AIRMAN ARRAIGNED

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 48, 25 August 1945, Page 8

AIRMAN ARRAIGNED

CHARGES IN ENGLAND

ASSISTANCE TO GERMANS

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright )

LONDON, August 23

An R.A.F. court-martial at Uxbridge began the hearing of 11 charges against a. repatriated prisoner of war, Air-gunner Warrant Officer Raymond Hughes, a volunteer reservist, alleging that after his capture by the Germans he gave more information than was compulsory. Two other R.A.F. repatriated prisoners of war will face similar charges soon. The principal charges against Hughes, to which he pleaded not guilty, are: disclosing to the Germans the method adopted by the R.A.F. for carrying out the raid in which he was shot down; asking prisoners of war on behalf of the German authorities to fill in answers on. forms containing questions relating to R.A.F. formations; making German propaganda records and broadcasting German propaganda; lending money to persons engaged in forming the "British Free Corps," intended for use against the Red Army; advising the German authorities on methods of combating Allied air raids against Berlin; and accepting employment from the German Foreign Office and Berlin radio. The prosecutor, Flight Lieutenant R. W. Goff. stated that Hughes was shot down on August 17, 1943. He was taken to the Dulagluft interrogation centre, where he remained for two months. He was later removed to Frankfurt, and then to Berlin, where he stayed till August 8 last year, wearing ciyilian clothes and being under no kind of detention or restriction. Flight Lieutenant Goff said that he was calling as witnesses the German officer who interrogated Hughes at Dulagluft, the German officiali in charge of the English section of the; German Foreign Office broadcasting! department, and also R.A.F. prisoners. The prosecutor alleged that whereas prisoners ordinarily stayed at an interrogation centre only two or three days before removal to a permanent 'camp. Hughes stayed on working for the Germans and enjoying special privileges. SPECIAL BROADCASTS. Flight Lieutenant Goff added that in Berlin Hughes expressed his willingness to write anti-Jewish talks for broadcast to England, after which he was provided with a special room at the Foreign Office and also broadcast propaganda talks in Welsh for Welsh troops in Italy. Hughes's appointment was terminated when his employers refused him seven days' leave, which he nevertheless took. They then arrested him and sent him to a war (Prisoners' camp. The Germans offered Hughes a commission in the British Free Corps, and he then attended various meetings and lent money to other prisoners. In December, 1943, Hughes went to the German Air Ministry, pointed out what he had observed during the Berlin raids, and offered advice about improving the city's defences. An R.A.F. investigating officer, giving evidence, said he interviewed Hughes on May 28, after which Hughes made a statement in which he said he was a prisoner of war from August 18, 1943, to April 2, 1945, when he was liberated by the Russians. When interrogated at Dulagluft after being shot down, he at first refused any information beyond his name, number, and next of kin. The Germans told him that if he did not answer further questions he would be handed over to the Gestapo. His interrogator told him later that they had all the information they required concerning his squadron and group, and requested him to sign a paper bearing these particulars, which he did. MORE FREEDOM ALLOWED. Returning to Dulagluft after being flown to a castle near Bonn, where a German officer asked him about the food situation in Britain, the statement continued, he was given civilian clothes and found his cell door left unlocked. He volunteered to take Red Cross letter forms round the cells, and got more freedom till he was able to visit any part of the building, including the offices and registries, where he saw many photographic copies of English documents. A girl clerk told him that these had been received from German spies in Britain by radio photography. The statement continued that BaillieStewart in December, 1943, told Hughes that '"he was no good at broadcasting and particularly dumb at writing," but he was prepared to offer him a commission in the British Free Corps which William Joyce and John Amery were raising on the lines of the Viking Waffen S.S. The hearing is not finished. CANADIAN PRIVATE CHARGED Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, August 24. At a Canadian court-martial at .Farnborough, Hampshire, Private George Hale is accused of aiding the enemy while a prisoner of war. It was alleged that Hale passed to the Germans information obtained from other Allied prisoners. Lieut-Colonel J. D. Watt, who is conducting the prosecution, said that Hale was taken prisoner at Dieppe on August 19, 1942, and late/ removed to Stalag 88, Langsdorf. Trooper Lawrence, a former prisoner at Stalag 88, said in evidence that Hale asked him how the commandos worked, where they were trained, and what airports they used. A United States private, R. H. Har\vood, said Hale told him he was getting extra pay and had had 5000 dollars deposited for him in a neutral country, as a result of picking up information and handing it over to the Germans. The case was adjourned until August 27.