The British Interned in Switzerland

by Henry Philip Picot

In anticipation of the arrival of the first contingent of "Ps. of W." in May, 1916, the wives of several of the officers had found their way to Switzerland, and many others followed as soon as they heard of the arrival of their husbands at Château d'Oex. It struck me as eminently desirable that N.C.Os. and men should also, if feasible, have an opportunity of seeing their wives or members of their families, and I accordingly addressed myself to the War Office, in the hope that arrangements in this sense might be made. My hopes were realized later through the kind initiative of Lord Northcliffe, who had seen the camp at Mürren, and much approved of the idea. Thanks to his lively interest in the question, Lord Northcliffe, by means of The Times, collected sufficient funds, and caused steps to be taken for providing the necessary machinery for the care of the women whilst in transit and during their visit to Switzerland.

The arrangements in England were entrusted to Mr. Harold Wilkins, on behalf of the "C.P. of W.C.," and after examination of local conditions by Mr. (now Sir Ellis) Hume-Williams, preparations were made for the despatch of parties of sixteen to twenty women under the guardianship of "chaperones," for a fortnight's visit at the camps. The Young Women's Christian Association very kindly cooperated with the "C.P. of W.C." by leasing a house in Bedford Square as a hostel where the women were assembled and lodged before departure. On arrival at the camps, they were taken charge of by an Interned officer, by whom all arrangements regarding finance, accommodation, and catering were made.

The first conducted party of women reached Château d'Oex in September, 1916, and their reception by the Swiss was as thoughtful and considerate as in the case of the men themselves. It was a comfort to hear a wife, when sympathized with for having only a fourteen days' visit, reply: "Yes, but I would have come if only for an hour"; and another: "The bairns think that I have gone to fetch their daddy home. I just let them think it."

The arrival of the first party at Mürren was memorable as symbolizing a return to home life, and the men, one and all, turned out to demonstrate in honour of the event. An excited crowd of soldiers, armed with every conceivable instrument of noise, amongst which figured numberless cattle bells requisitioned from the peasants far and near, met the women at the railway station, and escorted them by the light of torches to their hotels. The visit must have passed like a dream, for Mürren remained en fête during the whole fortnight, and our countrywomen had the time of their lives.

From time to time, and not infrequently, the movement to and from Switzerland was interrupted owing to the exigencies of the military situation in France, but in all not less than 600 wives and mothers were privileged to visit their husbands and sons in Switzerland. I have often been asked by people who evidently bore in mind the cost of the operation, whether the visits were a success. The financial records of the "B.R.C.S.," London, for the year ending October, 1917, show that £12,187 were received from the public as donations to the fund for "relatives' visits." The records for 1918 are not yet published, but I am given to understand that the total expenditure will amount approximately to £15,000, thus averaging £25 per visitor, a reasonable figure when war-time conditions are envisaged.

I think we have only to place ourselves in the position of the Interned to realize what such visits must have been to them. To my mind public sentiment did not err in responding so graciously to the special appeal made by Lord Northcliffe for funds to enable him to deal with this question, and in doing so struck a note which vibrated in sympathy with the hearts and souls of their Interned countrymen in Switzerland. Major Edouard Favre, in his official publication, "L'Internement en Suisse, 1917," gives the Swiss view of these visits. He writes: "We cannot sufficiently insist on the happy influence exercised by the visits of relatives. By this means a living contact with the family, that basis of social life, is re-established."

In the field of sport, the men soon realized that they were in the midst of a sporting community, and football, lawn tennis, boxing, skating, ski-ing, and ice-hockey, were freely indulged in according to the season. Football was especially popular, many matches being played against Swiss and Allied clubs. The former were generally too strong for our men, who were never really fit enough to compete with the best Swiss teams. Boxing also was popular, the Swiss sending some of their best amateurs to take part in the tournaments held at Château d'Oex. The spirit was willing—for our men were ever ready to meet the Swiss—but the flesh was weak, and here again the condition of our men told against them.

As regards ice-hockey, the Canadians showed excellent form, and practically carried everything before them. They appeared to me to be the equal of the best teams the Swiss could put into the field. In the realm of lawn tennis, some of the best players were handicapped by wounds and other disabilities, and therefore unable to make a mark in the championship games. It is of interest to record, however, that one of the members of the British Legation at Berne (not an Interned officer), who played under the name of "Marcel," won the International Swiss Championship for the third year in succession, and in so doing became entitled to a handsome cup, which bore on the shield the names of Wilding, Decugis, and others who had won the championship in previous years.

Some of our Interned gymnasts took part at a Swiss Military Tournament at Neuchâtel, at which officers and men of the Swiss Army and our Allied comrades competed. Our success was practically limited to the bayonet competition, where we beat all comers in the team matches, and took the first and many other prizes for individual fighting. Our Belgian and French Allies distinguished themselves with foil and sabre, and, as some of them had been fencing professors before the war, they held their own with success against the best Swiss exponents of the art.

As regards subjects theatrical and musical, the men at Château d'Oex formed a Variety Company to give concerts, with the laudable ambition of building a châlet as an annexe to the Children's Convalescent Home of the region, as a remembrance of the time spent there by British soldiers. How far they were successful in their purpose I have not heard, but I doubt whether they were able to achieve their full intention. Château d'Oex also boasted an amateur theatrical company, recruited from amongst officers and men. As a side show, they were able to count on a foursome of Scottish dancers, whose services were in great request for charity bazaars at Geneva, Montreux, Bâle, Lausanne, etc. They invariably brought down the house, and made themselves the life and soul of any entertainment at which they assisted. Their kilts, sporrans, etc., and bearing, were a never-ending joy to the spectators.