22nd July 1943
Vorpostenboot V 315 'Bris'

See 22.07.1943 - 23/51

Appeared to have used forced labour - Vosswerke

On board 20 July [1943]

Dear workmates

I think it's about time I wrote you a few lines again. First of all, I would like to thank you for the mailings, which I was very pleased about, especially about the pay book bag, because I have been missing something like that for a long time. I also received the anniversary edition of the Voßpost, for which I would like to thank you once again. Now to come back to the “marvellous life of a sailor”. As we all know, there are two sides to everything, including the life of a sailor. We also have our difficult days from time to time, but we soon forget them. However, we still have it better than the Landser out in Russia.

We have our regular meals and our warm bunk, which the Landser sometimes has to do without altogether. When we have wind force 8-9, that's when our hard days begin. When everything goes haywire in the radio room, you sometimes don't know what to hold on to at the same time. If you're not quite seaworthy and want to jump overboard, then the marvellous life of a sailor is over. But as I said, you forget all about it straight away. Unfortunately, I have to finish now, because my watch is about to end and I want to do some more filing. Many greetings to all my comrades.

[Landser = slang for German soldier]

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