Edgar Harold Everton

Service number: 31126 AWMM
Also known as: Ted AWMM
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: Sergeant AWMM
War: World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

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Biographical information

Ted Everton, served as a sergeant in 1 New Zealand General Hospital. He was captured by the Germans on 27th April 1941 near Corinth, Greece. He was prisoner of war for four years in Stalag XVIIIA and 383 in Germany until released by Patton's Army just south of Regensberg in April 1945.

The number of New Zealanders taken prisoner during the Second World War was far greater than experienced in the First World War. This was due to the initial losses on Greece and Crete, and the mobile nature of war in the desert, where large numbers of New Zealanders were captured in 1941 and 1942. Prisoners in 2NZEF totalled 6637 men, and in addition 568 New Zealanders in or attached to the RAF were taken prisoner. It was often months before their families knew whether they were dead or alive.

Everton is quoted in the Auckland War Memorial Museum exhibition 'In the Bag, of 'Scars on the Heart', 'Rona... was my fiancee. It was a long wait for her, 5 years for the man to come back and she and my mother never failed to write encouragement through those years.'

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Stalag XVIII A)

Letter 1: 15/11/1941
Have had 2 lots of letters this week, 10 in all, early August and 7 Oct, which is grand. I'm the luckiest man in camp with mail as I've had more than anyone I know by far. Things go on much as usual, concerts each week, debates - last week "A woman's place is in the home", lectures on everything, cooking from weekly Red Cross food package. Ploughing round the compound outside like a lion in a cage for keeping the old circulatory system in operation. Now have plenty of books to read, letters to write, odd fatigues such as feeding fellows that can't walk down to the cookhouse, carting coal, arguments on the Labour question, England's Conservative Government and lord only knows what else - and much sleeing. That's life in a prison camp after 6 months of it. It's amazing how fat and well are most of the boys. "Tubby" (English) just received a wonderful parcel from home but reaction are, after making do with rough clothes for so long, all the stuff is too good to use. Almost too good to be true. We just are luxuriating in his huge block of chocolate.

Letter 2: 18/11/1941
Some of the Maori boys playing "Haera Ra" next door - sounds good. We are to receive 2 parcels Xmas week. Living quite well off one so two will be absolute luxury. Keep fit by walking a lot round the compound. Am reading a great deal and swatting a little German. The day goes quickly enough - just every now and then there's a rotton feeling of homesickness, which under the circumstances is very natural. We have one of the best camps, well organised for concerts, lectures, mail etc. (Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 3, May 1942, pp.10-11))

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Stalag VII A)

Letter: 24/1/1942
Everything goes well here. For various reasons we have not been able to send mail for some 6 weeks. Have settled down to this existence and as time goes on we find more books arriving and what was before a shocking waste of time is now being used to good purpose. Have discovered 5 grand advertising books, printing, paper etc, which are 'right up my alley'. Tons of historical and suchlike works and though tons of room for improvement I don't feel now as if I had just had a large slice carved off my life completely wasted. Lectures every night, concerts, much bridge and suchlike completes the weekly round. Parcels of food are regular, thank goodness and the winter is now so far advanced that it can't get any worse at least. Water supply is always frozen up at this time of year but we still get a shower every 8-10 days and, inside the wire, sufficient exercise to keep fit. 20-30 degrees frost has been common so you can imagine winter in a Lager is not exactly heaven. Have received letters - all written so far as I can judge - up to Nov 15; several snaps, so count myself very fortunate. Personal parcels seem slow to arrive but the essential food parcel is almost always reliable. I shall be an ardent subscriber to the Red Cross after this lot. It is a wonderful and grand organisation. Am still in the Base Stalag - not now at a working camp. Have some fine mates with us in this temporary exile.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 4, July 1942, p.7))

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Stalag VIII B)

Letter: Undated
No complaints to make at this stage of the game. 3 CLOTHING PACKETS FROM NZ AND 4 CIGARETTES DITTO FROM OUR NZ FUND TO DATE. Too much in the way of lectures, books, concert and choirs to take part in and listen to, to make one bemoan the present fate. What's to be i to be and that's the best attitude to take. My latest mail is mid-March. Sunshine and water can't be rationed so we have lots of both while the summer lasts. Red Cross is doing a noble work on our account.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 6, October 1942, p.6))

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Stalag XVIII A)

Letter 1: 14 February
Big events this week. Both your parcels arrived. (First parcel we sent in July 1941, c/o NZ House without Prisoner Number or Camp. Second parcel we sent in October 1941, c/o our own Red Cross PoW Dept, Auckland) Can assure you I am set up in clothes adequately for a good 12 months. We sleep like so many "shelfs of bodies" 3 tiers - ground, middle, top. Sleep amongst gear, blankets, boots, dixies, Red Cross food boxes, in a lovely mix-up on our middle flat, 18 men to a block -toe-head-head-toe. New item entitled "Stick it Gefangenen, Stick It." Jack Lindsay's parody. Very good - after these lines "Of 'Essen' there is little, of drinking there is less, we walk around the barracks and survey an awful mess, we fancy we've forgotten how to use a trouser-press. Stick it Gefangenen, etc" for 14 verses - some unprintable. All humourous nd topical. The Britisher seldom loses his sense of humour.

Letter 2: 26 April
We put on a combined orchestra choir show last night. We had such things as "Gondoliers", "Knightsbridge March" solos - "Trees" "Love I Give You My Heart" "Song of Songs" Grandpa's "Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes" "Juanitia" "Old Black Joe" "J'Attendrai" "Drunken Sailor" and such like. Some very good soloists in camp and the choir and orchestra with new instruments have improved no end. A brand new set of instruments arrived from England. Much rugger being played. Digger team practising a Haka outside our door now. Have just watched the Kiwi team beat England 12-0. Just like being at Eden Park, muddy ground and all. (Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 7, November 1942, p.14))

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Stalag XVIII A)

Letter: 1 June
RECEIVED 3 PARCELS FROM NZ: Your THIRD PARCEL arrived. There's such a lot of people behind the wire. It becomes a little world of its own.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 7, November 1942, p.16))

Sergeant E. A. Everton (Stalag IX C)

Letter: Undated
We had NZ parcels 2 weeks running. A real treat after 18 months to taste mutton once again and the butter and honey were grand. We should be in poor shape without our fine friends of the Red Cross. It is much we owe them. My 4th clothing parcel arrived. I am all right now for the duration, however long it may last. We have moved from our stables to new huts, so the living is a little more pleasant. Most of us have become inured to living rather hard, speaking roughly, living, eating and sleeping in the same room, almost on the same bunk, that it seems strange to be in clean quarters, still cramped, but neat and comfortable. I think after all this time with 3 or 2 blankets, and no palliase, that a feather bed and home comforts will seem a close approach to an earthly heaven.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 9, March 1943, p.17))

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Stalag XVIII A)

Letter: 22 August
We had our first NZ food parcels and they were very fine. Good fresh butter and real pukka honey. It was good to see familiar labels on everything. I expect you realise from our constant references to packets how much we all owe to the Red Cross organisation and you folks at home behind it. The parcels arrived in good condition. A batch of sick for repatriation left this morning. Many good friends of mine gone. I hope the exchange really comes off this time. We had a farewell outdoor concert for them last night and my Haka team did a repeat to close the show. Very pleasant to get out occasionally on a walk. Matahiki, our Haka leader has gone with the sick. I think they will see Bill Foreman and H. Duncan (Dr Foreman and S/Sergeant H Duncan, VIIIB). 4 Jan clothing packet arrived. I have now a full kit, so have my mates. Don't send any more shirts. Blades, chocolate, socks and short underpants are always welcome. Patriotic cigarette parcel arrived, these are always very welcome. We have moved into new huts infinitely preferable to the stables we have been living in for the past 13 months. Have a good bed by the window, the 2nd shelf (2nd story flat we call it). The bunks are in 3 tiers, 3 floors, 3 middle and 3 upper, 9 sleepers in all. They don't waste much space in this part of the world but at least we have reasonably clean quarters with a wooden floor. Have a real good bunch of mates. A bunch of sick have gone to VIIIB and we are not nearly so crowded.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 9, March 1943, p.17))

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Oflag III C)

Letter: 5 November
No mail has been sent on from our last camp, so with 2 months gone we are rather looking forward to something at least by Christmas. There have been one or 2 holdups with our mail. The new camp is infinitely better than the last and the food is a bit better. Red Cross parcels took several weeks to find us but now they are regular again the outlook is more cheerful. The camp is a series of small 12 bunk huts, complete with stove and table, we are able to make a little garden and path in front and some semblance of home for ourselves. We are still occupied fully with concerts, choirs and suchlike.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 9, March 1943, p.20))

E. H. Everton (Oflag III C)

Letter: 25 November
After 9 weeks wait our mail at last caught us up. Our next show, 'Let Revelry Reign" - we've 12 songs to sing on 30 November for a Burns' Night - all Scottish obviously. Am learning the accordeon. It aught to be practised in a 50 acre paddock. Music plays an important part and turns a drab existence into a reasonable one. There is a "Pantomania" in rehearsal for Christmas. Doing quartettes out of the old :Scottish Student Song Book". Letters received May, June and July. I've had 5 clothing parcels and 7 cigarette parcels. You do NZers very very well.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 10, May 1943, p.8))

E. H. Everton (Oflag III C)

Letter: 25 December
Last night we sang carols for the Nativity play, including "And the Glory" from Handel's "Messiah". Sounded fine. Our choir strength is now up to 38. David Liand and his accordeon were there and we had a right grand sing-song till 1am with the Walsh boys and some of the old Wolfsberg stalwarts of the choir. Then Fulton and I came home to room 243, so with much tittering we prepared a stocking for old MacRobbie, a Melbourne policeman who sleeps below me and who has had no parcels. Greetings from Santa Claus and a bonbon we made and a little sprig of holly made it look realistic. We had made Christmas from tin wrappers and a little pine for a Christmas tree on the table. At 6.30 we turned out to sing (with choir and band) carols, and woke every room, much amusement - hard white frost but no snow. 10.30 we went down to the gate and went to the hospital to give them some carols and some fun. We dined at 1pm, Christmas pudding, steak and kidney pie, chocolate biscuits and good brown tea. We then signed each other's menus - each a cartoon of individual concerned - I'm all teeth and big black moustache plus kiwi hat. At 10pm we had a concert till midnight. On Boxing Day we had dinner a la Red Cross. Cy and I went to walk it off on the footy field, at present a sea of mud, everyone else in bunks sleeping it off. The Christmas tree is draped with a couple of bonbons we made and all cartoon menus. I was halfway through a corking pudding when letters arrive. 4 of us were lucky, letters were August & September. NZ & Australia played England Rugger this afternoon, victory to us. The July parcel arrived just in time for Christmas.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 10, May 1943, p.8))

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Stalag 383)

Letter: 8 April
We all take turns at duty block (2 per day). All rations are pooled. You bath (in the coal bucket) on duty day, cook, sweep, lauder, fetch and carry for 14 men all on the one day. It works pretty well. I had July, Aug. cigarette parcels. Choir occupies 3 hours daily, 6 days a week. They presented "Someone at the Door" a 3-act play - very good. Both mail and parcels come through very well to the camp. We are very fortunate to have all these good things sent to us from NZ. Even Red Cross food parcels have been regular for a few weeks. I'm getting back the weight I lost at Stalag XVIII A, though it's a slow process. I had 2 book parcels. We are going to do Magnificat, Nun Dimittus, as well as anthems to improve the Church services. Tyneside concert tonight - almost a foreign language.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 12, August 1943, p.12))

Sergeant E. H. Everton (Stalag 383 (Oflag IIIC))

Letter: 7 April
Monday: Parade 8am. Tea, slice bread and jam, if Red Cross parcel permits. 8.30-9.0am walk round sports field for exercise. 9.30 to 11.30am "Pinafore" rehearsal - I play "Box" although I've learnt all the bass parts. 11.30 to 12noon, plugged 2 songs Elwyn Jones - a Welsh top tenor. 12-1pm lunch, soup and spuds, slice meat roll and tea (Red Cross parcel). 1.30pm pipe, Uncle Tom's Capstan and book in sunshine. 2.30 to 3.30pm George Fulton's quartette to teach 3 male voices - Purcell's "Fairest Isle", "Sweet and Low", "Let's us be Merry" and "Sounds an Alarm". 3.30 to 4.30pm an hour on my "printing notes". 4.30 to 6pm more tea, potato pudding, another pipe. Argument on immigration with Georgies. 6pm Welsh choir rehearsal till 8.30pm. Someone wants to learn Amy W. Finden's "Temple Bells". This till 9.30 Lights out. More tea, a walk under the stars to freshen up, then shut-eye. Tuesday and Wednesday: Much the same except parcel from England and NZ mail. Thursday to Saturday: Vary the procedure with church rehearsal, 200 hymns we know now in 4-part song, Alleluia Chorus for Easter, 30 voices, strings for accompaniements, 3 fiddles, 1 cello, 1 bass. Saw "French Without Tears" and "Springtime for Henry" - good shows by Dramatic Society. Also included week's washing and a bath in the coal tub. Spent three evenings with "Pinafore" principals accompanying solos, duets, quartettes and octettes. Also accompanying George's quartette at 2 club shows. It's a big camp - has 56 different clubs, each having a night of entertainment once a month Am revising music theory in odd moments. We're hopeful we won't spend a 3rd year anyway. I've almost forgotten what a roast dinner was like and am beginning to wonder what the sea looks like. My Red Cross parcels average one a fortnight with luck and as 14 of us "muck in", we somehow eek out till following issue. If possible and not using your ration, put mostly Cadbury's products in my 3-monthly parcel. No cause for alarm but we are permanently in need of butcher and grocer, otherwise everything fine and dandy.

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 13, September 1943, p.10))

Sergeant E. A. Everton (Stalag 383 (formerly Oflag IIIC))

Letter: 1 August
"Pinafore" finished last night with presentations to John Rymer, our camp music director and producer Stan Hawkins - one each autographed programme and a fine letter. It was voted the best production in Germany to date. For the assistance Ted Everton had given he received a small edition programme from the cast and done by cast. April parcel yesterday (nearly all chocolate). Very sensible and welcome. Don't cut down your rations. Socks and handkerchiefs welcome. The parcel was intact this time. (The previous parcel half the chocolate, 3 pounds, had been removed). Weather great, burnt to a frazzle. Two dips under cold tap per day. Had one feed of peas and carrots - home grown - today (Red Cross seeds).

(Source: The New Zealand prisoner of war pamphlet (No. 16, January 1944, p.10)) AWMM

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Edgar Harold Everton