FURTHER HITCH

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 85, 7 October 1941, Page 8

FURTHER HITCH

EXCHANGE OF WAR

PRISONERS

PLANS BY RADIO

URGENT MESSAGES

LONDON, October 6.

After a weekend of uncertainty, Britain heard tonight that the first British prisoners of war would reach home at midday on Wednesday. Subsequently, however, the War Office announced: "In view of a statement made on the German wireless tonight on the subject of repatriation, the hospital ships will not sail." The ships were ready to leave Newhaven with German prisoners of war on board when the announcement was made. It had been announced earlier; that they would sail at 5.30 tomorrow morning for Dieppe unless an unfavourable reply was received from the German Government. Later the Luxemburg radio said that the British announcement had been premature and that only part of the repatriation scheme had been considered. It added that the German Government had declared itself ready to exchange about 100 members of the British forces for a corresponding number of German prisoners of war. The broadcast also said that negotiations were still in progress about a continuation of the exchanges and tbeir extension. Urgent messages between the British i and German Governments had been going backwards and forwards across the Channel today by radio. They! broke a silence which had lasted for more than two years. At 20 minutes past 12 this afternoon a radio message in English was broadcast from Calais. It said,."Hello, England. The German Government wishes to give the British x Government important information in regard to the exchange of sick and wounded prisoners of war. Please confirm that you are listening." This was picked up by the 8.8.C. and instantly sent to the War Office. Fifteen minutes later the British Government radioed that the message had been received. At 1 p.m. the German Government replied from Calais stating that the two hospital ships could leave Newhaven tomorrow. Half an hour later the British Government promised to give an answer, and at 2 o'clock a message was broadcast that the . ships would sail. DETAILS OF EXCHANGES. Tonight the British Government broadcast again to the German Govi ernment stating that the ships would > carry 41 German officers and 62 other ranks. On arrival at Dieppe they would be loaded to capacity with wounded British prisoners of war. On j Thursday the ships would sail again for Dieppe, carrying approximately 60 German women and children internees. On Friday they would return to Britain with further British prisoners and would make other sailings on successive days until the remaining eligible British prisoners had been transferred. The tides make sailing possible up to and including October 14. ' The British Government also declared that it was prepared to agree to the mutual repatriation of all civilian internees other than men between the ages of 18 and 60, and that it was prepared to make this exchange at once through the mediation of the | United States. A full-dress rehearsal of the British wounded was carried out at" Newhaven today. Doctors, nurses, and the Royal Army Medical Corps practised trans-1 ferring soldiers from the ships to the■ hospital trains. i " A German Luftwaffe pilot who is the j leader of the enemy prisoners today! sent his thanks to the president of the British Red Cross for all that had been done for wounded German prisoners.