A special sub-division of the Interned, too, comprising all these centres, was instituted under the general direction of Colonel George de Montmollin, of Neuchâtel, and at each centre a "Commandant de Place" was appointed for the organization, discipline, and lodging of the students. Commissions were also nominated in each region, who pronounced on the eligibility of the students for inscription at the universities.
In January, 1917, a total of 1,364 students had inscribed themselves on the rolls of the universities, of whom 13 were British, 195 Belgians, 749 French, and 407 Germans. For their administration and discipline, 16 Swiss officers and 18 N.C.Os. had been designated. "L'Œuvre Universitaire" arranged that these students should be exempt from all university charges, a gracious concession which caused some comment, as a distinction was thus drawn unfavourable to the Swiss student, who, in many cases, was financially less well endowed than his foreign comrade. The question of language was a stumbling-block to the generality of British officers and soldiers, and no amount of goodwill or zeal could compensate for a want of French, more particularly as this language was the medium used by the professors in the universities open to the British.
CHAPTER XI
EMPLOYMENT OF THE BRITISH INTERNED
—CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
—TECHNICAL TRAINING
—SCHEME OF DR. GARNETT
The facilities afforded by the Swiss to the French, Belgian, and German Interned, as explained in the foregoing chapter, could not, it will be readily understood, be made applicable in the same degree to the British Interned, who, unlike their Allies and enemies, were strangers in a foreign land, ignorant of the languages spoken by the people, and, further, apart in race and habits. There was, moreover, this essential difference: whereas the French and Germans were largely drawn from the industrial classes, and had received a training in civil life, our men, and especially those who first arrived in Switzerland, in May, 1916, were professional soldiers, enlisted young, and therefore unskilled, and without technical equipment. Very few could hope to find work in the factories of Switzerland, and those classified in category 4, as "capable of a full day's work," were to all intents and purposes eliminated in so far as the Swiss field of labour was concerned. Some sort of educational and technical instruction was, therefore, in my opinion (I return to this question later), essential, if these professional soldiers were to be fitted to take their place in civil life, sooner or later, on leaving the Army. Even with regard to the New Army men with technical experience, the language difficulty was a bar to their employment by the Swiss.
As a preliminary measure for immediate practical purposes, shops, such as bootmakers', carpenters', tailors', barbers', etc., were opened at Château d'Oex, but beyond giving employment and remuneration to a limited number of men with some slight experience in these trades, they served no ulterior purpose.
Very shortly after, however, training on a more pronounced scale came prominently into question with the arrival at Mürren of the second contingent from Germany in August, 1916. The officers and men of this contingent were in a better state of health than their comrades who had preceded them at Château d'Oex in May, 1916, and Lieut.-Colonel F. H. Neish, Gordon Highlanders (S.B.O. at Mürren), found himself supported by a capable staff of young officers, keenly anxious to get to work after their long period of inactivity in Germany. Colonel Neish, accordingly, at once turned his attention to the formation of schools, classes, workshops, etc., thus laying the foundation for a scheme of technical training which, with the financial support of the "B.L.R.C.O.," and, at a later period, the "B.R.C.S.," London, received a considerable and satisfactory development.
Elementary classes were started for Telegraphy, Electricity, Shorthand, Typewriting, and Motor Engineering. Bookbinding of a simple nature was taught at both camps in connection with the circulating libraries; and a few men gave their attention to wood-carving, taking advantage of the Swiss Schools of Art in the Bernese Oberland.
As regards the schools, it was soon found necessary to add to the staff of teachers, and army schoolmasters were, at my request, sent out from England to meet the increasing demand.
The most important of the classes, however, were those of motor engineering, opened by Lieut. C. E. Wallis, Loyal North Lancashires, at Mürren, and by Captain Reynolds at Rossinières (Château d'Oex), whence men were subsequently selected to attend a more advanced class established later by Lieut. Wallis at Vevey. Of this I shall have more to say later on.