BRITISH PRISONERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 August 1943, Page 3

BRITISH PRISONERS

TRANSFER FROM ITALY TO GERMANY REPORTED TO INTERNATIONAL AGENCY. ALLIED WARNING APPARENTLY IGNORED. LONDON, August 12. Information reaching the International War Prisoners’ Agency indicates that British prisoners of war in Italy are being transferred to Germany, says the Geneva correspondent of the “Daily Express.” He says that 2500 of them recently arrived at Stalag IV, and that other transfers are being arranged. There are three Stalag IV camps, all of which are over 100 miles from Berlin. The “Daily Express” political correspondent, commenting on the Geneva report that Italy is sending British war prisoners to Germany, says the British Government has asked Switzerland, as the protecting Power, to investigate immediately. The British Cabinet, if the report is confirmed, will consider further action. Italy was previously warned against sending British war prisoners to Germany. A number of British war prisoners in Italy had for a long time been under the control of the German army. These may be the men reported to have been transferred to Stalag IV. In his proclamation to the Italian people on July 29, the Allied Commander-in-Chief. Genera 1 . Eisenhower, said: “If all British and Allied prisoners who are now in your hands are- delivered safely to us and not carried away to Germany the hundreds of thousands of Italian prisoners captured in Africa and Sicily will be returned to their homes.”