§ 40. Sir W. DAVISONasked the Secretary of State for War and Air whether his attention has been called to a statement that a private in the Coldstream Guards has recently returned to this country after having escaped from prison in Germany, where he had been kept in captivity for 5 ½ years, having originally been captured in the Mons retreat; whether he reported that he had seen prisoners of war of various nationalities mixed with German civilian prisoners; and whether any steps have been taken to visit the prisons in Germany to ascertain if anyone of Allied nationality is still being kept in confinement in that country?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLAttention had already been drawn to the statement referred to. Full investigations were made immediately, and it was found that there was no truth whatever in the statement. With regard to the last part of the question, as already explained, exhaustive search has been made throughout Germany, and all possible enquiries have been made by the British Military Mission in Berlin, and, in this connection, I would refer to the reply to a question put by the hon. Member for South Hackney (Mr. Bottomley).