ainly he
would never have hesitated for a moment to exact such a penalty if he
had felt so disposed.

After a time the single post failed to satisfy the implacable
Commandant. Trees were requisitioned for the punishment, and I have seen
as many as three men undergoing the sentence simultaneously. Their
combined shrieks and agonised cries penetrated to every corner of the
camp. One could not escape them. On one occasion when Major Bach was
standing as usual before one of his victims, laughing and jeering at his
futile writhings and agonised appeals for mercy, a number of British
prisoners who were standing around in mute sympathy for the hapless
comrade could not control their feelings. Suddenly they gave expression
to fierce hissing of disapproval. Major Bach turned, but not with the
mocking triumph that one would have expected. His face wore the look of
the characteristic bully who is suddenly confronted with one who is more
than his match. He was taken completely off his guard, so unexpected and
vigorous was our outburst. But when he saw that he was merely threatened
by a few unarmed and helpless Britishers his _sang froid_ returned,
although it was with a palpable effort. He glared at us. There was no
disguising or possibility of misconstruing the expressions of loathsome
disgust and rage upon our faces. One and all wondered afterwards why he
did not sentence every man of us to a spell at the post. Possibly
anticipating that things might become ugly unless he manifested some
semblance of authority, he assumed an anger which we could easily see
was far from being real, and ordered us to barracks. We moved away
slowly and sullenly, but the guard coming up we were unceremoniously
hurried into our domiciles, although it demanded energetic rifle
proddings and clubbings from the soldiers who swarmed around us in
overwhelming numbers, to enforce the order.

This punishment was by no means confined to the civilian prisoners. It
was meted out whenever the opportunity arose to the British soldiers
with equal impartiality. But for some reason which we could never
fathom, unless it was to cause further pain, torture and humiliation,
mentally as well as physically, the revolting task of tying up an
unfortunate Tommy was entrusted to one of his own sergeants. He had to
perform the repugnant work against his will, but the sergeants eased the
poor fellow's plight as much as they dared by tying them up as leniently
as possible, whi