EXCHANGE OF ENVOYS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20036, 7 September 1939, Page 7

EXCHANGE OF ENVOYS

BRITISH AND GERMAN CONDITIONS BY NAZIS DUTCH AS GO BETWEEN (Reed. Sept. G, 1.50 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 5. The Ministry of Information has issued the official version of the exchange of British and German Embassy staffs: “Immediately on the outbreak of war, the Foreign Office arranged for the safe departure of the German Charge d’Affaires’ staff. They left London at G p.m. on September 4 with a view to boarding a Dutch vessel Batavia IV.

“However, before the vessel sailed the British Ambassador at The Hague advised that Germany refused to allow the British Ambassador ai Berlin, Sir Nevile Henderson, and his staff to cross the German-Dutch frontier until the German staff had been released from England. Britain gladly accepted the Dutch offer to ucc as go-between and agreed to allow the Germans to embark on the Batavia IV on condition that they were not permitted to cross Holland until the British Ambassador and his staff were released. The Batavia IV sailbd at 11.35 p.m., on September 4. It is expected that the exchange will be made in Holland on September 5. Sir Nevile Henderson, with the entire British Embassy staff of 39 left Oldensaal Bland and is now housed in a hotel at Scheveningen.

A report from Amsterdam says that the French Ambassador to Berlin, M. Coulondre and the German Ambassador to France, Herr Welczeck entered their home territories after exchanging trains at Oldensaal.