Merkbuch1

(Front Cover)

Marie,

I turned this into a letter so don't throw it away before you read it.

B.

Merkbuch

for

Capt James B. Cousart

(Page 1)

August 9/18: Trying hard to forget the fact that I am a prisoner and no more use to my country as a fighting man; I joined a class of men here and arose at 7:15 to go thru body exercises of a rather strenuous type for 15 minutes then a 1/2 mile run, all this in our pajamas, and to finish a cold shower and this followed by a rubbing given by onself to bring life to the skin and perhaps harden the outside coating a bit.

At 8:30 a breakfast of coffee-black bread and a bit of salmon cooked into crackers.

At 9 AM roll call where the forty Americans were this day joined by a new American, Lt. Vaughn who had been wounded in neck and shoulder by a bit of shrapnel.

(Page 2)

At 9:30 Gave our word of honor not to attempt to escape and 21 Americans went for a walk of 8 kilometers (5 miles) and then returned to our prison camp, to wait 2 days for a similar treat.

At 12 noon a dinner of soup (barley) and sauerkraut& potatoes and some detestable style of meat or fish which spoiled the kraut and potatoes.

The morning was rainy and damp, but not as chilly as the three preceding days which were really too cool to be comfortable.

Some of the officers here find their pleasure, in bridge, some 8 or 9 in poker, some 3 or 5 in playing pinochle and the rest decide their time, between studying...

(Page 3)

...Russian, German, or French and reading.

Yesterday I finished reading "Life's Shop Window" and consider it a flippant presentation of a rank courtesan.

I finished it in the hope of finding some real good in it, but failed to find anything in it to remember except Victoria Cross' power to describe in detail scenery and the lack of it. -

- Tea at 3 was a bit of jam (compot) some real tea, no sugar, no milk, a bit of black bread, and cucumbers and onions - the aforementioned cucumber being 20 inches long.

I greatly miss a letter from home...

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	(Front Cover) Marie, I turned this into a letter so don't throw it away before you read it. B. Merkbuch for Capt James B. Cousart
	(Page 1) August 9/18: Trying hard to forget the fact that I am a prisoner and no more use to my country as a fighting man; I joined a class of men here and arose at 7:15 to go thru body exercises of a rather strenuous type for 15 minutes then a 1/2 mile run, all this in our pajamas, and to finish a cold shower and this followed by a rubbing given by onself to bring life to the skin and perhaps harden the outside coating a bit. At 8:30 a breakfast of coffee-black bread and a bit of salmon cooked into crackers. At 9 AM roll call where the forty Americans were this day joined by a new American, Lt. Vaughn who had been wounded in neck and shoulder by a bit of shrapnel.
	(Page 2) At 9:30 Gave our word of honor not to attempt to escape and 21 Americans went for a walk of 8 kilometers (5 miles) and then returned to our prison camp, to wait 2 days for a similar treat. At 12 noon a dinner of soup (barley) and sauerkraut& potatoes and some detestable style of meat or fish which spoiled the kraut and potatoes. The morning was rainy and damp, but not as chilly as the three preceding days which were really too cool to be comfortable. Some of the officers here find their pleasure, in bridge, some 8 or 9 in poker, some 3 or 5 in playing pinochle and the rest decide their time, between studying...
	(Page 3) ...Russian, German, or French and reading. Yesterday I finished reading "Life's Shop Window" and consider it a flippant presentation of a rank courtesan. I finished it in the hope of finding some real good in it, but failed to find anything in it to remember except Victoria Cross' power to describe in detail scenery and the lack of it. - - Tea at 3 was a bit of jam (compot) some real tea, no sugar, no milk, a bit of black bread, and cucumbers and onions - the aforementioned cucumber being 20 inches long. I greatly miss a letter from home... next