s hand and bolted before he could be thanked.  Unfortunately this poor fellow is still in prison, but he has never forgotten the Prince’s kindness.