HL Deb 07 November 1918 vol 31 cc1111-4

THE EARL OF ALBEMARLE had the following Question on the Paper—

To ask whether His Majesty's Government have decided to recommend some compensation, or some form of recognition, in the case of thirty-nine British officers who underwent a period of fifty-two days detention in solitary confinement in a German gaol as a reprisal in respect of the treatment by the British Government of German submarine prisoners in this country.

The noble Earl said: Your Lordships will notice that in my Question I have made no mention of other officer prisoners or men who have been treated in the same way—namely, by reprisals in solitary confinement. I prefer to treat this as a test—if His Majesty's Government is willing to give us one—of the procedure that they intend in regard to the thirty-nine officer prisoners who were placed in solitary confinement at the time that the policy of the Government was to treat German submarine prisoners in this country in a different manner from other prisoners of war. I should like to remind your Lordships that these particular thirty-nine officers suffered indignities which would not have been resorted to even in the time of Frederick the Great, or Frederick William, his predecessor. On the first night of their incarceration and solitary confinement they were put on the same floor in a German gaol with prostitutes and thieves. British officers and gentlemen, my Lords! I hope that the Government will remember the indignities offered on that occasion. It was not until days later that the condition of these officers was somewhat ameliorated—I can hardly call it by the name of amelioration—and the only exercise that they had during the fifty-two days they were in prison was in a poultry yard about the size of this House.

LORD NEWTON

My Lords, this Question only appeared on the Paper this morning, and it must be perfectly obvious to the House that a matter of compensation for maltreatment of prisoners is one which will have to be considered as a whole by the Government. I am quite unable to make any statement with regard to the particular officers mentioned in the Question, but I desire to draw my noble friend's attention to this fact—that, however much we may sympathise with the officers whose treatment he has just recounted to us, there are very much graver and more serious cases of maltreatment, more especially among the men, with which this particular instance hardly bears comparison.

THE EARL OF ALBEMARLE

I apologise to my noble friend for giving such short notice—perhaps it was rather too short. I mentioned at the beginning of my remarks that I had not taken any notice of other officers or other prisoners who have suffered indignities.

LORD BERESFORD

I think the answer is a very unsatisfactory one. Why, because there are men who have had worse treatment, should not these officers be considered? I hope the noble Lord will say that they will be considered.

LORD NEWTON

I think my noble and gallant friend has completely misunderstood me. I said that this is a question which will have to be considered as a whole. It is perfectly impossible to consider the question of these thirty-nine officers apart from the general question.