MASS REPRISALS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23029, 21 October 1944, Page 5

MASS REPRISALS

Warning To Germans LONDON, October 19. “Th_- last that Italian patriots in some villages may have attacked Germans is no ification in any court of law for ini carrying out of mass reprisals against the civilian population, or for the killing of people without regular trial ana sentence,’’ was a warning General Sir Harold Alexander gave over the Rome radio to German troops in North Italy. General Alexander continued: “German officers and men who carry out such orders will be tried in military courts.” General Alexander gave instances of typical atrocities. He said the Hermann Goering Division in the village of Spirs massacred a six months’ old baby and a woman aged 84. Also in the village of Civitella the same Division machine-gunned the whole of the male population, including a priest aged 80. The bodies w’ere thrown into burning houses. “Some of Kesselring’s few remaining planes are being used to shower over the North Italian countryside leaflets which, mark the climax of the German reign of terror in Italy,” says the correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” in Italy. One paragraph in the leaflet reads: “Every place where it is proved that there are partisans, where German soldiers are attacked, or sabotage is committed, will be burned to the ground. Additionally, all male inhabitants in the area over 18 years old will be shot and women and girls interned in labour camps.” The leaflets are signed: "Comman-der-in-Chief, German Armed Forces.” The correspondent says they will be damning evidence wnrfi war criminals are brought to trial.