AIRMAN ON TRIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 228, 25 August 1945, Page 5

AIRMAN ON TRIAL

ACTIVITIES IN GERMANY. : ALLEGEDLY HELPED NAZIS. !N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.) (Rec. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 24. An E.A.F. Court-martial at Uxbridge began the hearing of 11 charges against a repatriated prisoner of war, Air-Gunner WarrantOfficer 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 lie pleaded not guilty, are:—Disclosing to the Germans the 'method adopted by the R.A.F. for carrying out the raid in which lie was shot down; asking prisoners af war on behalf of the German authorities to fill in answers on tonus 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' Serman authorities on of combating 1 Allied air raids against Berlin ; and accepting employment from the German Foreign Office and Berlin radio. The prosecutor (Flight-Lietitenant "R----YV Goff) stated that Hughes was shot lown 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 lie stayed until August 8 last year, wearing civilian clothes and under no kind of detention or restriction. SPECIAL PRIVILEGES. Flight-Lieutenant Goff said that he was calling as witnesses the German officer who interrogated Hughes at Dulagluft, the German official in charge of the English section of the German Foreign Office broadcasting department, and B.A.F. prisoners. Ho alleged that, whereas prisoners ordinarily stayed at the interrogation centre only two or three days before removal to a permanent camp, Hughes staved on. working for the Germans and enjoying special privileges. Flight-Lieutenant Goff added that Hughes in Berlin expressed his willingness to write anti-Jewish talks for broadcasting to England, after which he was provided with a special room , at the Foreign Office. Ho also broad- j rast propaganda talks in AVelsh for Welsh troops in Italy. Hughes's sippointment was terminated when his employers refused him seven days' leave," which he nevertheless took. They then arrested him and sent him to ii war prisoners' camp. The Germans offered Hughes a commission in j the "British Free Corps." and he then i attended various meetings and lent j money to other prisoners. Hughes, in December. 1943. ji-ph* to the German Air Ministry, pointed out what he observed during the Ber- i liii raids, and offered advice about improving.the city's defences. ACCUSED'S STATEMENT. An B.A.F. investigating officer, giv- I ing evidence, said he interviewed I Hughes on May 28, after which Hughes: made a statement in which he said ; lie was a prisoner of war from August 18, 1943. to April 2, 1945, when lie 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 latei ; told him they had all the information [ they required concerning his squadron and group, and requested him to sign a paper hearing these particulars, which he did. He returned 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. There he was given civilian clothes and found his cell door left unlocked. He volunteered to take Bed Cross letter forms round the cells, and got more freedom until 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 these had been received from German spies in Britain by radio photography. The statement continued that Bail-lie-Rtewart (the "Officer in _ the Tower," who is at present awaiting trial on a charge of treason) in Docomber, 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.