HC Deb 30 March 1943 vol 388 cc13-4
13. Mr. Stokes

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now able to state the approximate number of Germans engaged at El Alamein; and what quantity of them escaped to Mersa Matruh and the West?

Sir J. Grigg

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eye (Mr. Granville) on 16th March.

Mr. Stokes

I put this Question down to the Prime Minister. In view of the fact that it has been generally stated in the Press that some 60,000 Germans escaped to the West, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the declaration by the Minister of Defence that the directive given to take or destroy the enemy had been carried out was, to say the least, a bit misleading?

Major Petherick

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the House and the country are getting a little tired of the continual attempts to disparage the victory of the Allied troops in Africa?

Mr. Stokes

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the country likes to be told the truth and that it does not like misleading statements, and this one could not deceive the enemy?