MANY PRISONERS MAY GET AWAY

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 5, 1 October 1943, Page 5

MANY PRISONERS MAY GET AWAY

British Troops From Camps In Italy

RED CROSS ESTIMATE (Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright./ (Received September 30, 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, September 29.

A substantial proportion of the British prisoners of war in Italy have been released, said the British High Commissioner in Canada, Mr. Malcolm Macdonald, at a Press conference in Ottawa. A Red Cross official had informed him that 40 per cent, of the men would probably get away, he stated. Most of those freed were from southern Italy. The position of those held behind the German lines in Hie north was more difficult, and therefore it could not be estimated how many might make their way through to Allied territory.

Mr. Macdonald said it was perfectly clear that the Germans were planning to make an inpregnable fortress of as large a portion of Europe as possible, hoping to prolong the war and thus obtain a compromise peace. Europe must be invaded from the north or the west, or from both directions, and therefore tlie communications from the supply bases in Canada and the United States to Europe must be kept intact.

More than 2000 refugees are entering Switzerland daily, the Swiss Federal Council declared in a statement. Switzerland. it said, would maintain the right to give asylum to refugees. The Chief of Police stated that 21 t?6O refugees and 960 prisoners of war entered Switzerland over the southern frontier between September 17 and -7.