Les Rutherford spent Easter 1945 as a POW, but it was a different type of imprisonment from what we are experiencing at this time.

Les had been captured after his plane has been shot down over Germany, and in January 1944 he was marched to the infamous POW camp, Stalag III where he remained for the rest of the war. Trading three bars of chocolate for a Red Cross diary, he was to record and document life in the camp.  A compelling record that is full of drawings, poems, recipes and anecdotes.

Supplies were eaten sparingly in general during in Stalag Luft III. Deliveries were sporadic and often late, meaning food had to sustain the prisoners for longer periods than it was intended. Luckily, in March and April 1945, they were receiving regular supplies from the Americans and the Red Cross. Les and Frank were able to save up and have a “big bash” on that Easter Sunday.

Les and Franks Easter Sunday “Big Bash”, 1945

Breakfast

2 slices of fried bread topped with half a tin of sardines, one slice of spam, a small potato and a Rose Mill Pate cake. Served with a side cup of boiled barley.

Lunch

1 cup of soup followed by a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.

Dinner

1 and a half day’s potato ration served with half a tin of spam. Accompanied by a side of 4 slices of bread. Homemade trifle for dessert.

Les and Franks Trifle Recipe

Cut a Kilm tin in half, this will act as the container for your trifle.

First a layer of coffee cream, topped by a layer of chocolate cream.

Mix together biscuit, margarine, sugar and chocolate- this will act as the cake layer.

Next layer on a chocolate and raisins mixture.

Top this with whipped cream and a thin layer of pineapple cream. Yummy!

Les Rutherford’s POW diary has been preserved in the IBCC Digital Archive, you can read more about his experiences here.

Visit the IBCC blog page to find out more about Bomber Command.