"The Russian governments inability to supply the POWs in their camp with supplies was due to inadequate resources and bureaucratic rivalries. However, the condition in the POW camps varied, some condition were more bearable then others."

As it said varying from one to the other, I assumed that some would be better. Overall, I'd say it was luck to find an officer sympathetic to the conventions of war and like I said, who was still chivalrous.

And yes, British rations through the Lease

Odd yes, but life is full of little odd things no? It's not like it would have been a generalized thing, it's the whole Russian civil war thing and this coupled with the fact that as stated before hand, said officer would have been generous to the PoW would make for a likely Mutiny. The imperial family captured, St-Petersbourg falling to the Bolsheviks and so forth. Of course it's a stupid decision but what's best? Now that the man's family is with him on the south-west Russian front, should he make them escape through an hostile turkey? Send them through Siberia in the far east? Make them go north to try and find a convoy that could somehow go to Britain pass Germany? I agree this is an almost silly decision, but between this, an even more hazardous journey or waiting for the Revolution to spread to his men, it was the choice between a bad and worst decision. If you want me to change, I can, no problem (Marry after the war and have a legitimate escape, etc.), but while Romantic, I think it makes for a good conversation around a beer, and justifies someone speaking Russian.