1898-1963
Written while a Prisoner of war.
March – November 1918.
Captured March 23 1918 at ST QUENTIN during German offensive. Saturday afternoon about 3 o'clock. Left France for Germany 31st March, Easter Sunday. Enter Germany 1st April (Easter Monday). Whitsunday attended funeral of British Officer, Lieut. FAYNE who died in hospital about 22 years of age.
Received first news from England July 14th, one card from TOPSY and one from
Mother.
On 20th Birthday attended funeral of British soldier (ALBERT HOOPER), pleasing job for birthday.
July 14 The Anniversary I believe of French Republic, great jollification by French officers, plenty of grub knocking about, spouts (?) of music, enjoyable time. French very light-hearted lot, different to British, do not feel captivity so much evidently.
Nearly all the boys are down with Flemish Fever, hope I shall not get it, epidemic among civil population at RASTATT (July).
Received four letters from England, 2 Mother, 2 Wife, July 20th. Also pack of 24 biscuits from British Help Society. Great excitement some news from home. NELLIE back in business, EUNICE back at the millinery, WILL courting, ETHEL DYNE left HUCKERS, WILL a prisoner, DAD working on a system with fixed weekly wage.
Should say they were about a month without any news from me, don't know if I was reported missing or what. WITHERS was reported wounded before his people heard from him.
A French officer 2nd Lieut. CUILE (?) started to give me lessons but has left tonight unfortunately. I taught him English in return. His home is in NICE, nice chap Bad attack of Flemish Fever
Photo above shows Edgar John Dungey.
Possibly around the time he enlisted in July 1916
(July 22nd). Great excitement because a not bad looking girl comes into block with farming(?) people with cart for waste soup etc. We never see any females here except the old woman that comes from the farms to empty the latrines. Women do everything in Germany. Stokers, coalheavers, the jobs I shouldn't like my women folk to do anyhow. Rumour came through that there had been two French and one English offensives that have lately been successful and are still caring on, British north of the Marne and the Rhean I believe would be fine if war would finish this year.
Answered first of letters on TOPSY'S birthday 25th July. With the news I had received I could have written half a dozen letter cards not one. Wish I could write as often as I like and as much.
(27th July). More parcels arrived, but not for me, better luck next time. Some French officers practising at the end of the dining hall for the coming concert, the 3rd they have had. Hope I shall get some clothes through soon especially boots and socks.
One of the fellows in the mess received a parcel containing two big loafs of white bread both unfortunately being mouldy. But still we will find some way of getting rid of it. The other fellow gets a good grocery parcel.
Get the news that the English Colonel in charge of sorting the mail at RASTATT does not know of any Englishmen in Block VII. Most likely true and explains why only Block II have had parcels as all ones have gone back to MANNHEIM. Anyhow I expect some parcels in the next day or two, so does everybody else.
(July 29th) Air raid last night and four bombs were dropped on the camp. One very near us. Funny mixed feelings about it. Wishing 'em good luck and yet hoping they won't drop any more near us, funny. Deuce of wind up, terrific barrage must have been a big raid (30th July). (Ditto repeats 31st July).
Great confab about parcels. Emergency parcels at RASTATT for use but German officer won't allow use to get them. Anyhow I think something is going to be done tomorrow.
Parcels come up from RASTATT. All those that haven’t got previous Red Cross parcels in post hut get emergency parcel. My parcel in post hut, but shared an emergency parcel with SAM and will of course share mine when I get it (tomorrow I expect).
4th anniversary of declaration of war yesterday 4th August. It will be over between now and the 5th anniversary for sure.
Got news that dozens of parcels for me at MANNHEIM by mistake. Worse luck, shall get most in time I expect.
WITHERS and me brought a cigar between us (August 5th). Have got a home made box to keep things in made of a biscuit box with tin fasteners and hinges.
(August 7th) Received first parcel, it came from L12 (?) Care Committee, very good.
Also WITHERS had one and PHAIN two, SAMSON nothing but of course sharing with us. More emergency parcels will be up in a day or two. Things much brighter now although I have a nasty boil coming on my leg (parcel sent 14th June).
TOPSY says in a letter of June 10 she has received nothing but one card from me, very strange.
We've had some jolly fine feeds in the evening from our parcels SAM, PHAIN, WITHERS and I. Last night (11 Aug) we had baked beans and fried bacon with biscuits fried in fat then pea soup and then English tea with biscuits and jam, jolly good. We all feel ten times better for it. I feel a different man and am beginning to win back my character as a funny sort of blighter. Can keep things a bit lively in the mess and am remembering a lot of my stock of funny yarns, which makes time, go by much quicker. Expect more parcels in a day or so, have had only one, that from REG, none from home or S.A, will soon, no doubt.
WITHERS and I brought a cigar between us, a MALKS (?), very good cigar. German cigars are very good indeed.
Received 4 Marks yesterday from French officers (12th Aug)
(14th Aug) Red letter day, received two jolly good parcels from S. Army and also had photos taken one with most of the boy's in the hut and another with only the mess chaps. Having another done at 6 o'clock tonight when all the fellows are in from work.
S. Army parcels very good indeed, some of the best have seen here.
Boil better thank goodness. Some of the boys have frightful boils, never seen anything like it.
Received 1 mark 2 1/2 phenics from few British officers who left here for permanent camp. Had some letters today (Aug 16) from Mother, JACK and Wife. Also photos of my own darling little daughter, she has got a beautiful dear and I long to see her. Got very chummy with a French officer here, says he will give me a photo if he gets any
sent out before he leaves here. Jolly nice chap showed me photo of his wife, nice girl indeed, very smart.
(18th Aug) Was able to give officer a little stuff, consisting of fried bacon and potatoes, biscuits, butter and tea and I was amply rewarded by his great gratitude. The poor fellow is like we were when we came here first, as all the other officers practically, except those who have been lucky enough to get parcels. I believe my friend is getting a small packet this afternoon. Shall be glad to hear he has received a letter because he is expecting his wife to make him a father in July and he doesn't know how things are. Whether his wife is all right, whether he has a son or a daughter he doesn't know, rough luck.
I hear I have another parcel in the post hut. WITHERS is such a freakish sort of chap or I would give my friend something every day, he needs it.
(22nd Aug) Rather exciting day, watched air fight in which we saw two planes come down. Don't know whether British or German.
Had sports a few days ago which very much interested and amused the Frenchmen and also shows what good food can do.
(23rd Aug) Two parcels this afternoon, hope they are clothes and private parcel from TOPSY. I need clothes very much indeed also little comforts that come from home. Both boots are right through in the bottom and as I haven't any socks on my bare feet are on the ground in places. My towels are practically no good, plenty of holes, I have got one shirt. But never mind we have got plenty of food now that is the main
thing. Shall be all right when clothes and private parcel come through.
The photo on the left shows the Somerset Light Infantry.
I have to assume that this photo was taken in France some time between Dec 1917 and March 1918 and shows part of the 7th Battalion.
Edgar Dungey is first right, second row, seated.
(24th Aug) Received private parcel and found contents very much what I wanted. Don't know if NELLIE sent a cigar or no, can't imagine why she sent a service coat. She must of though it was the sort I wanted. But it will help keep me warm in the winter. Insect powder very good indeed.
(26th Aug) Hear rumour about peace talk, but have heard those sort of rumours to many times to take any notice.
(27th Aug) WITHERS gives his biscuits to TOM, so remarkable that I have to make a note of it. Received today 2nd biscuit parcel from BERNE DWIGHT.
French officer friend gone away in the morning. He received a couple of small parcels today. I am glad. I hope he will be all right where he goes. Hope the war ends soon so we can all go home out of it. I am simply longing to see my little wife and daughter.
Received no letters for a little while, shall be glad when I do. Letters from home mean a great deal to me. Have not received any clothes yet, shall be very glad when I do as my boots are getting very uncomfortable indeed and prevents one from joining in the football and other games and also my clothes are very bad, especially my trousers.
(29th Aug) Wonder how WILLS courtship is getting on. I can't imagine anybody else in my sister ALICE'S place, it will seem very funny.
Everything will seem very funny to me after being away for some while. So many changes take place in a short time in this old world.
We have a Scotch officer here named STEWART-SMITH his father a giddy Lord. He is a fine chap and comes in to read out the news translated from the German papers every night. The German papers are beginning to see sense now, gradually braking things to the German people. The country is in a frightful state nobody tries to deny it now. No real soap to be got except by the heads and they pay dearly for it. No decent food and little of it. In fact they have a substitute for everything, sometimes very poor ones. No real coffee or tea, bread with plenty of spud in it - awful stuff. The sentries around this camp are wearing the suits they had issued in 1914, literally patched.
Shall be glad when we get some photos out. I love photo's, they keep you in touch with everything so jolly well. Thank goodness I never had my photos taken away.
Some fellows never no how to appreciate anything, kindness or anything. GEORGE the German cook here, who is a champion chap and who has got back our cooking stove for us. He went into our hut just as we finished work in the mess and asked for the vegetable party and nobody moved. He waited very patiently and at last got wild and ordered everybody to turn out mess men and all. We came over to the mess and the rest carried on with the vegetables.
They make a rod for their own backs half of them. They don't know when they are well off. We have got a decent staff here and they treat us decently, an occasional wrougth (?) off that is all and we can put up with that now we are used to that sort of thing.
An old French doctor who is a decent old stick just came in and told me he had just lost his combing spoon and fork which after a little trouble I found in a basin. He gave me four or five cigarettes, all round decent old trump
.
(30th Aug) Appointed Director of music - Ahem. We are trying to arrange a concert party but there are many difficulties. A lot of the fellows have got the idea very fixed in their head they can sing bass or tenor as the case maybe and instead their voices may be totally different in fact no good whatever. Last night we had a little rehearsal and I heard somebody singing the air an octave lower that treble and he fondly imagined he was singing bass. One of the little difficulties. Still I think we shan't do bad in the end really.
(31st Aug) The German sergeant says we may have the magazine store for a rehearsal tonight, very nice of him and I have great hopes of quite a little success.
We are getting some musical instruments over from another block (Russian). One or two officers are singing.
I must see if I can get more photos, the ones with the German sergeant make a very interesting souvenir after the war.
(1st September) The beginning of another month in Germany. I wonder what it will bring forth. We are having our much talked about concert tonight and we have managed to acquire a Mandolin and an Accordion .I shall do my best on the Accordion. I hope things go pretty well anyhow. It will probably cause a little amusement and diversion and that is what we are aiming
(5th Sept) The concert went off very well indeed. I received boots, overcoat, vest, pants, socks, and handkerchiefs. They came in just right as it is very wet today and my old boots are right through on the bottom and also some of us have to shift shortly to
MANNHEIM. We don't who will be going. I don't want to go in anycase as I an sure we shan't get such a good show as this anywhere else in Germany especially as in the mess we get our work done and we have got our time ourselves and we work things as we like practically without interference from anyone.
Am surprised and yet not surprised to hear our WILL is getting married again. There is one certain fact he will never get such a wife again as my sister ALICE. She could be bettered in some things but certainly not as a housekeeper.
JOE AUSTIN is in Bournemouth, I wonder if his wife is with him, it would be wise for her to be, poor girl. And I am in Germany. I hope KITTEN is better now. I wish I were with them.
DONALD on leave now, how well I remember my first leave in the army from dear old SWANAGE. Shall never forget the excitement and feeling of that occasion.
Received letter a couple of days ago dated 29/7/18 from OLD BRITCHES. Must write him a card at the first opportunity.
I was on the list to go away, but the list was altered thank goodness. I don't want The photo above show Edgar Dungey on the right
to leave here before I am obliged. I should like to stay here until I go home. in the POW Camp at Rastatt
(9th Sept) We are still having an easy time, there being only a few officers here. I don't suppose we shall stop here a great deal longer but if I could I should like to stay here until the war is finished because we are settled very comfortable here.
(10th Sept) Received two very nice letters from Mother. Says she has been to FRAMPTON for a day or so with MRS COOPER. I am glad the change will be good for her. Our WILL is up to his usual tricks of inviting people without asking anybody's permission. He is married now and it only seems like yesterday that ALICE went. My being away from home makes it hard to realise she is gone and I shall find somebody in her place when I get back. It really seems in one way only a few weeks ago that I left home .Left my little wife and daughter and Mother and sisters on the station at BRISTOL with FRED. How I enjoyed that journey, I don't think.
(11th Sept) Received a letter and a card from NELLIE and one letter from Mother. Glad to hear the new officers at home are so nice, shall be pleased to hear from them. Little JACK can talk now so I am told. What changes can take place in a short while anybody is away from home. It is nearly nine months since I was home on leave from IRELAND. If I had not been captured I should have been on leave again and back in FRANCE again on duty. All my letters from home say how well my little daughter is going on. She is a lovely baby in the photo. Mother says she scolds (TOPSEY) if she does anything she doesn't approve of.
It seems like the old letters I used to get from NELLIE in ENGLAND telling me about bonnets and such.