VILE TREATMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 November 1942, Page 2

VILE TREATMENT

OF BRITISH PRISONERS BY GERMANS AND ITALIANS IN LIBYA. REVELATIONS BY RELEASED MEN. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, November. 26. Stories of ill-treatment while in the hands of the Germans and Italians were told by prisoners who were released by the Eighth Army’s advance into Libya. Former prisoners said that when two prisoners gave the V sign while Germans were photographing a small enclosure in which prisoners were confined the guards fired, killing one and wounding several others. Mussolini 7 visited a prisoner’s camp at Derna in June and asked in English about the food and water. Two prisoners replied that the food was rotten and that there was not enough water. When Mussolini had gone two guards belted the men with straps. A party of 17, including New Zealanders, led by an Australian, organised to escape by means of a tunnel, but someone coughed at the crucial monlent and the whole party were removed and were not seen again. Rescued prisoners also told of men being chained to telegraph poles under the burning sun for 24 hours. Others were lashed, and others again were weighted down by arms. STILL SHACKLED BRITONS AND CANADIANS: IN GERMANY. OTTAWA, November 26. The Government has received reports from Red Cross sources which indicate that the shackling of British and Canadian prisoners of war initiated by Germany in October continues without change. The numbers involved have not been increased.