Sixteen Months in Four German Prisons | Page 6

last the officers, to still any further enquiry, declared that they
were going to do something, to carry us "somewhere."
Some two-and-a-half hours slipped by when a loud cheer rang out at
the appearance of a train of crazy carriages which backed towards us.
The passengers scrambled in and made themselves as comfortable as
they could. But where was the baggage to go? The soldiery had
overlooked this item and they surveyed the straggling mass of bags and
trunks littering the embankment ruefully. But they solved the problem
in their own way. What could not be stacked within the trucks would
have to go on top.
We forged ahead once more to pull up at a small station. Here there
was a mad scramble for supplies and the refreshment room was soon
cleared out of its small stock. On the platform an extortionate German
drove a brisk trade selling small bottles of lemonade at sixpence a
bottle. More excitement was caused by a newsvendor mounting a box
and holding aloft a single copy of the latest newspaper which he would
sell to the highest bidder.
Being ignorant of what had transpired since I had left London I
resolved to have that copy. I scrambled over a pile of baggage and
came within arm's length of the newsvendor. I threw down coins to the
value of 2s. 8d., grabbed his paper and vanished before he could voice
a protest. I scrambled back to my car. Here the paper was snatched
from me to be read aloud to the expectant crowd thirsting for news.
There was a tense silence as the reader ran through the items until he

gravely announced the latest intelligence--Russia and Germany had
declared war. The news was official. For a second a profound silence
reigned. Then there broke out a further outburst of wild, maniacal
cheering, above which, however, could be heard hysterical screams and
shrieks from women, especially from those bound for Russia, which
they now realised they would never reach.
I saw at once that it was hopeless to get to my destination, as the
Russo-German frontier was now closed. But as it was quite as
impossible to turn back I decided to push on to Berlin there to await
events. So far Britain was not involved and might even keep clear of
the tangle. This I might say was the general opinion on the train. The
remainder of the journey to the capital was now far more exciting, and
the animated conversation served to while away the tedium of the slow
travelling, although the latter part was completed in darkness, the train
running into Berlin at 1.30 in the morning of August 3rd, the journey
from Flushing having taken about 18 hours.
The platform at Berlin was overrun with officials of all sorts and
descriptions, ranging from puny collectors to big burly fellows
smothered with sufficient braid and decorations to pass as
field-marshals. But one and all seemed to be entrusted with swords too
big for them which clanked and clattered in the most nerve-racking
manner. They strutted up and down the platform with true Prussian
arrogance, jostling the fatigued, cursing the helpless who lounged in
their path, ignoring the distress of the children, sneering at the pitiful
pleadings of the women--in fact caring about nothing beyond their own
importance. They disdained to reply to any question, and said nothing
beyond the terse statement that no more trains were going East to
Russia. At this intelligence the travellers bound for the latter country
collapsed, the majority, women, flopping upon their baggage and
dropping their heads in their hands in grief and utter despair.
Yet, although the authorities were fully aware that no more trains were
going East they made no attempt to cope with the influx of arriving and
stranded passengers. They were left to their own devices. The majority
of the women and children were famished, thirsty, and tired, but the

officials resolutely refused to open the waiting rooms and buffets
before the usual hour. Accordingly the travel-tired, grief-stricken
women either threw themselves prone upon the platforms, or crawled
into corridors, sub-ways, and corners to seek a little repose, using their
luggage as head-rests, or being content with the cold hard steps. The
few seats upon the platform were speedily occupied but the occupants
were denied more than a brief repose. At the end of 15 minutes officials
came round and emptied the seats of those in possession to allow other
parties to have a quarter of an hour's rest.
While the worn-out passengers slept the light-fingered German gentry
passed swiftly from bag to bag, the conditions offering favourable
opportunities for the light-fingered gentry. They appeared to suffer no
molestation from the officials, who could plainly see what was going
on, but possibly officialdom regarded the