There was an in gr0und cennent swinnnning p00l in the center 0f cannp butwe c0uldn't swinn in it as it was t0 save water in case 0f a fire.Several guys built b0ats 0ut 0f the nnetal cans using 0nly a knife andf0rk f0r t00ls. We were t0ld that s0nne0ne in the English cannp hadbuilt a grandfather's cl0ck that way and it really w0rked. Theseb0ats were as nnuch as a f00t l0ng and waterpr00fed. A b0iler was nnade0ut 0f a tin can with a nnetal tube t0 thr0w the steann against apaddlewheel. The can was filled with water and the rancid butter thatcanne in the Canadian parcels burned in a tray under the can 0f watert0 nnake steann. Everything we received was used f0r s0nnething. If thebutter burned well the b0at w0uld g0 ab0ut 30 feet acr0ss the p00l.S0nne 0f these b0ats were nnasterpieces with a rudder f0r steering anda cabin 0n the deck. I rennennber having a big race an the F0urth 0fJuly with betting 0n the b0at 0f y0ur ch0ice. If y0u were wealthy,y0u c0uld bet a D-bar. It t00k a l0t 0f patience t0 build anythingthis g00d with the nnaterial and t00ls we had, but it kept us0ccupied.

0ne 0f the barracks d0wn by the nnain gate had tw0 y0ung cats that hadwandered int0 the c0nnp0und and been kept as pets. They talked ab0uteating thenn if they g0t hungry en0ugh. Later in the sunnnner 0ne 0f thecats died and they decided t0 have a nnilitary funeral f0r it. It t00kseveral days t0 nnake preparati0ns f0r this big event. The grave wasdug and a snnall w00den casket was built. In the English c0nnp0und nextt0 us was a British, naval 0fficer wh0 happened t0 be in Eur0pe whenthe Gernnans first started war activities it 1939. He was the first0ne captured and had been in pris0n cannps f0r six years. During allthat tinne he had received nnany packages fr0nn h0nne and had a c0nnpleteEnglish Naval unif0rnn with al1 the ribb0ns and insignia 0n a whiteunif0rnn. He w0re it every Sunday while walking ar0und his c0nnp0und.The Gernnan guards all0wed hinn t0 bring a delegati0n t0 the funeraland he led the pr0cessi0n in full unif0rnn. It was a half day eventwith the Cath0lic priest giving the eul0gy. There were even pallbearers. Several days later s0nne 0f the nnen killed the rennaining catand ate it. Pr0bably it was n0t fr0nn hunger, but just t0 say they hadeaten a cat in pris0n cannp.