§ 12. Mr. BUTCHERasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in order to render the escape of German prisoners of war more difficult and to facilitate their apprehension when escaped, he will give directions that all German military prisoners shall wear their uniform, and all German civilian prisoners shall wear some distinctive dress, and that no prisoner, military or civilian, shall be allowed to possess a suit of mufti?
§ Mr. TENNANTIt is the rule that all German military prisoners shall wear their uniform, and the civilian prisoners are provided in case of need with a regulation suit of corduroy of a distinctive and peculiar cut. Civilian prisoners who provide 712 their own clothing are not called upon to wear a distinctive dress.
§ Mr. BUTCHERWhere did the military prisoners get the mufti which have allowed the several recent escapes?
§ Mr. TENNANTI am not aware whether or not my hon. and learned Friend is alluding to prisoners of war, but they ought not to have been able to secure mufti unless they got it after their escape. They would not be allowed to wear it in the prison. It is only civilians who provide their own clothes.
§ Mr. BUTCHERAre steps taken to ensure that these military prisoners of war are not in possession of suits of mufti?
§ Mr. TENNANTI cannot answer that without reference to the various camps; but I should imagine so.
§ 56. Sir JOHN ROLLESTONasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to a resolution passed by a largely attended meeting held at Hertford, on the 18th instant, demanding the immediate closing of the German Army base camp at Great Munden, in the county of Hertford, and the internment of Mr. Muller, its commandant, and the Germans garrisoned there under his command; and whether it is his intention to comply with the demand of the inhabitants as expressed in the terms of the resolution?
§ Sir J. SIMONI have not seen the terms of the resolution referred to, but I can assure the hon. Member that there is no German Army base camp at Great Munden and that no Germans are garrisoned there. There is a hospital camp at Libury Hall in that neighbourhood, where eighty-nine Germans (average age, fifty-nine), and four Austrians (average age, fifty-five)—most of them suffering from serious infirmities—are interned. Colonel W. S. Fergusson is the commandant. Muller is not commandant: he is a German who is not now allowed to leave the camp.
§ Sir J. ROLLESTONIs it anything but a pretence that this is an internment camp?.
§ Sir J. SIMONOh, yes.