CHAPTER V

THE FOUNDATION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE "BRITISH SECTION" OF THE "BUREAU DE SECOURS AUX PRISONNIERS DE GUERRE" AT BERNE

During the winter of 1914-15, Allied and Swiss organizations were created at Berne for the despatch of food and clothing to prisoners of war in the Central Empires, the most important of which were the "Bureau de Secours aux Prisonniers de Guerre," and the "Comité Bernois." The former was founded by Monsieur Poinsard and Madame Pageot (wife of the French Military Attaché), in the interests of French prisoners; the latter by Madame Valentin (a Swiss lady), under the ægis of the Swiss Red Cross Society, in the interests of Belgian prisoners.

About this time, Lady Grant Duff, after consulting the Minister and myself, decided to organize a small depôt at the Legation, for the despatch of parcels of food to individual prisoners of war in Germany whose names had been brought to her notice, either directly by personal letters of appeal, or by the French Bureau, who were in touch with some of the camps in Bavaria and Baden through their Swiss Delegates. It was mainly owing to these Delegates that the needs of necessitous British prisoners came to light. The funds for this purpose were raised at Berne from amongst a small group of British residents, Mrs. Carfrae making us the first gift, in the shape of a £5 note.

I can recall an occasion, in the autumn of 1914, when Lady Grant Duff invited me to inspect one of the first consignments awaiting despatch. It consisted of fifteen small parcels weighing about 8 lb. each, displayed with great pride by about as many ladies; but it was a matter of much satisfaction to all of us that a move had been made in the right direction. This modest beginning was the precursor of an organization that was finally to provide 100,000 men with bread, and to bring hope and comfort to so many of our suffering compatriots in Germany. Some doubts had been expressed as to whether the Camp Commandants or the authorities in Berlin would not demur to Switzerland being made a base of supply to our men; but when, after a reasonable lapse of time, the addressees returned their acknowledgment cards duly receipted, apprehensions on this score were set at rest.

For the sake of co-ordination and obtaining immediate recognition by the Swiss Government, Lady Grant Duff decided to join hands with the French, and accept the warm invitation extended to her in this sense by Monsieur Poinsard. A "British Section" was accordingly formed, and affiliated to the French "Bureau de Secours," in April, 1915, Lady Grant Duff and myself being appointed members of the Central Committee. The British and French Sections were thus able to unite for the advancement of their general interests, whilst still retaining absolute administrative and financial independence.

At a much later date, a Russian Section was also affiliated to the "Bureau de Secours," and Italian and Roumanian Sections to the "Comité Bernois" when Italy and Roumania entered the war.

A Committee was now formed for the "British Section," consisting of:—

LADY GRANT DUFF _President._ LIEUT.-COLONEL PICOT (Military Attaché) _Member._ MR. PAUL D'HAUTEVILLE _Hon. Secretary._ MR. J. R. CLARKE _Hon. Secretary._ MR. L. BUCHMANN (late H.M.'s Consul-General at Munich) _Hon. Treasurer._

Concurrently with these transactions, correspondence had taken place with the Foreign Office and the "Prisoners of War Help Committee" in London, informing them of the measures adopted or proposed at Berne, so that any clash of interest or of effort might be avoided. The necessity for close co-operation with London became all the more imperative when the conditions of life in Germany had been fully realized. Letters from the prisoners showed that bread was the great essential need, for, as supplied in the camps, it was lacking in both quantity and quality, and, in so far as the German authorities were concerned, there was no hope of any improvement in either respect. The "Ps. of W.H.C.," as well as regimental and private societies, were, it is true, doing all in their power to cope with the situation, but, for reasons beyond their control, they were not in a position to meet the demand from England alone. Switzerland, owing to its geographical position, seemed clearly indicated as the nearest and quickest channel of communication; added thereto were the facilities offered by the Swiss Government for the rapid transport of food between Berne and Frankfort. These considerations led Lady Grant Duff to the decision that the British Section should devote itself for the future almost exclusively to the provision of bread, and steps were accordingly taken to give effect to this new departure. A discussion of ways and means ensued with the Political Department at Berne, and Lady Grant Duff was happily assured of the fullest support of that Department by its Chief. Her attention was, however, drawn to the shortage of wheat in Switzerland,—a matter of grave concern at the time,—and it was suggested that all requirements of the "British Section" of the "Bureau" should be met by direct importation from abroad. Arrangements were accordingly made with H.M.'s Consul-General at Marseilles for the purchase and transport of regular consignments of flour from that place. Incidentally it may be mentioned that this flour proved of a far higher quality than that locally procurable. As time went on, it deteriorated in colour and quality, but always remained superior to the Swiss admixture of flour and potato.

Pending the arrival of the first consignment of flour from Marseilles, the Berne authorities were good enough to meet all requirements. They also generously placed railway wagons at the disposal of the Committee for the transport of the bread free of all charge. These wagons, after being loaded by our own employees, were sealed for direct and uninterrupted transit to Frankfort, where they were opened, the contents being there sorted before despatch by rail to the camps in Germany. This system was of immense advantage, as the ordinary delay at Bâle for Customs examination was thereby eliminated, and a clear gain of twenty-four hours obtained on the railway journey.

The new scheme, making bread the chief article of supply, took definite shape about May, 1915, and the public at home and abroad were made aware of the establishment of the "Bureau" with its widened sphere of activity. The response was immediate, and for a time overwhelming. Thousands of applications, with requests for the despatch of bread to individual soldiers, poured in from all quarters. To keep abreast of this demand was no easy matter, but the original organization showed signs of considerable adaptability, and its development became phenomenal.

Hitherto, the accommodation so kindly placed at the disposal of the Committee by H.M.'s Minister at the Legation had sufficed for all purposes. Now fresh quarters had to be sought for, and a range of eight shops in Helvetia Strasse, together with a large music-hall, lying idle owing to curtailment of business, were rented and equipped for the executive work. The administrative offices remained at the Legation until November, 1915, when a large flat was secured in the same neighbourhood, and to this the various departments were transferred. Eventually, the whole house, with its three sets of apartments, was secured, and the Legation at last resumed its normal aspect, much, I imagine, to the relief of the Minister.

The "Bureau" as a whole had now taken shape. The administrative branch, organized and managed personally by Lady Grant Duff, dealt with the following subjects in its eight departments:—

1. Secretarial. 2, 3. Correspondence with Regimental Committees. 4, 5. Correspondence with private subscribers. 6. Card Indexing. 7. Files. 8. Finance and supply.

The Executive concerned itself with the receipt and despatch of food and clothing, and was organized and conducted by my daughter until the autumn of 1915, when her services were transferred by Lady Grant Duff to the administration. Mr. and Mrs. Jebb Scott succeeded her on the executive. The personnel of each department consisted of a Lady Superintendent, assisted by British and Swiss ladies and paid workers. Several Swiss gentlemen, including an officer of high rank, also gave voluntary service.

The work, during 1915, was chiefly concerned with meeting the demands of Regimental Committees and other similar institutions, as well as those of private subscribers. The system of transacting business with private subscribers proved cumbersome from the point of view of the "Bureau," and unsatisfactory from that of the prisoners themselves. It entailed, during the course of every month, the receipt and acknowledgment of thousands of letters with their accompanying postal orders, and gave rise to a congestion with which it was not easy to deal. Associated with this question was the uncertainty as to the renewal of the original order, and the possibility of the beneficiary being removed from the "Bureau" lists for want of the necessary remittances from his friends at home. There was little probability of this happening with men borne on the rolls of Regimental Committees, but it was not of infrequent occurrence in the case of private subscribers.

Another difficulty was encountered in meeting the requirements of men recently captured, many of whom made appeals to Berne as soon as they had reached their camps in Germany. This was overcome by bringing all such men on to the Berne lists, and by supplying them with bread for a period of six weeks. Meanwhile, their names were sent home to be dealt with by their Regimental Committees, or by private subscribers, in the usual way.

A consideration of these obstacles to efficiency induced Lady Grant Duff, in 1915, to suggest to the "Ps. of W.H.C." that an organization might be created in England with power to deal directly with Regimental or other Committees, thus centralizing effort, and eliminating the private subscriber. This organization would, it was expected, have the further advantage of putting an end to overlapping, which was much accentuated by minor associations carrying on work as independent sources of supply. I am referring more especially to Switzerland. The danger inherent in these associations was forcibly brought to the notice of the Committee in Berne when a letter was received by Lady Grant Duff from one of the Commandants in Germany, informing her of the arrival of a parcel containing literature of an abusive nature. A warning was added that any repetition of the offence would lead to the closure of the camp in so far as supplies of bread were concerned. As neither the addressee nor the camp were on the Berne lists, the matter was regulated without trouble, but the incident showed the danger to which the "Bureau" at Berne was subjected.

It was not till October, 1916, when the "Central Prisoners of War Committee" came on the scene, and was made responsible for the co-ordination of all effort in connection with the provision of food or other supplies for prisoners, whether at home or abroad, that the wishes of Lady Grant Duff were realized. Radical changes ensued. Berne doffed its independence, and became affiliated to the "C.P. of W.C.," following on which many of the minor associations in Switzerland, to which I have referred, discontinued work. Copenhagen was opened as a supplementary "Bureau of Supply," and the regimental system of registration was adopted, the private subscriber being no longer permitted to deal directly with the "Bureaux" in Switzerland or in Denmark.

The following figures will give an idea of the work of the "Bureau" at Berne, from the date of its foundation, in April, 1915, to October, 1916, when the fusion with the "C.P. of W.C." took place:—

In July, 1915, 13,000 Ps. of W. were in the receipt of weekly parcels of bread; in January, 1916, 19,200; in September, 1916, 30,000.

A few words as to the quality of the bread, and its manufacture, will not be out of place. The flour imported from Marseilles in 1915 and 1916 was of the standard fixed by the French Government for consumption in France, and proved of very good quality. Then a falling off was noticed, the bread keeping less well in consequence. In 1917 the "C.P. of W.C." arranged for the despatch of Canadian flour to Berne, via Havre, so that a high standard of bread was again attained. Its manufacture was entrusted to Swiss bakers, as many as forty different establishments being employed for the purpose in Berne alone. The loaf was baked for twenty minutes longer than was customary in Switzerland, and was calculated to remain in sweet condition from four to six weeks, the period varying according to the season and the quality of the flour. Failures were inevitable, but these did not exceed 2 per cent. in 1915 and 1916, and 8 per cent. in 1917. At the end of 1917, with the advent of Canadian flour, the former excellent record was re-established.

The question may be asked as to the method of checking these figures. The answer is that failures were brought to light and tabulated from the records furnished by the prisoners themselves when duly acknowledging the receipt of their parcels.

Continental baking did not always meet with the approval of "Tommy Atkins," for the Berne loaf contained too much crust for his taste, and often for his teeth, but as lasting properties were of the first importance, other considerations had to be sacrificed. It is interesting to note, however, that when the French Government seriously occupied itself with the supply of its prisoners, and experimental work was initiated, the loaf turned out by Swiss bakers was selected as by far the most satisfactory. In 1918 a biscuit, which, I understand, was greatly liked by the men, was evolved to take the place of bread. With the addition of water, it could be made as soft and palatable as fresh bread, whilst it had the further advantage of keeping fresh for an indefinite period.

Much of the success which attended the "Bureau" was due to the fact that bread was despatched to each individual soldier in a separate package. An alternative method adopted by the French Section was that of sending consignments in bulk for distribution in the camps. This had not proved satisfactory, as there was nothing to show that the consignment reached the prisoners in its entirety, and both Monsieur Poinsard and Madame Pageot were dissatisfied with results, though they did not see their way to any change of method. The Camp Commandants would, they believed, be averse to any change in favour of individual packages. Lady Grant Duff decided, however, to put this latter system to the test, as we were very anxious, for a variety of reasons, to get into touch with the men individually, and a beginning was made by the despatch of a small number of individual parcels. Letters were also addressed to the Commandants, asking for lists of the men borne on their rolls. In both cases the results were found promising, for receipts came back from the men at intervals averaging about a month, and 50 per cent. of replies were received from the Commandants. The system of dealing separately with every prisoner was thereupon definitely adopted for good and all, and continued without any serious hitch during practically the whole period of the war, or, to be more correct, until the declaration of the Armistice.

Receipted acknowledgments showed that during the first eighteen months 98 per cent. of parcels reached their destination, a fact very creditable to all concerned. Losses may in part be accounted for by miscarriage owing to transfers of soldiers from one part of Germany to another. It should also be stated that undelivered parcels were returned to Berne from Germany almost daily with the inscription "Addressee not traceable."

The organization at Berne was, I venture to state, conducted on right lines from the beginning, and well deserved the confidence reposed in it by the public. Special attention was bestowed on the business side of the enterprise, and no department was more carefully scrutinized than that of Finance and Supply. Sir Arthur Lawley, who reported on the "British Section of the Bureau" in May, 1916, on behalf of the B.R.C.S., writes as follows:—

"The system of accounting, too, is elaborate and extensive. All subscriptions have to be paid in advance. The 'Bureau' has no general fund on which to draw for any monies which may be wanting. Subscriptions are received from Regimental Committees, numbering about one hundred, and from a vast number of private subscribers, many of whom send the smallest sums receivable, viz., 4s. for a month's supply. If private subscribers would be content to contribute through the Committee or Association of the regiment to which the particular beneficiary belonged, it would be an excellent thing. It would reduce the inconvenience which arises from the fact that there is a tendency on the part of donors to subscribe for short periods only, or to be intermittent in forwarding the money which is required to ensure a constant supply…. I consider myself fortunate indeed to have had an opportunity of thoroughly examining every branch of the excellent work which is being carried on in the 'Bureau de Secours aux Prisonniers de Guerre,' Berne, by Mrs. Grant Duff and her band of zealous and devoted helpers. The record achieved is one of which they may well be proud. It could certainly never have been attained without an incessant and generous devotion of time, trouble, and sagacity. I should like to offer them my hearty congratulations on the fruit of their labours."

I may be permitted here to record the names of some of those to whom I feel a special tribute is due:—

Mr. Paul d'Hauteville, formerly a member of the American Diplomatic Corps, who gave the whole of his time to the service of a nation not his own, first as Hon. Secretary, then as Director, of the "Bureau." When America threw in her lot with the Allies, he resigned to take a prominent position in the Red Cross in France under the flag of his own country. He was, with the approval of His Majesty, appointed a Knight of Grace of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England. My wife, who organized and managed the Department of Finance and Supply until her departure from Berne in December, 1915. Miss Nesta Sawyer, who replaced my daughter in the administration in December, 1915, and later took the place of Mr. Paul d'Hauteville as Honorary Secretary. Her charming personality and ability are well known. Mr. and Mrs. Jebb Scott, whose able management added to the efficiency of the executive branch, and enabled it to keep abreast of the ever-expanding work. Mr. Bernstiel, who took over the management of the Department of Finance and Supply, and successfully expanded it to meet the ever-increasing demands, and Miss Keightley, who was in charge of an important department of the administration throughout.

Others who gave valuable service were:—

The late Mrs. Carfrae, Mrs. Barton, the Lady Acton, the late Hon. Anne Dalby Acton, Mrs. Wyndham, Mrs. Sawyer, Mrs. Skipworth, Mme. de Muralt, Mrs. Clarke, Miss Mary Clarke, Mrs. d'Hauteville, Mme. de Watteville-Pourtalés, Mr. Guy Louymer, Mme. Louymer, Mme. Courvoisier, Mlle. Courvoisier, Colonel Courvoisier, Mme. de Segesser, Mme. Spoerry, Mme. Raoul de Wurstemberger, Mlle. Claire de Wurstemberger, Mrs. Broderick de Pitard, Miss Binney, the young ladies of Miss Gray's School at Berne, Mr. and Mrs. Esdaile, Miss Dalgairns, Miss Grace Phillips, the late Miss Alice Hanford Flood, whose end was hastened by over-strain, Mr. and Mrs. Todhunter, Mr. Horridge, Mrs. Bradley, Miss Chaplyn, Mrs. Macey, and Miss Swainston.

I have naturally written at length of that period of the early life and development of the "Bureau" which is best known to me, but I think I have shown that progress was steady and continuous. Between September, 1916, and November, 1918, the numbers of prisoners of war supplied from Berne rose from 30,000 to 100,000, and as early as 1917 the business had become of such importance that the "B.R.C.S.," London, found it desirable to appoint a Commissioner to direct the operations of the "Bureau," the successive occupants of the post being, Mr. A. Mayne, Major-General Sir Richard Ewart, K.C.M.G., and Major H. R. Charley (Assistant Commissioner).

Viewed from afar, and looking back on the undertaking as a whole, it appears to me very remarkable that a handful of people, few of whom had any previous business experience, should have initiated and elaborated with so much success a scheme of such great significance. It demanded both courage and imagination, and happily in Lady Grant Duff a leader was found who possessed these qualities in a high degree, and furthermore united with them a faculty for organization and a tact which were never at fault. It is not to be wondered at that she was so ably seconded by her many friends, whose unselfishness, enthusiasm, and untiring labours, had my unbounded admiration. Lady Rumbold, who succeeded her as President in September, 1916, identified herself with the work in a whole-hearted manner, and devoted to it a large part of her time and energy. It was during her Presidency that the affiliation with the "C.P. of W.C." took place, carrying with it an immense increase of work.

These ladies have their reward in the affectionate regard of that large army of prisoners who were fed and comforted by them during the many months and years of their wearisome captivity. Theirs was a good work nobly done.