Then the deafening sounds of explosions burst on our ears. At the time I
wondered what was the cause for this din, but the next morning I was
told that during the night the French had made an aerial raid upon
Wesel. From within it sounded as if the whole Allied Army were pounding
the building. On top of the prison anti-aircraft guns were mounted and
when they were discharged, which was continuously and rapidly, they
shook the building violently. Indeed an earthquake could scarcely have
set up a more agitated oscillation of the fabric.

Although the bells rang madly they were not answered. Every gaoler had
left his post; gone no one knew whither. The prisoners thought they had
been deserted. They were haunted by the terror of the prison being set
in flames by the bombardment. The shrieks, cries, howls and wails born
of fright made my blood chill. Outside one could hear the muffled shouts
of officers giving orders, curses, and rapid firing by small arms. The
whole place appeared to have been afflicted with panic, as acute among
the soldiers without as among the prisoners within. For about an hour
pandemonium reigned. Even to me, shut up as I was in a narrow cell, it
was easy to appreciate the terrible and far-reaching undermining effect
which an aerial raid has upon the Teuton mind.

Within the prison next morning it was possible to see the dire effects
which the French aviators had caused. A few cells below me was a
prisoner. When I saw him on the Thursday morning I scarcely recognised
him. As a result of that hour of terror _his hair had gone completely
white!_ Other prisoners were sadly bruised and scarred from frantically
beating their hands and heads against the doors of their cells in the
desperate endeavour to get out. One poor wretch went raving mad.

Notwithstanding the ordeal of the trial, which had deprived me of my