SOLEMN PROTEST TO BERLIN

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 242, 14 October 1942, Page 5

SOLEMN PROTEST TO BERLIN

CHAINING OF PRISONERS OF WAR.

B.O.W.

RUGBY, Oct. 13.

Referring to the chaining of British prisoners of war by Germany, Mr Churchill, in the House of Commons, said that the British Government never countenanced any general order for the tying up of prisoners on the field of battle. "Such a process," he said, "may be necessary from time to time in the stress of circumstances and may, indeed, be in the best interests of the safety of the prisoners . themselves. The Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war does not attempt to regulate what happens in the actual fighting. It is confined solely to the treatment of. prisoners who have been securely captured and are in responsible charge of a hostile Government. "Both the British and German Governments are bound by this Convention. The German Government, by throwing into chains 1376 British prisoners for whose proper treatment it was responsible, have violated Article 2 of the Convention," the Prime Minister continued. "They are thus attempting to use prisoners of war as if they were hostages upon whom reprisals can be taken for occurrences on the field of battle with which the said prisoners could have nothing to do. "The action of the German Government has affronted the sanctity of the Geneva Convention which the British G-overnment is always anxious to observe punctiliousiy. Therefore it has approached the protecting Power and invited that Power to lay before the German Government our solemn protest against this breach of the Geneva Convention and urge it to desist from it, in which case the c oun ter - m e as ure s of a similar character which the British Government felt itself forced to take in order to protect prisoners of war in enemy hands will be immediately withdrawn." Mr Churchill added: "Until we learn from the protecting Power the results of the protest I have no further statement to make and would strongly deprecate any discussion which might be prejudicial to the action of the protecting Power and consequently the interests of the prisoners of war of both belligerent countries. As soon as a reply is received a further statement will be made to the House."