MAY BE ABANDONED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1942, Page 3

MAY BE ABANDONED

. 4 CHAINING OF PRISONERS CONJECTURE IN LONDON. MORE NAZI ALLEGATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright j LONDON, October 11. Germany thus far has not announced whether the threat to manacle more British prisoners has been carried out. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Express” says there may be a surprise turn in the manacling affair. This development is likely to be revealed in a Government statement to the House of Commons.

Informed opinion is that the statement might abruptly end competition in chaining. An unexpectedly strong volume of opinion has developed against any British attempt to match Nazi brutality. Secret reports have reached the Government suggesting that the Germans’ main object in the original chaining was to work up hate against Britain in anticipation of a possible large-scale military action on the Continent. While Britain intends to be firm in its attitude regarding the manacling of prisoners, there is nevertheless a real anxiety on the part of members of the War Cabinet to avoid any competition in inhumanity, says the diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.”

It is believed in London that Germany, having made a gesture, may abruptly abandon the whole matter. The German official news agency stated: “The German High Command will shortly issue a comprehensive survey of the treatment of German prisoners by the British. The British statement that none of the prisoners taken to England from Dieppe was bound does not apply. The Germans have never stated that they were bound. The German High Command, however, has stated that a number of Germans who were temporarily taken prisoner, at Dieppe were bound, and the soldiers concerned have made sworn statements to that effect. In addition, there are photographs of a labour soldier of the Todt organisation who was killed while bound. “Apart from these indisputable proofs, the British War Ministry can hardly make anyone believe that a military order, the existence of which is admitted, was not carried out.” Regarding the British statement that four Sark prisoners who were hound had to be shot in order to prevent them making a noise, German quarters make the following comment: “The Germans, when captured, were barefooted, or wearing only socks and shirts, and it is absolutely ridiculous to declare that they were shot to prevent them making a noise. The shooting doubtless caused a far greater noise. The British are mistaken when they say that they shot four German soldiers. In fact, they shot only two; the other two survived, though one was wounded. Their statements were drawn up in a legal document.” (The British Government stated that in the Sark raid the prisoners had to be taken past German-occupied barracks on the way to the boats, and precautions were therefore necessary. In spite of the precautions, four of the five Germans broke away shouting, and had to be shot to prevent them raising the alarm.)

It is officially announced that a certain number of German prisoners of war has been fettered in Canada. All those manacled were medically fit. The total number in Canada and Britain will equal the number the Germans announced they had fettered on October 9.