Kriegie: Prisoner of war by Kenneth Simmons

Author:Kenneth Simmons [Simmons, Kenneth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Uncommon Valor Press
Published: 2014-05-11T00:00:00+00:00

16. The Great Bash

THE preparations for Christmas were going full scale ahead.

Everybody had the Christmas spirit, and ninety per cent of the men were working on various projects for the Christmas celebration.

Bill Mott had been elected head cook in charge of the Christmas week meals. Bob Rhinehart and Dave Roberts were elected his assistant cooks. All evening meals were to be eaten formally. Pirtle was in charge of decorating the table for each meal, and he had made a list of things for each member of the combine to make. Clark was elected to decorate the combine, and was given Charles Swanson, Glass and Johnson as his assistants. Ted Carson, Ed Wunn, and I were elected to the entertainment committee. We were to provide and arrange for special entertainment for the combine during the Christmas week, and it was also our duty to keep the combine posted on all worthwhile entertainment in the compound. Gene Coletti was elected chief K.P. He was responsible for the washing of all dirty dishes and for keeping the combine in tip-top shape during the week. Excluding the three cooks, he could choose two men per day to help him. It was agreed that all members would do their part in keeping the combine clean.

Plans for compound entertainment were on an equally large scale. Christmas entertainment festivities were to start on Thursday, December 22, with a special sing-song in the theater. The band and choir were in charge of the program. A Christmas play was scheduled for Friday night. Saturday night was Christmas Eve, and a Christmas Pageant was scheduled which included the band, choir, comedians, actors, and others. At dark on Christmas Eve, carols were to be sung in every barracks of the compound, with a member of the choir leading the singing in each block. Christmas Eve was to end with midnight church services; Christmas Day would be highlighted by three special church services; Christmas evening the band would play a special program of popular music, and close with several songs to be sung by the entire audience. Christmas morning General Vandermann would visit every combine in each compound to select the best-looking cake. The combine with the best-looking cake in each compound would be awarded an extra Christmas parcel. During Christmas week the band would give a three-hour show in each barracks of the compound. The show was called "Night Club," and there was to be music, fun, and dancing for everybody.

As Christmas grew near, plans grew more elaborate and the Christmas spirit grew stronger. By December 22, every barracks in the compound had been decorated. Some decorations were home-made, and others came from the parcels. There were two or three presents in each parcel, such as smoking tobacco, pipes, and other small gifts. Each of these gifts was wrapped and names were drawn from each combine. Every man was to have a Christmas present. All preparations for meals were complete. All Intelligences projects were shut down, with the exception of Dave. Ten thousand prisoners at Sagan settled down to celebrate the Christmas holidays.

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