Slay Release 250,000 Britons In Far East

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1945, Page 5

Slay Release 250,000 Britons In Far East

(Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 22 The War Office announced at a Press conference that it hoped to release up to 60,000 United Kingdom war prisoners and civilians in the Far East as soon as possible. The number might be anything up to 250,000, of which one quarter is in areas north of the Philippines and the remainder in southern areas. Only civilians electing to stay in the Far East, and those needing special care and treatment. would remain for any length of time. All others would be sent home at the first available opportunity. A humanitarian team at Mukden quoted the Russians as saying a Liberator was en route to fetch General Wainwright, says an Associated Press correspondent a Chungking. The Russian mission reached a prison camp yesterday and immediately ousted the Japanese guards and placed an American, Major-General George Parker, who was captured at Bataan, in full charge. Reports from the team at Peiping stated that all internee? there had been moved to hotels. A message from Manila reports that an injured American pilot, Captain Dan Shaw was released by the Japanese in the Philippines with a personal note from General Yamashita Captain Shaw said he parachuted from a burning fighter behind the Japanese lines and was held prisoner for nine days and threatened with torture if he refused to yield information, but his treatment improved the day after the Emperor's capitulation was announced.