BRITISH FREE CORPS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 237, 5 September 1945, Page 5

BRITISH FREE CORPS

german formation. aucklandeeTconceened. (N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 10 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 4. An Englishman who lived for two years in Auckland before joining the N.Z.E.F. was mentioned among 40 Allied prisoners of war concerned in the "British Free Corps." A list was compiled by a Canadian soldier accused at a Court-martial of aiding the enemy. The man is Lance-Cor-poral R. N. Courlander.

In a statement said to have been made by the Canadian (Private E. B. Martin) he commented that Courlander was a "racketeer." He had tried to make a success of the British Free Corps for his own personal benefit and had openly stated that he expected a commission from the Germans. Private L. T. Freeman, of Birmingham, in evidence said that lie, Martin, Courlander and three others went to an S.S. propaganda school in Hildersheim where they were issued with S.S. uniforms, the cap bearing the death's-head symbol. A Union Jack was worn round the right arm and a British Free Corps Hash for the left arm. They were also issued with police pistols. Captain Roepke, who was the German in command of the British Free Corps, told them the corps would grow into a big organisation to fight Holsehvism and bring Germany and Britain together. Freeman said the day would begin with an 8 a.m. parade which Martin took and dismissed with a "Heil, Hitler!" At a conference they had Courlander said, "Well, we have raised our right arm, but what we say under our breath is nobody's business." Martin, in a statement, said he realised he might be charged with treason. "The reason for what I did was to gain the confidence of the Germans so that I could" obtain information which might later be of use to the British authorities," he said. He pleaded not guilty to acting as an informer to the enemy and voluntary acting as a member of the British Free Corps. Courlander is detained at the N.Z.E.F. repatriation centre in Kent where he is awaiting a Court-martial on September 18.