Pte R.W Fox 6286364

4 Parachute Bde
STALAG XI B No 118298

September 18th 1944

Left England by plane for Holland, landed at 2:30am

September 20th 1944

Wounded in leg by shrapnel (not bad)

September 23rd 1944

The Bde is well cut up but still trying hard with what are left.

September 27th 1944

The boys that were left were so well cut about, that they just had to give in. So ended the battle they tried so hard to hold

September 30th 1944

Went to hospital with leg, but it was ok

October 12th 1944

Evacuated to Germany. 5 days in horse box

October 17th 1944

Arrived at Stalag XI B. What a place to be in.

October 18th 1944

Wrote first letters home. ? had our first Red Cross box.

December 3rd 1944

24 letters came for ?air Borne. None for me.

December 17th 1944

Still no mail from home and so near Xmas.

December 25th 1944

Xmas day and was I thinking of home and the dinner I would be having if I were there, but we did not do too bad and made a Stalag Xmas day as best we could.

December 29th 1944

More letters come but still none for me, I wonder if Mother and Helen know if I am alright.

December 30th 1944

Some more men leave for England bye the Red Cross. They are men who have lost an arm or leg.

January 1st 1945

The start of a New Year and maybe we will soon be out of here.

January 5th 1945

Sold my boots for 150 cigs

January 10th 1945

Lots more letters come, still none for me.

January 15th 1945

Some new P.O.Ws come here, they say the news is good.

January 28th 1945

Today is my mothers birthday and I cant send her a cable, but will see what I can do when I come home.

February 9th 1945

There are not many Red Cross Box's left, and it looks as if we shall be like we were when we first came here.

February 12th 1945

We have had lots of snow and irs been very cold, but now the weather is much better and the snow has gone. We were having a bit of fun with snow balls, and one hit me in the left eye and cut it. The ? at home would like to see as much snow as we have had here.

February 18th 1945

The weather today is the best that we have had, and the sun is ?boiling/lovley.
But all we can do is walk round and round the football ground, and keep saying (Hello) to everyone we see.

February 19th 1945

Today someone started the day off bye saying that the war was over, and said that a Jerry told them so. Well, we have heard all sorts of news and do not believe any of it. But roll on the end of it, as im fed up with this life.

February 29th 1945

Today some more Red X box's came in, but there not very many and will only go one week. I really dont know what we should have done if it were not for the Red Cross, as the food here is very bad. We are now on five men to one loaf which is not very much.

March 3rd 1945

Today more mail came, and lots of it, but for me there were none. Gee I wish there was a letter for me so that I could only know that everyone at home is alright but maybe all will come on the last day im here.

March 5th 1945

Well the weather is bad again and lots more snow fell in the night, and the boys say it will be bad for the men at the front.
 One of the boys who - happens - to - have the same name as myself, had a letter from his wife today ?and she has had a baby boy. Boy, was he pleased to hear that bit of news.

March 9th 1945

Today we had the news of the boys at the front, they say they are doing good and it will be all over by June maybe be for.

March 10th 1945

Today was a great day for me, as I received my first mail from home. Two letters from mother dated Nov 28 and Jan 12, so I really dont know where the rest has gone to. Gee, I was so happy to hear that Helen had been home and hope she had a good time. Was also please to hear that Bill is O.K Roll on more letters, ? me comes from Helen. God Bless Her.

March 11th 1945

Sunday in here is not much to write home about, as its just the same as a week day to us.  ?Tiny way, I ?can out I read my two letters I got yesterday, of course I have read them about five times up to now.


Emma note - Grandad's writing is getting quite small and difficult to read now. I'll put in as much as I can decipher

March 12th 1945

My mother said something about entertainment in her letter, well the only form we get in here is looking for lice in our shirts - beds. At night times its a job to stay in bed, when the lice and bugs get hold of you.

March 17th 1945

Prisoners are coming here from all over Germany. There are about 19000 of us here and still they come. The food is getting very bad and its seven men to one loaf. the potatoes are not much good, and its always swedes for soup.
There are no red X parcels in, and we have been without cigs for five weeks now. But the boys are coming, so it wont be long now.

March 27th 1945

Received two more letters one from Mother dated Nov 16 which was her first letter, the next was from Ena and Jean dated Nov 21.

March 28th 1945

Still more men come here from all over Germany, and there are more to come. Some have been on the road since Jan 20, lots have died on the way. Yesterday nine more past away, most of them have got (malnutrition) more food wanted which we cant get in this Stalag. In our ?layer there 5000 men in huts or tents, and we are sleeping two in a bed.
But the news is good and the boys are only 95 miles from here, so we may be out of here any day now. The air riads are on all day and night, and we are always looking at our map to see how near they are getting.
All the boys are talking about what they are going to do when they get home, some are getting married and some are going to eat all they can, some are going to have a big box of cigs and others a good time and no work.
Well, I know what i am going to do when I get home, and I wont write it down here.

March 31st 1945

Today I received a letter from Helen and it was better than a Red X box to me, in the letter she still loves me and waiting for me to come home. Well, it wont be long now. In this book you will find a little verse which she sent me, its so nice that I will never forget it.
500 more men came today

April 3rd 1945

Received one more letter from Helen, dated Jan 2. The news is very good and when we look at our maps we can see the boys are not far away now. They are about 75 miles from this camp, so we hope to be out of here any day. May be in two weeks time I will be back in England, having lots to eat which we all need very much and a nice bed to stay in, and no (lice) to get you out of bed.

April 4th 1945

One more letter from Helen and the boys say that Helen must be in love with me, to write so many letters. There's only one think I would like to do, thats let her know that I am alright - getting her mail. But I have not wrote in the last four months, as we all know that the mail does not leave Germany. I have not wrote to my own mother, so I hope they think iI am OK.
The news is much better today, and we should be out of here by Sunday if all goes well. The Jerrys are talking about taking us out of this camp, but up to now they dont know where to take us to. The boys are only 25 miles from here in the West, and Jerry has lots of guns around here.
May be tonight we will have our own gun's, that will make us all so happy. Everyone is talking about home, and what they are going to do. at nights I just go to sleep and dream of what its going to be like. Gee, I hope to see you all soon, and never leave Eng again, and never will I live like I did in a Stalag (Just like ?a ?Dog)
Not much to eat, no ?, no nice beds and lots of lice to kick you out of bed.

April 8th 1945

The boys are very near to us now and Jerry is trying to get every man out of this camp. Yesterday 3,000 left and today he thinks that 3,000 more are going out. But we are all standing together and will not move, he may shoot some of us just to make the rest of us go.
Anyway, we will so find out what he is going to do. If we can hang out for a few more days, the boys should be here and we should be on our way home. But if we dont, we shall be on the road and will be POWs a few days longer.

April 10th 1945

Have just received two letters from mum and one letter from Helen, first two dated Dec 1st and Nov 21, last one 5 Dec. Up to date its 13 letters and thats a lucky number for me, so I should get some more mail.
Lots more men left today, but I ?keep getting out of the way. - hope I wont have to go.We were all hoping the boys would be here bye now, but its not going so good , so may be a few more days will see something.

April 14th 1945

Last night we thought the boys would be here, as the guns are very near, and the jerrys told us that they would be in here and we out side. But we are still in the inside just hoping that it wont be long. They are not more than 8 to 12 miles from here, so it really cant be long now.
Yesterday the sky was full of planes all day, the same again today. Jerry has had it but he wont give in, why we really dont know ?however. Anyway, I can see my next hot dinner wont be long now.

APRIL 17th 1945 STALAG (XI B)

Monday April 17 1945 and everyone is going mad with joy and some are crying, after such a long time in here.
Last night and this morning the boys outside have been trying hard to reach here, with tanks guns and planes.
Now at 8-30 this morning the boys were at the Stalag gates, and did they get a (cheer) and there was old Jerry running like the wind.
? the Jerrys in the ? just gave there arms to us, now they are POWs, but better off than we were. Its a lovely day to be freed, the sun shining and its a wonderful day.

Now we just want to get back home and see everyone we love, and forget about war and Stalags.

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