The British Interned in SwitzerlandPicot, Henry Philip
History
The British Interned in Switzerland
Picot, Henry Philip
World War, 1914-1918 -- Hospitals; World War, 1914-1918 -- Prisoners and prisons, Swiss
been depressing circumstances proved, on the contrary, exhilarating.
There were several cases of men in the last stages of consumption, whose
one anxiety was to see the soil of their beloved France once more before
the end came. About these men the French ladies were greatly concerned,
and they could only hope that this supreme consolation might not be
withheld from their dying compatriots.
Such attentions as these were by no means confined to the French.
Similar scenes occurred whenever Allied or enemy prisoners were
repatriated via Swiss territory. The services of the Swiss Red Cross
were more particularly brought home to me when a party of 70 British and
Indian soldiers, and 250 Serbian officers, arrived from Austria. Our own
men came under the category of "grands blessés"; the Serbians were being
exchanged, and were in good condition. They were met by Sir Horace and
Lady Rumbold, my wife and daughter, and other members of the Legation,
who accompanied the train from Olten to Bienne. We found the Swiss Red
Cross very much in evidence. A military doctor was in charge of the
train, with a staff of Swiss nurses, and everything was being done to
make the men feel they were amongst their own friends again. The
"B.L.R.C.O." had provided a sufficiency of underclothing to give every
British soldier a complete outfit, and when these had been distributed,
I think the happiness of our countrymen was at its zenith. They were
wearing Turkish fatigue uniforms, but of their other garments, the least
said the better. The sole British officer was clothed in a parody of a
civilian overcoat. He, likewise, was only too glad to accept an outfit,
as he had absolutely nothing with him but the garments in which he stood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account