The Icelandic connection - 01.06.2014, Qupperneq 22

164
ICELANDIC CONNECTION
Vol. 66 #4
both the watch and the picture. This was
not his usual practice since he was always
well organized and ready. He finally found
the watch and also the picture. He related
that they were almost in open view but in
his haste he did not notice them. When
he returned to the volunteer line he was
told when the commanding officer came
to him that they had enough volunteers
and he should return to his post. Elias
related that there were no survivors from
this party and he considered himself
spared by the grace of God.
Afi Elias was gassed on two occasions.
These were to take a toll on his health
because he lost a lung and a kidney as a
result. He was also declared missing in
action after Passchendaele. Gudbjorg
received a letter indicating that he was not
among the prisoners nor was he identified
as a casualty. The same letter indicated
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that since he was no longer in active duty
his pay was discontinued and there would
be no more remittances to her.
Afi told this story about the battle.They
were overrun by the enemy and after a long
battle they were almost out of ammunition.
They were expecting reinforcements
but none arrived. Eventually they were
captured and taken prisoner.
Many of the prisoners were of
Icelandic background and their English
skills were not as good as the German
forces expected. Many also had the
same dark features that my afi had so
the German commander accused them
of being Russian spies and lined them
up against a wall. They were setting up
a machine gun to execute them as spies
when the British Major was finally able
to convince them that these were all
Canadian soldiers.
Afi spent the rest of the war in prison
camp. He was wounded in the leg and
suffering from the effects of mustard gas.
The wound in his leg was not tended to and
he had to rely on his fellow prisoners to
help treat the wound. It was soon infected.
His bandages were paper, similar to toilet
paper but not as soft. His cleansing of the
wound did not include any antiseptics but
through the help of a fellow prisoner they
collected maggots and introduced them
to the infected wound. Soon the infection
was under control.
His story of imprisonment also
showed his admiration for the German
housewives that, in their compassion,
threw vegetable peelings etc. close to the
prison fence. This allowed the prisoners to
gather them and make a soup to help them
survive. If caught the housewives were
subject to death by firing squad for aiding
the enemy. You never left any food on
your plate when Elias was around because
he would lecture you with how lucky you
were not to be starving in a prison camp.