DIARY
17 Apr 45
On the move all day up to 86 FH. We arrived (Celle) in the evening and soon after I was given instructions to go to Belsen concentration Camp and work there. I was to join 32 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) who were organizing the medical relief. I heard many stories about the horrible conditions in the camp but I was prepared to wait and see for myself.
18 Apr 45
We started off today and found 32 CCS parked in a field just (?) outside the Camp. It was good to see them and I spent the morning putting up the tent and getting my things in. After lunch Major Johnson (Airborne) took me into the Camp. Here is a description of what I saw and my reactions.
There are 2 main camps and the total of internees is 60,000 approx. Camp 2 contains mostly men. They are housed in huge stone buildings. The general standard of cleanliness is not too bad. Overcrowding is bad, 700 living in accommodation really meant for about 120. The people seem dazed and running riot but they are on their feet and some look healthy. They are all dressed in blue and white, very dirty pyjamas and most of them have their heads shaved. Each has a number sewn on their left breast. Camp 1 is the horror camp. This is about 1 mile long by ½ mile wide. Inside this there are about 18,000 men and 20,000 women. Such roads as there are, are merely dust tracks and the whole area has a grey and filthy appearance. The people, who are housed in dirty wooden huts, are all political prisoners and the camp was run by the SS. It was a warm day and as I proceeded further into the camp there was a horrible stench in the air. Going along the tracks between the huts I saw numbers of people lying about all over the ground apparently asleep. It was only after going over to see them that I realised that most of them were dead. Men and women just lay down and died and no one bothered to do anything about it. The Camp was fenced with barbed wire and at intervals there were huts for sentries with searchlights and machine gun posts. We then went on towards the end of the Camp and there I saw what I am unable fully to describe. This was by the so-called women’s hospital. It was a pile of corpses which were covered with gangrenous and rotting skin lying in the open. The estimate given was 18,000. Dr Bimbko, a Polish woman doctor who has done a marvellous job trying to look after these people told me that 17,000 people had died during March. Around this pile of corpses the living were eating their meagre rations. I could see practically no difference between the living and the dead except that they could just move. The sight and presence of all this death meant nothing to these people. They were too apathetic and starved to bother about such things. In every corner of the Camp one saw white faced skeletons between life and death who could do no more than look up at one with pathetic eyes. Occasionally a small hand cart was brought along by the people themselves with corpses in (men, women and children) and dumped in the pile. No sight of human degradation can ever surpass this. Then I went on to the so-called hospital. Here again it was a picture that I am unable to describe adequately. In wooden huts with damp and rotting boards these people of all ages were lying huddled together on the floor. The stench was beyond belief. Here they were to weak to move and Typhus, Typhoid, Dysentery and TB were rife. Being too weak to move the people urinated and defecated where they were over one another. It was estimated that these people were dying at the rate of 700 a day. Throughout this camp the latrine accommodation was woefully inadequate. It consisted of two open trenches with a bar stretched across the whole being capable of seating about 20. Because of this men and women passed urine and faeces anywhere on the ground outside and even in their living quarters. There was sufficient evidence of cannibalism to make it a fact. Many of the corpses had pieces of flesh cut from them with a knife.
We were welcomed with pitiful cries of thankfulness in many languages. In the camp were English, French, Poles, Russians, Czechs, Hungarians, Dutch and Belgian.
We had captured about 20 SS men and 20 SS women and they, under an armed guard, were made to do the work of burying the dead. They were herded into trucks with the great persuasive power of a bayonet or hit over the head with the butt of a rifle. Then they were taken to the pile of corpses and made to load them at the double on to a truck. Every step taken was a hurried one for fear of being prodded with a bayonet but it was not hurried enough for the British Tommy. Once the truck was full, the SS were made to climb on top and sit on the corpses and taken to the burial pit. These huge pits were a sight that was beyond belief.
I came away from the Camp with the impression of having seen something so horrible that I could never wish to see its like again.
That evening we had a conference and decided that we must give priority to the evacuation of women.
19 Apr 45 We spent all day today getting blocks of buildings ready for the reception of patients. The DDMS, Brig Glyn-Hughes, came round and gave us carte blanche for anything we could get. In the evening the arrangements were as follows:
- Lt Col Johnston - SMO
- Pat Mallam(?) - 2i/c
- EMG (E.M. Griffin) - OC reception and washing patients
- David Waterstone(?) - Reception of patients after washing
- Johnny- Reception of patients after washing
- "Sticks"- Reception of patients after washing
- Frosty - Q
20 Apr 45
We were meant to start today but the Wermacht had sabotaged the water and we could not get on with it. I took over a stable and conscripted 40 German nurses and 20 orderlies. The idea is to bring the patients in completely naked but covered with two blankets. They are laid on a table and then washed in hot soapy water. the water is supplied by a mobile bath unit. Then the patients are sprayed thoroughly with DDT and put on a clean stretcher and evacuated to the hospital. We estimate that there will be 8,000 to come through what I call my "Human Laundry".
21 Apr 45
Today was bitterly cold but we started off and I think are going to do well. We did not begin until 1100 hrs but did 300 in the day. The supply problem is a great one and I shall be using 2,000 towels a day. However, Frosty is supplying them and that is all that matters.
22 Apr 45
We had a good day today and the Germans (40 nurses and 20 orderlies) organized themselves and got into the run of the thing. I estimate that we washed about 500 people. We also admitted 100 children who were fit, most of them. It was a great sight to see these children smiling and happy. The noise in the ward is incredible and almost every European language can be heard. I made friends with a little Hungarian girl who is 12 and rather sweet. I can’t speak to her but we get on all right.
23 Apr 45
Just a day of "Laundry work".
24 Apr 45
Another washing day – 530.
25 Apr 45
The German nurses are working well. they have sent me a message that they are horrified at what they saw and are willing to work as hard as we want them to work in order to get the job done. They are certainly working hard and I’m getting fed up with "swanners" coming in and saying that I’m not brutal enough to them. If they think they can do the job better then I wish they would come and try it. My attitude now is that his job has to be done and anything that will help, I’m prepared to try. 621 today.
26 Apr 45
A grand day’s work. We shifted 647. This is our record and I think it will be hard to beat.
27 Apr 45
603 today and 31 dusted. It’s hard work but the smile on their faces makes it all so worthwhile. They are grateful for the little we can do for them.
28 Apr 45
Some surprise cases came today – fractures in soft pus-filled plasters and all kinds of wounds. I also dusted 40 mothers and children. One mother brought a child up but it was dead when she arrived. She told me that was her last child and that she had lost 4 in 3 weeks. Obviously now she has nothing to live for and it was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen. Total today 637. A check was made and we have moved through my Human Laundry 4,438!
29 Apr 45
Bitterly cold wind. We got off to a good start and I was out to break a record. Mothers and babies arrived and the German nurses were thrilled to wash and handle the babies. In the end we did a record of 724.
30 Apr 45
Started on the men today. They are in a bad state. Janet Vaughan arrived to try out Proteolysate on these people and selected 4 starvation cases. At the conference last night the DMS (Maj Gen Phillips) thanked us for doing a good job of work but said that we must keep on at it. No 9 General Hospital have arrived and Major Prior the Pathologist is going to open up my lab so that we can get down to finding out what these people are suffering from. These conferences at night are getting me down and I do not get to bed before 11.30 and am up again at 6.30. Total 633. Grand total 5849.
1 May 45
It snowed last night and is still very cold this morning although the wind has dropped. The mobile lab has now opened up with Major Prior from No 9 helping me out. We hope to take a cross section of the diseases and investigate them to find out what we are up against. At the conference last night I asked for the M.R.C. official photographs to be flown over as we are all getting some wonderful Typhus rashes and starvation oedema that ought to be recorded. Capt Davies (USA Typhus Commission) is with us. He is in charge of washing and delousing the fit people from Camp 1. Everyone who visits here seems to think we are doing a good job. Andy came yesterday. It was great to see him again. Today we did 617. There have been several checks on the numbers and it appears that we have admitted 6,512 but I think 6,466 is the correct number through the Laundry. Tomorrow will be our last day because this hospital block will be full. The plan is that No 9 FH open Camp 1 and then another hospital comes in and takes over this. After that we move and take over the German military hospital and open that up with about 2,000 beds so I shall have to start another human laundry. I met a German newspaper man today. He has been in concentration camps for 12 years – since Hitler came to power. When I told him that he was now free and could say what he liked, he said he was unable to bring his mind to the state of expressing his free thoughts! What a tragedy all this is. What are we going to do with the people when they are fit and well. Many of them will never want to return to their own country and most want to come to England. The German wireless reported that Hitler died of Cerebral Haemorrhage today – I wonder!
2 May 45
This has been quite a good day. Admitted a Czec woman who spoke English. She cried when she thought we were going to cut off her hair, but it was not necessary. She told me that it was fun being washed and carried by Germans. She had seen the SS burying the dead in Camp 1 and thought it was the best sight that she had ever seen. The hatred these people have for the Germans is intense and they ought to know how to treat them. I don’t think there will be any need to foment hatred for the Hun in these other European peoples.
3 May 45
Day off today. Breakfast in bed and did not get up until 10! Then David Pat and I went off to the American Medical Stores at Burgdorf and fetched a lot of surgical equipment – enough to equip 3 operating theatres. It was a good day’s work and a pleasant ride.
4 May 45
Started with Prior on the laboratory investigations. We have three medical students from London to help us. They are going round collecting rectal swabs before giving Caseum Prolcolysali (?) to the starvation cases. Other volunteer students are arranging the feeding in Camp 1 and doing a grand job there. These are all volunteers, 96 of them flown from England and they are most useful to us.
- Westbury D G A - Guys
- Stephenson J - Thomas's
- Turner J A - Guys
5 May 45
Spent the whole day in the laboratory. We are getting a number of stools now but it is early to say what percentage of Dysentery there is. Did a recce of the lab in the German hospital and I think we shall move in there soon as it will give us more room. This morning the LAA Regt fired a salute at 0800 in honour of 21st Army Group signing the unconditional surrender of the Germans. This only applies in the Northern Sector and the Germans are still fighting the Russians and Americans. The whole thing must be over soon now.
06 May 45
I was to have started my human laundry again admitting for No 9 Field Hospital but the water was off and we had to postpone it. Did some work in the lab. Most of the rectal swabs are being negative for Dysentery. Part of the lab moved today and we hope to complete by tomorrow.
7 May 45
Started my laundry work with No 9. Their Matron is rather obstructive and I don’t think she is going to be much use. 630 in the day. Dinner at night with Lt Col Gonin 11 Lt Fd Ambulance – a v charming man and most helpful.
8 May 45
Peace day or rather VE Day. For me a bad day. The water went off again in the middle of the morning which upset everything. Only got through 482. Party in the evening.
9 May 45
9 GH are being v slow in equipping beds. Would not take any patients in the morning. Started after lunch.
10 May 45
Started evacuating from Camp 3. There are people apparently fit who were removed from Camp 1 by Military Government and have now gone sick. We did a record morning’s wash of 430 and could have done a record day but No 9 did not have the beds equipped to the total was only 661.
11 May 45 No 9 had no beds so I decided to call it all off and take the day off. Letter from D. She seems to be well but wants me home – so do I. In the afternoon No 9 offered up some beds and we began and did 260 odd. I wish they would let me know earlier and allow me to do a full day’s work instead of mucking about with small numbers of cases which take up so much time.
12 May 45
No 9 still have no beds worth talking about so I stopped all (?????????) today. Molinson of the blood –(????) team arrived with Michaeljohn (?) and Prior; we had a conference with Lt Col Lipscombe. We hope to get 40 patients under the medical students and investigate them thoroughly. I think this will work out all right. One of the SS died of Typhus and a PM tomorrow.
13 May 45
Another 178 through the laundry today into No 9. Had a row with the MO of 3 Camp Lt Styles who wants to send in 46 more when there were no beds. ????????????? he must give me 24 hrs notice. However he and Zirtall?? went to the Col (Johnny) who said I must admit them tomorrow. It’s all rather a nuisance as I had already cancelled everything for today.
17 May 45
Laundry full blast today for the last day. Everything went well and we did 631 through from Camp 3. This brings the grand total up to 11,890 which is not bad.
18 May 45
Back in the lab. I heard that one of my German nurses has died form Typhus. I’m keeping a skeleton laundry going. ?? Simpson and 2 German nurses.
Many thanks to Andrew Griffin for supplying the above information.