The British Interned in Switzerland

by Henry Philip Picot

The teaching staff was to be sent out from England, with the exception of that for No. 5. The expenditure for the above-mentioned scheme, inclusive of the cost of new materials, was estimated at about £4,000 per annum.

The report of Dr. Garnett, transmitted by the War Office to the "B.R.C.S.," London, was approved by the latter, who undertook to promote and finance the undertaking. Interest in the question was also taken by the Ministry of Pensions, to whom the training and education of wounded men was naturally of great importance. The practical application of the scheme was placed in the hands of Lord Sandwich and Major R. N. Mitchell, the former representing the "B.R.C.S.," London, the latter the Ministry of Pensions. Prior to the departure from London of these gentlemen to inspect conditions in Switzerland, several British firms, with whom Major Mitchell had been in consultation, offered to send out managers and instructors to take charge of one or other of the classes related to their interests, to provide all the raw material required, to remunerate the men, and, further, to guarantee employment on repatriation to all those men giving proof of efficiency whilst under instruction. This guarantee appeared to me the solution of the whole problem, and honour is due to the brain which first originated the idea. Amongst firms taking part in this venture were: Messrs. Brinsmead and Co., pianoforte makers; Messrs. Worral and Co., Birmingham, leather work; and Mr. D. Davis, fancy leather bag manufacturer. The "Auto-Car" Management, under the inspiration of Lieut. Wallis, also offered to bear the whole cost of the Motor Engineering School at Vevey. The above proposals practically ensured the success of the scheme laid down by Dr. Garnett, and gave it a very attractive form in the eyes of the men, whose future was thereby safeguarded.

On the occasion of the visit of Lord Sandwich and Major Mitchell to Switzerland in August, 1917, they had the advantage of the advice and assistance of Dr. Garnett. The chief problem consisted in finding premises where the whole of the proposed technical training might be centralized. Unfortunately, nothing of the kind was available, and it was accordingly decided, with my approval and that of the Swiss authorities, to establish the Central Schools as proposed by Dr. Garnett, with the exception of Brienz, which was eliminated:—Meiringen, for leather work and tailoring; Seebourg, for pianoforte making and carpentry, electrical work, watch-making, etc.; Vevey, for motor engineering. This would suffice, it was estimated, to exhaust the available number of men seeking training, and, apart from the closure of the elementary motor engineering classes at Mürren and Château d'Oex, leave the Institutes of the regimental type, such as Army Classes, and all the other classes, to continue their work as heretofore at the camps.

On Lord Sandwich's return to London, arrangements were made to give effect to the amended scheme, and, at my request, Major Charley and Lieut. Wallis were nominated by the War Office to take their place on my Staff, the former as Officer in Charge of Technical Training, the latter to resume charge of the Motor Engineering School at Vevey. These officers, further, represented the interests which the "B.R.C.S.," London, had in the scheme.

In September, 1917, the repatriation of some of the British Interned somewhat delayed arrangements, but at last, in October, expert managers and instructors arrived from England, sent by the firms mentioned, and work was seriously begun by November, 1917.

The men displayed considerable aptitude, and achieved a standard of efficiency which should enable them to keep their situations on their return to England. Remuneration was made to each apprentice in proportion to his work, and was sufficient to give him a personal interest in the output.

The Tailoring Class was conducted by a West-end tailor, late Sergt.-Instructor in the Army. The workshop was located in an annexe of the Hôtel Flora, at Meiringen, and was fitted with four machines electrically driven. Attention was mainly directed to the making of uniforms, the raw materials for which were supplied by the Army Clothing Department. The garments, on completion, were taken over by that Department, ordinary rates being paid for the work, the men receiving a proportionate remuneration.

The Advanced School of Motor Engineering, opened at Vevey by Lieut. Wallis in March, 1917, owed its origin to the success of the elementary motor class founded by that officer at Mürren. It was, further, made possible by the splendid generosity of the well-known firms of Peter Cailler, Kohler and Co., Messrs. Nestlé and Co., and other Swiss firms in the Jura, surplus machinery, moreover, being given or lent by Messrs. Picard and Pictet, Geneva, and Messrs. Müller and Co., Lausanne, and others.

The expenses of the School, beyond the money gifts made to Lieut. Wallis for that purpose, were met by the "B.L.R.C.O." and the Central P. of W. Committee, until October, 1917. From that date, the expenses were guaranteed by the management of the "Auto-Car," London, who further provided material and machinery, and whose keen interest in the enterprise was of inestimable value.

The training, which included electrical instruction in connection with motor-car work, was of a thoroughly practical nature, and should be of great value to the men later; as also the Metal Work Class, opened in connection with the Vevey School at Château d'Oex, and instructed by a skilled Interned, Chief Petty Officer Harpe. In this class, various kinds of sheet metal work, welding, and brazing, were taught with great success.