NAZI OUTBURST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20918, 19 October 1942, Page 2

NAZI OUTBURST

ALLEGED ABUSES OF WAR ATTACK ON BRITAIN' (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) ( (9 a.m.) LONDON. Oct. 18. : “The British War. Office’s denial that German war prisoners taken, at Dieppe had their hands tied , and the British Government’s statement that none of the prisoners brought -back to. England had their hands tied have been proved deliberate falsehoods,” according to a German High Command statement in. reference to the chaining of prisoners of war. ;T : ,; ;■ ; ■■■., " ■ ■ The High- Command quoted sworn statements from Germans who • itis alleged v/ere,..bound, .and. emphasised that it was ready to aliowHhe. protective Power, to, check the statements. “The British" Government, is off >tlie point in its replies -invokipig Article II Of the Geneva Convention, ’’- says -the statement. “The British have..violated the convention- by their treatment of German prisoners at Dieppe., and Sark.” . ...\crT . Xtu.tov •; Referring to the : alleged British broadcast bn: October 9 that .Britain intended to treat 'all. Axis -prisoner. l ! alike, the statement says:- - The German Government sees itself compelled--to consider Allied prisoners of war. taken on all .fronts as one. unit. Therefore, the inhuman treatment of.. German prisoners of. .war, in any theatre of war, -for instance the Russian front', will in future have to' be paid for by Allied war prisoners without distinction of nationality.” •'.■ “Gang Warfare on Crete” . The .statement ..then gave, the text of an alleged. British document ordering Axis prisoners of War to.move .mines, and also declared v that the,'Allies often fired bn shipwrecked !' “Englishmen, ■ Australians,- arid-. New Zealanders An-- guerrilla - battles. ; -bn prete repeatedly violated the fundamental . principles, of mviarfafek ahd behaved, not. like,, soldiers but .like convicts,” fhe statement adds. .‘“The • gang warfare on Crete has. assumed fearful forms. Captain John Pendlebury, British vice-consul at Heraklion, carried out the main preparations for this gang warfare. Cabtain Pondlobury’s diary provided evidence that he knew that his actions contravened international- law.” - TLTI.'IAX ■ The statement concluded:,:, “The British War Office, under, the pressure of German reprisals, twice' pfotmsed to reyoke. orders. which-..contravene international law, but the British Government makes mendacious statements in order to avoid German reprisals, intending in future to, apply the same barbaric measures -Rgdinst prisoners. These reasons have prompted the Migh Commandy.thisitirne.toltake-- -reprisals.”