HC Deb 14 October 1946 vol 427 cc587-8
4. Professor Savory

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give particulars of the reply received to his protest against the arrest and imprisonment, by the Polish Security Police, of Private Alvin Vincent, of the York and Lancaster Regiment; and whether the Polish Provisional Government have undertaken to pay compensation for the tortures inflicted on Private Vincent.

Mr. Mayhew

Private Vincent, who was released from a Polish prison on 2nd October, made a preliminary statement to His Majesty's Embassy at Warsaw, but has since been sent to Berlin for interrogation by the British military authorities there, the report of which is not yet available. Meanwhile His Majesty's Ambassador has made representations to the Polish Provisional Government regarding Private Vincent's complaints that he was not allowed to communicate with His Majesty's Embassy or Consular officers during his detention and that he received an injury at the hands of a Polish captain. No reply has yet been received from the Polish Provisional Government to these representations.

Professor Savory

Did he not also state that for four hours he was placed under a shower bath on an icy cold floor, was awakened at two o'clock the following morning and again placed under this shower for another four hours, and that this process of torture was repeated seven times?

Mr. Mayhew

No, Sir, that is not yet our information.

Professor Savory

Will the Minister read "The People" of yesterday?