Arthur Burkett – Long March Diary
22nd January – 5th March 1945
Copyright held by Linda Burkett
Jan 22 1945 Snow
We began journey to ------? we have to pull a wagon loaded to the limit. About 30 men pulling on ropes tied on anywhere. Road very icy, got across River Ader, a fairly good time trek began at dusk (4.30 – 5) roads were vey bad for a few kilo’s but after that not so bad. At midnight we were told only a few more kilo’s but this story keeps on being told every village. Worked a sweat up, despite freezing cold weather. Passed about 10 Jews who had been shot on the road – some were still alive but we couldn’t do anything – and we left them laying dying in the snow. They’ll be frozen to death before long anyway. Still pushing this d----d wagon at dawn (still only a few kilo’s to go)
Stopped for an hour at about 6am at a little village, women there gave us hot water for cocoa making. This livened us up a treat. Brookman (sp) commandeered 3 horses to pull the wagon for 3 kilo’s. Then we had to get the ropes again, but after 3 kilo’s we reached Gross Limsdorf, our destination, men put in billets, sheds etc. We touched lucky being put in a civvy house. Family very good to us (man, wife, 2 daughters & son?) Herr Ziegler went to bed at 3pm (Ernie & I had pukka bed with springs & mattress) slept like a log – got up 7pm for dinner – back in bed at 8pm for the night.
Jan 24 1945 Weds.
Got up for roll call at 9.30 – we are staying here for today. Darkie is making a sledge so that we can carry our stuff in it, instead of pushing wagon. We are leaving the boot machine and lasts sewing machine and other junk & only taking a bit on the wagon to make it easier. Went to bed at 9pm
Jan 25 Thursday
Started off again at 7.0 this morning Brockman got us a horse – put my kit on the wagon but Darkie is pushing sledge with his own kit on. ------took us to Oberglogan (about 12 kilo’s) and then we started pulling wagon but road is icy & going very easy. Made very good time & stopped at a little village about 10 kilo’s past Oberglogan. Slept in a loft among threshers, sifters and other junk, very cold & draughty my boots are rubbing my heels terrible.
Jan 26 Frid.
Off again 7.0 roads pretty good – horses took the wagon nearly all the way – Ernie was helping Darkie with the sledge but it was too much so I took over with Darkie through Leastadt (?) a pretty big place & finally after 24 kilo’s stopped at a from for the night. Dead Jews laying frozen at side of road mostly all the way. Up till now have seen about 50 -60. Watched 2 Russian plane machine gunning a train – slept in a barn on top of oven and got our boots dry.
Jan 27 1945 Sat.
Off again at about 7.0 some rations or something on the wagon. Me & Darkie pulling sledges roads full of snow & very hard going for sledges. Seem to be heading into the mountains & road goes up & down. Saw men pulling loads on their backs & dumping sleds decided after this I’m carrying my pack. Did about 35 kilo’s passed Weissenan stopped at village 2 k ilo’s past Weissenan – Frau gave Darkie 2 quarts of hot milk to drink. We put straight down I’ve put in potatoes cooked by villagers for us in cart loads, slept on landing in house .
Jan 28 1945 Sun
Boots frozen this morning but reveille 7 o/c off at 9 o/c. Started it expecting to do about 15-18 kilo’s but finished up doing 26-7. Saw Jew at side of the road broken like a china doll. Went through ------(?) stopped at Weissenasser for night.
Jan 29 1945 Mond.
Boots frozen this morning but as we are stopping for the day here – rumours have it we get transport at Glotz 22 kilo’s away. Lighted fire & thawed boots out. Eating far more than we can afford as they aren’t giving us any braed, managed to dry boots out and they rub my heels terrible – decided I shall have to wear shoes tomorrow but salmon sandwiches for the morning.
Jan 30 1945 Tues.
Started out again 7.30am marching in shoes, 27 kilo’s to Glatz roads icy & going pretty good and pulling sledge again.
Jack Dichington & Sid with us. Passed Glatz at 3pm marching on another ten kilo’s to village with a railway station.
Wagon left on road 10 kilo’s back tonight mustn’t light any fires so we got no brew – had meat sandwiches & looked around for warm place to sleep as blankets are on wagon. Rolled up in straw & slept like a log – feet ache like blazes. Rangendey (?)
Wed 31 Jan 1945.
Awoke about 8am, no marching today. Got brew from boiler – snowing heavy – had to pass motion in the open. Had wash & shave in pigsty move our kit down to Gasthof with Darkie –much warmer there – had my toe bandaged (frostbite) boots still rubbing- cooks
dished up porridge & spuds. Hard to get a brew here – slipped in drain & got shoe, sock & Trousers soaked up to knee. Went to bed after about 8pm. First time I have taken trousers off for 4-5 days.
Thursday Feb 1 1945.
Awoke at 7am with toothache through sleeping in draught mouth is very tender, had brew & wash started on last loaf this morning, may move at 11am but cancelled to wait orders- about 4 or 5 sick sent to hospital with frostbitten fingers & ears yesterday. Porridge issued at about
11am. Porridge issues again about 3.30pm. Got some mashed potatoes from Jock Dishington & then more porridge. I went to bed with rain dripping everywhere as a big thaw has set in & roads are going to be slushy. Slept at 9pm.
Feb 2 1945 Friday.
Started out about 8am roads in terrible mess, snow & ice thawing very quickly. And green fields visible everywhere but roads are inches deep in water mostly- we left the
sledge and carried our packs, I am wearing shoes and feet sodden after 2 or 3 kilo’s – ankle very painful & swollen and pain is climbing slowly up my leg to my knee.
Stopped finally at village farm only about 16kilo’s from starting points, got billet in hay loft, cooks dished up porridge & spuds (we ducked spuds) sick turned up again, Boiled yesterdays potatoes & eat them, Went to bed 8pm.
Sat Feb 3 1945
Woke up at 6.0am after a cold night feet very bad but as shoes are wet & sodden must march in boots,brewed up in cups & started off, put kit on wagon. Went about 24/5 kilos letting wagon almost drag me along saw body at roadside (Russian ?) Put up t farm & found billet in loft of cookhouse. Had Kartoffolflogen from cook house I went to bed at 8pm. Loft very cold & draughty. Marzdorf.
Feb 4 1945 Sunday
Awoke about 7.30pm with my frostbitten toe aching like blazes – took off bandage & pus ran out it has turned septic. Went down & got it dressed again. We’re not marching today can’t get my boot on. So if we march tomorrow shall march in shoes – Ernie got some spuds from somewhere. Porridge & Meat from cookhouse – men broke into cellar of farm & stole 10-12 sacks of potatoes so we must forfeit our ration (7 sacks) therefore no
spuds but Brockman has given cooks sgts & handworkers ( Sp ?) some potatoes –
haven’t done so bad today for food Ernie & I split out little stuff in case I have to go with sick. Went to bed at 8pm.
Feb 5 1945 Monday
Ate spuds Brockman gave us for breakfast then I was detailed to go with sick 39 of us went to Gressdorf to Rever I walked in shoes for 3-4 kilo’s waited outside ------for 3hours then marched back again – feet got soaking wet into the bargain. Ate ½ bar chocolate & waited for the skilly to come up – had skilly at 7pm and went to bed after dressing my toe myself.
Feb 6 1945 Tuesday.
Awoke about 8am & managed to get boots on, oat biscuits for breakfast that’s the last of our food but still have a brew or two left. Jim gave me ½ a slice of bread. Jog (?) is much easier this morning – its drizzling & dismal day. Had some leaving of Jim’s meat & potato dinner. Then skilly came up carrots, Swedes & kartofelftogen -potato flakes deadly mess but I’m hungry & took all I could get (Darkie & Jim’s) wait for it to get dark so I can go to bed (Had number check this morning to find missing men)(us total about 603 at present about 700 started) Bed at 6pm heard rumours of British breakthrough 80 kilo’s from Berlin we 30 kilo’s.
Wed 7 Feb 1945.
Awoke at 7.30 rumours of bread issue arriving Jock Crait gave us some wheat & we bolied that to go with buckshee skilly from yesterday- Had it for breakfast. Bread issue at 12o/c loaf (2k)
Per 7 men ate it straight away – felt better – skilly, barley & carrots up at 3o/c but not much of it..Ate it & went to bed. Darky came in around 6o/c with some bread he got from a civvy & gave me a slice. Went to sleep.
Feb 8 1945 Thurs
Awoke about 7am had brew looks a very hungry day - Jim gave me a half a slice of bread- very dismal day –raining on & off & downcast Brockman caught 2 men in the spud cellar last night, wanted to shoot them or flogged publically but just put them in clink in the end. Skilly came up about 1 o/c starvation rations about ½ cup barley its absolute murder – its not enough to live on –that’s all the food for today. Rumours we ‘move on’ tomorrow hope we don’t march because I am feeling pretty weak at present but I think it will be by train. Rumours of 4 days rations to be issued.
Russians supposed to be 30miles from Berlin but we hear lots of rumours lately. Rations for today & the next 3 days arrived – boys demanded another meal so they cooked more porridge – am dreading tomorrows march. Bed at 7pm.
Feb 9 1945.
Coffee issued at 6.30 & we were on road by 8am.Roads frozen but going pretty good. Ran in snowstorm about 10o/c till 12o/c men started dropping out here rather but very few considering most of them like myself are marching on empty stomachs – went about
24 kilo’s through Brauman put up at farm. Farmers girl gave us potatoes milk etc got some raw potatoes & mangold. Started to eat potatoes out of pigfood. Feet very sore bed at 7pm after gorging myself with porridge & milk.
Saturday 10 Feb 1945
Had trouble getting boots on this morning but forced them on & they got easier after a few kilo’s – ankle went after about 10 kilo’s & its painful to walk but after 16/7 they put up at a little farm Petersville. Farm Frau got us some coffee & Spuds & cook knocked up a stew from rations issued from company about 40 of us at this farm. Slept pretty good but foot hurts.
Sunday 11 Feb 1945 1945.
No marching today thank God because my toe has festered up and I can’t get my boot on. Sent for orderly to come – he did but he has nothing to do anything with. He put my name down to go with sick. Got hot water & bathed foot and squeezed all the pus out of toe. Fed pretty well on spuds & coffee. Had our last brew of Klim.
Monday 12 Feb 1945.
Off again this morning at 4.30am in dark & snowing – a few cold spuds for breakfast – past through Frantenan (sp ?) at about 7.30am. Roads are frozen & very slippery. Done about 20 kilo’s and stopped at farm people got us coffee straight away & bags of spuds. Plenty to eat and big fire in the yard.
Tuesday 13 Feb 1945
Got up for coffee & potatoes at 6.30am managed to get 2 slices of bread from people here Ernie & I had one each. Kept potatoes for eating on the road. Snowing as we started off, my toe is easier now & boot went on pretty well ankle hasn’t bothered me since I stopped wearing gaiters. At 11.30am we crossed border Sudetan – Czecho – Slovavia & the difference is amazing people (Czecho) threw bread & caused a riot. They lined the street
with their shopping bags filled with bread cut into slices – men
Scrambled everywhere – I did too- was getting bread faster than I could eat it. Apples & potatoes too – its wonderful, I’ve eaten more bread today than the last fortnight put together – short lived however, we passed back into ………….Sudetailand & bread stopped immediately.
Put up at little farm worse I’ve ever seen no food 3 spuds & less than ½----of porridge – hope we move on tomorrow.
Wednesday 14Feb 1945
Off again this morning with coffee & a BREAD ISSUE ! kilo between 4. After marching for ½ kilometre passed frontier again & we are in Czech again ! Bread flying in all directions again, ate bread, apples & white rolls even during the morning – walked about 12 kilo & stopped at small farm at Radim or some such Jitsclin (which is 6kilo’s away) heard air raid siren go twice during last night but nothing else in distance. Sirens went at 12o/o today while we were on march some say they heard bombs, but I didn’t. Woman here gave us potatoes & milk but skilly took till 7o/o to cook- went to bed & lay awake for long time wondering if we are ever going to stop marching. Feet are very sore.
Thursday 15 Feb 1945.
Our air raid sirens went off once during the night but nothing else. Ate the last bread with morning coffee. Things look pretty black as we have nothing in the way of rations- but later the Czech woman gave us 2 bags potatoes & men scrounged another 2 bags and things looked better. Had wash, shave & change of socks, after dressing toe. Which is much better of late. Just before bedtime the woman gave each man a thick slice of bread and spoonful of treacle which hit the spot. It has not been such a bad day after all. Roll on to ______?
Friday 16th Feb 1945.
Up at 5am no bread or brew so we drank a mug of hot water & paraded ready to march at 7am. There was a bread issue before we started off (2days issue 600g) so we had