TEXT OF SURRENDER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 109, 10 May 1945, Page 5

TEXT OF SURRENDER

Reed. 6 p.m. London, May 8 The following is the text of the German surrender:

“We, the undersigned, acting on the authority of the German High Command, hereby surrender unconditionally to the supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command, all force; on land, on sea and in the air, at this date under German control. The German High Command will immediately issue orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and all forces under German control to cease active operations at 11.1 p : m. May 8, central European time, and remain in the positions then occupied. “No ship, ves :el or aircraft is to be scuttled, or damage done to hulls machinery or equipment. The German High Command will immediately issue the text to the apnropriate commanders and ensure the carrying out of further orders from the Allied Supreme Command. “This act of military surrender is without predjudice to and will b° superseded bv any general instrument of surrender imposed by or on behalf of the United Nations, and applicable to Germany and the Go - man arme.l forces as' a who’e. In the event of the German High Command failing to act in accordancewith this act of surrender, the supreme Commander of the Allied Exneditionarv Force and the Soviet High Command will take any punilive measures they deem appropriate.” Copies of e the surrender document will go to’the Germans, the Russians, Supremo Allied Headquarters and to the French.