Mexborough and Swinton Times November 23, 1918
Mexborough Tradesmen Back From Gemany.
Private TE Dennis of the Norfolk Regiment, a native of Mexborough, proprietor of a pork- butchering business in High Street which his wife his carrying on in his absence with the forces, came home on leave from hospital last Friday night after five months experience in internment in Germany.
He enlisted in April 1917, and on April 15 of this year ten days after arriving in France, he was shot in the knee at the battle of Kemmel.
He laid out on the battlefield two days, and after two German stretcher parties had refused to take him in a third came along, and he was removed to a hospital at Ghent. He slays that whilst in the hands of the Army in the field he was decently treated At Ghent where he stayed six days, he underwent an operation for his injury, which was most, serious in the left leg, certain of the nerves having been shot away. He was then transferred in a Red Cross train to Cologne, and remained there until July 26. He was in hospital at Cologne, and had a very “thin” time there. He was neglected by the, doctors, and food was both meagre and poor; he suffered no bodily violence, however. From Cologne he was transferred to Soldau, in Hanover. The conditions there were a good deal worse than Cologne. The,food was even poorer and scantier. He was lodged in a regular internment camp, and had a straw mattress in a hut.
He saw a number of ‘prisoners, principally Russians, very badly treated. He himself was in considerable misery and distress through the pain of his wound and want of nourishment. Early in September he, was removed to Hakkon, near the Dutch one, and was there passed by a medical, hoard for repatriation. To his great joy he was at once dispatch through Holland to London. At Dutch railway station the party were overwhelmed where kindness and hospitality by parties of English ladies. Arriving in London he was taken to King George’s Hospital when he received all care and attention humanly possible.
His constitution was built up again, and he was transferred from there to an orthopaedic hospital at tooting whither he returns today for the completion of his treatment.