Geoff Rothwell joined the RAF in 1939 at the age of 19. He miraculously survived 71 operations as a bomber pilot, but in September 1944 his plane crashed on the Dutch island of Texel and he spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft 1 in Germany. He talks about the food experiences of the 'kriegies' (prisoners of war) while looking at the illustrated diary kept by his room-mate, Bohdan Arct , later published as Prisoner of war: my secret journal.

Geoff's first experience of life as a prisoner of war, and his introduction to German food, was at Oberürsel Interrogation Centre.

After surviving interrogation in Oberürsel Interrogation Centre, Geoff was transferred to Stalag Luft 1. There, the Red Cross parcels were an important life support.

Without the Red Cross parcels, the "kriegies" had to survive on the dwindling rations provided by the Germans. Geoff tells us more.

What did the "kriegies" do with the produce that arrived in the food parcels? Bohdan Arct listed some of the recipes. As for spam…