ENGLISH FEELING FOR FORMER ENEMY PRISONERS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22889, 8 March 1949, Page 6

ENGLISH FEELING FOR FORMER ENEMY PRISONERS

People in Britain are not naturally vindictive, and the plight of prisoners of war whose return to their own countries was long delayed after the conclusion of hostilities evoked a good deal of sympathy. said Canon L. G. Mannering, of Bristol, discussing yesterday some of the post-war developments in the Homeland.

For a time after the war there was a natural reluctance to re-enter into ordinary human relations with Germans, and prisoners of that nationality led a lonely and circumscribed life in their camps throughout Britain.

They were not allowed to enter many premises, and they faced barriers that tended to isolate them completely from the normal life of the communities in which they moved. It was not long, however, before the natural goodwill of British people towards a beaten enemy began to manifest itself. Bristol Cathedral Service A characteristic response to leadership directed towards a less stringent ostracism of the ex-enemy was provided two years ago in Bristol Cathedral, when Canon Mannering with the authority of his bishop planned a service for the 1000 prisoners in camps near the city. Bristol had taken a bad beating from air attacks during the war, and there was some speculation as to how the public would react to the proposal.

At the Christmas service for the prisoners, however, the cathedral was packed by Bristol people anxious to extend the hand of Christian fellowship to the prisoners of war. A magnificent Christmas tree dominated the proceedings, and bi-lingual celebrations were conducted by Canon Mannering with his bishop and many other church dignatories present. A German pastor occupied the pulpit with the canon, and translated his address sentence by sentence to the many hundreds of his compatriots who were given places of honour. A Bishop in His Mitre

At the conclusion of the service small gifts were distributed to the prisoners, and Bristol Cathedral witnessed the unusual picture of a bishop in the full Vestments ot his office handing packages of cigarettes and sweets to the guests from the prison camps. There was later a free mingling of the prisoners with the other worshippers.

This occasion did much to break down the isolation of the ex-enemy nationals, and it was not long before they were being. received in Bristol homes. Similar relaxation of austerity, in re. gard to the treatment of prisoners of war, occurred in all parts of Britain. It was pathetic to witness the hunger of the prisoners for human contacts, in many cases. Kindliness shown by people in Britain left its mark upon them, and before their final repatriation many expressed the hope that they could return to work among the British.

“The action of the . British people concerned was not a calculated onfe, but undoubtedly it must be bearing good fruit now,” said Canon Mannering. “There are scattered throughout Germany thousands of former prisoners who Know from their own experience that people in Britain are human and humane. That knowledge may have a supreme value in the conditioning of international relations.