Following this announcement everyone was in a frenzy; improvising packsacks for loading the few provisions and posessions we had, and putting on all the clothing we had. There was not enough room for all my cigarettes as food and clothing was more important.

As we lined up outside our barracks, snow was falling, covering the ground, and it was cold, cold. Guards with dogs herded us through the main gate of the prison. There, we waited and waited and were eventually counted again. It was so cold, and the icy wind penetrated our clothes and froze our shoes stiff on our feet. Then we started our march. The guards went with us, but not the dogs.

The march was the most trying experience I had. The snow turned into a blizzard. Fierce winds, and temperatures of around zero penetrated our bones. A wagon, pulled by several P.O.W.s, brought up the rear to pick up those that were unable to go on under their own power. General Van Demeer was one of those. We really respected and admired him as he was older than us and had been offered to be moved to a special place reserved for high-ranking Allied Officers. He elected to stay with us.

My hands, feet, eyebrows, and bones were completly stiff from the cold. Although not much was in my packsack, it got heavier and heavier. Several men would buddy up to help each other along. My partner was Lt. Emerson Jones, the big time operator.

At the end of the first day we were put in a barn with the livestock. Sometime during the night my partner got a sled. How, where, and when he got it I don't know. The next day we put our few belongings on the sled, which made the going much easier.

We constantly met wagons, carts, doll buggies, etc. with German families pulling or pushing them. They were trying to escape the Russians. I felt very sorry for them; they had snow frozen on their faces and eyebrows. It was apparent to me that war is horrible, but a lot more so for the the losers. At that time these folks had nothing to look forward to in the future and were a sorry lot. They were all older folks and kids.

Some of the guards suffered as much, or more, than we did. They were all older men, too old for war on the front. Many would lie in the snow, too exhausted to go on, and would be shot by the S.S.

It was a difficult time as we didn't know where we were headed, how long we would have to march, and if we could hold up for very long. We also were concerned whether or not the S.S. troops would shoot us as they had been ordered to do. The S.S. and the Hitler Youth were ruthless.

At one time we spent a night in a crockery factory. It was the first warm place we had been in for what seemed eternity. The Germans gave us the first food in several days--it was a pound of butter. We were hungry, so it tasted good, but we all got the G.I.s (diarrhea). Another night was in an unheated church, but it was at least out of the snow and cold wind. I lost track of how long we marched. Our strength was slowly leaving but we struggled on.