NO EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 237, 8 October 1941, Page 5

NO EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS

GERMANY ACCUSED OF EVASION INTERNATIONAL LAW PASSENGERS DISEMBARKED London O« l 7. ' Hospital ships, with w minded and sick German prisoners of war. German women and t hildren. which were rcad> to sail from New haven <»n a mission of cvchange of prisoners with Germany will now not sail. The passengers on board have been dis embarked ami the British Secretary for War. Captain Margzsson, has accused Germany of deliberately attempting to flout the International agreement, which says that seriously wounded prisoners shall he returned to their own country. Captain Marg'.sson pointed out that i much ns Britain wished to repatriate l prisoners, she did not intend to 'ne the 'subject of a flagrant breach of Inter-, ; nafinnrv lav committed by Germany. i “The British statement of the exchange of pri-oneis is considerably ( lahoad of the facts." said the Berlin : radio. “Only a partial exchange of | labout L ,H prisoners is to be made and! 'these are aboard hospital ships al iNewhav n. If they ar<* brought over. ; iGermanx is ready to return an ctjuivai lent nun'll,": . Diplomatic n"“"t'.at!ons ( aie progressing regarding further developments. ' ■ Immediatelv that m* >sage wa broadcast officers visited the shin*, switched off the lights. and the iprisoneis rcadx' for exchange settles down for th* i* louith night aboard l«nwaiting repatriation to their own country. For what is probably the first time for many hundreds of years, two be ligeront Government*, have common ■ eated directly witn each other during the actual course of war. This occurred to-day a 1 12 30 o’ lo v h( n the 8.8 C. ' M n lot ing ’ servic< • cd up from G i many a mess?. • . relating to the repalt iati >n of pti;oner.s. addressed to the Biitish Gov< rnniont on an oversees wavelength. Fix Immutes later th" 13.8. U. broc.ocast. on behalf of the \V»r OlLi-e. that ii'.*> were prepaled to receive a m".*sa.,e. land half an hour later Germany istated: “The German Government to! ■the British Gox innunL Hospital Iships having on boat .I German pi i>onlers of war and German civilians can i leave from Nev. ii.i' n hat h nir on [Tuesday. October 7. Phase milcat the correct timi of dejarturc. the total number ot sick and wounded prisoners, the number of G»* man sanitary personnel and the number of German civilian women and ■ hiidren on board. The time of departure of the hospital ship imm Dieppe will be announced to-morrow.” The British Government replied th.d the ships would sail and details would ■ be given as soon as possible. Receipt of this message was acknowledged and details of the sailing later were broadcast by the War Office. Text of British .Message. The foliowing is the text of a message sent by the British Government to the German Government: “The British Government received the German Government's message broadcast this morning and for the sake of clarity the British Government restates the arrangements which it is going to carry into effect. The two hospital ships sail from their anchorage off New haven at 5.30 a m. G.M.T. on October 7. arriving off Dieppe at 1.30 a.m. G.M.T. They will carry all the German sick and wounded prisoners of war due for repatriation numbering 13 officers and 43 other ranks and a protected personnel numbering 28 officers, including a

cha; lain an I 19 other ranks. For the i turn vox age the ships should move f:om the:: anchorage off Dieppe during tiie n_ht at high tide. This is in ordei tu,.; they max sail at daylight and i«* < a Newhaven al 12 noun G.M.T. on f) tober 8. “Th* ? ■k be loaded to full capacity with Ei.ti.*h piisoners of war and protected pe: Nonnvi eligible for repatriation Th*\r ships will sail again from Newhaxen toi Dieppe on October 9 carry.ng approximately 60 German women and children. 'I he ships return lo N»* \havm on Friday loaded to lull uapacitx with British m< k and founded prison*u * of war and piotertud personnel. Thviuafter the shq>s make such further voyages on successixe dax * as may be necessary to compieh th'* 11 ; al: :ai.on of all the remaining British si< k and wounded prisoners of war and protected personnel r'.igmlr for n palliation. In tins connection the British Government points out. that in view ot the subst lution of Dieppe, lhe limes make it possible, H necessary, lo continue sailings up to -rd including October 14. * Tht a .ox- ai rang* ments wili :>• put into (‘fleet prox i led no message to the contrary has been received by wireless from tle German Government before 8 p.m. G.M.T. to-day, October 6. The British Government reaffirms it.* r» adin« .*.* lo agree to the mutua r*‘.i.ll iation (*1 a l British and German civilians and internees other than men between the ages of 18 and 6". The British Government will be glad to negotiate arrangements will, the German Government through lhe intermediary of the United States Government immediately in order that the repatriation of civilians may be carried out with the least possible delay." Zone* of Barrage. The latest message received from lhe G» rman Government received at 4.5" o’clock this even.ng stated:"The zones of barrage proposed by th»* Biitish Government for the course from Newhaven to Fecamp are a.so valid for the course of hospital ships from Newhaven lo Dieppe. The German Government asks that if lhe hospital ship Dinard or St. Julien will make the course, a pilot xvill ne taken on board at 39 degrees 50 minutes north and nine degrees 42.5 minutes cast. Together with the pilots, a surveying detachment will go on board. A complete iisl of every person on board, including the trew. is immediately to be handed over to lhe t>urvexing detachment. The carry.ng of came ras is not allowed. The Get man Government expects the British Goxernmenl lo take measures in this direct ion." The* following reply was immedalcly dispatched from the British Government: “Your message received. Both the .ships St. Julien and Dinard will make the course." While Gorman siuk and wounded prisoners were rehearsing their disembarkation this afternoon, a gift of luu packets each containing 10 cigarettes wa.* taken aboard the Dinard and handed to Major Hackbarlh. leader of the prison is, on behalf of the* Red Cross. A German, xvho was a major in the Luftwaffe, expressed sincere thanks for the gift and asked that the president of the British Red Cross shou’ I be thanked for all that organisation had done for the wounded German prisoners. Foreign Office. Admiralty and War Office officii'.* yesterdax held a meeting in London to decide whether lhe prisoner* should be kept aboard the hospital ships al New haven or disembarked. In the meantime the Germans xxere again exorcised on lhe quay, where there was considerable bustle. Germans able to walk were naradod in small parties between two hospital trains which prevented any glimpse of the harbour defences. AH of the prisoners are being closely watched b\ an armed guard with loaded rifles and fixed bayonets.