§ 63. Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the hon. Member for Sheffield (Central Division) whether the representatives of the British Government at The Hague are empowered to make the necessary arrangements for the ship to leave Alexandria for the relief of the British prisoners in Turkey?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPE (Lord of the Treasury)The necessary arrangements for the sailing of the repatriation ship, both those with the Turkish Government and those to be made by His Majesty's Government alone, are already complete in so far as they can be completed at the present time. All that is awaited is, firstly, notice of the date on which the Turkish Government will have the first 1,000 British prisoners ready for embarkation, and, secondly, the assurance from the other enemy Governments that the ship will not be attacked. On the first point the Netherlands Minister at Constantinople has been requested to press the Turkish Government, and on the second point the British delegates at The Hague have been instructed to press the German delegates to obtain an early reply from the German Government. A similar request has also been made of the Austrian Government through the Spanish Ambassador at Vienna.
§ 72. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether on Whit-Sunday Lieutenant Medlicott, Royal Flying Corps, and Captain Walker, M.C., of the Queen's Regiment, were shot dead while attempting to escape from Bad 716 Colberg camp, in Germany, while at approximately the same time three German officers named Brane, Thielman, and Klaiff, who escaped from an internment camp at Water Lane, Stratford, were taken back on recapture, and then provided with hot baths and a substantial meal; and, if so, whether he can in any way justify the difference in treatment?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONFrom a report which has been received it appears that Captain Walter and Lieutenant Medlicott escaped from Bad Colberg and were recaptured. On the way back to Colberg they again attempted to escape, and refused to stop when called on by the guard. The latter fired, and both officers were mortally wounded. The three German officers who escaped from the camp at Stratford were given a hot bath twenty-four hours after their arrival back in camp. This was considered necessary by the commandant. They received, in the cells in which they are confined, the ordinary meal at the same time as all other officer prisoners of war interned in the camp.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question as to the grave difference constantly recorded between the treatment of prisoners of war here and the treatment of prisoners in Germany?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI am afraid it is quite impossible to effect any comparison between the two cases.