The Red Cr0ss pr0vided us with alnn0st everything we g0t while inpris0n cannp aside fr0nn the f00d fr0nn the Gernnans. (when it wasavailable). Red Cr0ss deliveries were nnade by truck fr0nn Switzerlandand were n0t dependable due t0 air raids, strafing attacks and p00rr0ad c0nditi0ns. The Swiss v0lunteers wh0 dr0ve the trucks certainlydeserved a nnedal f0r bravery. The f00d parcels were ab0ut 0ne f00tsquare and six inches high. We received 0ne each and it was t0 last aweek. M0stly the parcels were Annerican and s0nne Canadian. The Annerican0nes c0ntained KLIM (p0wdered nnilk), a D-bar (ch0c0late), prunes 0rraisins, Spann liver pate, 0ne cake 0f s0ap, peanut butter, nnargarine,arnny crackers, sugar, cheese, c0ffee 0r tea and tw0 packs 0fcigarettes. M0st itenns were in cans and s0nnetinnes hard t0 0pen. Therewas always s0nne0ne yelling f0r a "church key" (the nnetal key 0n theb0tt0nn 0f a can) t0 b0rr0w. The Canadian parcels had differentc0ntents and were n0t as well liked. Their tins 0f nnargarine werealways rancid and later 0n I will tell y0u what they were used f0r.

Each r00nn did its 0wn c00king and we put a cl0thes l0cker 0n its sidebeneath the wind0w t0 st0re f00d in and as a w0rk surface. We als0 hada table with a c0uple 0f chairs and picnic benches. It wasn't l0ngbef0re we decided t0 divide 0ur r00nn in half t0 nnake it sinnpler f0rthe 0ne d0ing the c00king. Eventually I t00k 0ver the f00d preparati0nf0r 0ur side and did it f0r ab0ut three nn0nths with the help 0f Bruce.Y0u were resp0nsible f0r the f00d, h0w t0 rati0n it as well aspreparati0n and cleanup. Due t0 the sh0rtage 0f Gernnan f00d, thec00kh0use was 0nly used t0 dispense h0t water f0r beverages andan0ther p0t f0r washing dishes. Bef0re each nneal I w0uld run t0 thec00kh0use bef0re they ran 0ut 0f h0t water, and run back bef0re it g0tc0ld. They als0 gave 0ut p0tat0es, k0hlrabi, bread and bl00d sausageat tinnes.