Left Capua en route for permanent camp destination unknown, at 8pm fortunate to get a 3rd class German coach. Passed through Rome 8am following day. Arrived at URBISALGIA BONSERVIZI [see map] [according to Wikipedia “the internment camp remained active from June 1940 until October 1943, the internees were about a hundred, mostly Jews, from Italy but also refugees from Germany, Austria and the Balkans. In October 1943, a German unit took over the camp and prisoners who failed to flee were sent to the Fossoli di Carpi camp, last step for Jews deported to Auschwitz”. For further information, see accompanying page] midnight on 20th Nov. The Camp is a new factory which is not quite finished. There are 5000 of us here our contingent 1200 having to sleep on straw on concrete floors, no beds being available. The Guards here seem to be rather more antagonistic perhaps due to the Speech and the Allied successes. Canadian parcels have been issued at the rate of one per man every 7 days for the past fortnight. After 3 Canadians between Peter and I the issue changed to 1 every 14 days. Rather a blow. On December 24th we were fortunate to get beds. 3 tier affairs but nonetheless acceptable after the concrete floors. Xmas proved to be more exciting than expected a Canadian parcel and an English xmas parcel being issued to each two men. The Xmas parcel contents being 1 lb steak and tomato pudding ([illegible]) llb Steak and Macaroni ([illegible]) llb Plum pudding ([illegible]) Xmas bake ([illegible]) 12oz apricot jam 8oz pure butter 16oz sugar 3oz Processed cheese, 2oz tea and 1/4lb slab of chocolate ([illegible]), small tin Nestle’s milk, 1/4lb tin of ([illegible]) sweets l pkt of Peak Frean’s chocolate biscuits 1/2lb.
Our Xmas menu was [NB To see full menu see Appendix]:
Breakfast
11.00
Dinner
Unfortunately, after being on such a meagre diet for so long I was forced to stop eating ½ way through the dinner. But my temporary nausea had disappeared by 5 o’clock and I came back with a rush.
Tea
Supper
Supper 11pm
The choir sang some carols in our Bungalow, everyone was quite happy and a very great number violently sick.
The Steak and Tomato pudding was very fine indeed. We heated it and the pastry was super. The chocolate rice pudding was an invention of mine and was delicious. On Boxing Day we had the Braised Steak and macaroni for dinner and this proved to be the most delicious meat dish I have ever tasted. It was simply superb, not, I think due to the fact that our diet is so plain but entirely to its own excellence. We celebrated the advent of New Year by eating a dish of stewed prunes, raisins and Klim cream at about 1 minute after midnight. On New Year’s Day we also ate the plum pudding with Klim cream. I must try one of these puddings at home. Adjectives fail to describe its virtues.
The weather has been devilishly cold of late with plenty of snow on the mountains which are very close to us. My clothing consists entirely of: Boots (very unserviceable), KD [Khaki Drill] Shirt, KD Shorts, poor socks and hose tops, British Great Coat, thank God, and Italian side cap.