Friday 16th March 1973
Compound 13 Long Kesh
6 weeks now I’m here—the board papers usually only take about 3 or 4 at the most.
John, you know from the Crum, was dead right—about claiming political status—takes ages—This is a mixed compound—plenty of IRA ones in our hut. There is always tension and sometimes fights. A fella in here—not a political one—just a wee lad that’s in for burglary—says I might get the political thing when I turn 18—that’s in another three weeks. Hope he’s right. I got stuck on one of the work parties—orderly in the officers’ mess—in the Silver City where the screws live. You make dinners for them or else wash their dishes—it’s okay—you get 23 pence a week—that’s 2 pence more than an ordinary orderly. We walk till work in the mornings and back after tea time. You pass the loyalist compounds—11 and 12 every day—in the mornings you see the UVF ones running round the wire—all dressed the same in black and running in step!! I recognise some of them but the screws don’t like you talking till them—some of them throw tobacco over but you’re a feared till lift it. I seen Gusty one day last week—just walking round smoking a pipe. All the Prods in here had a minutes silence the other day for Albert Brown—but he got a reprieve—we had him dead and all!! Away now—lock up at 8o’clock.
