§ Mr. MARRIOTTasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to the fate of the officers and men of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry taken prisoners at Kut?
§ Colonel HAMERSLEYasked the Under-Secretary of State for War what, if any, information has been received as to the whereabouts and condition of the officers and men of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry taken prisoners at Kut?
§ Mr. JAMES HOPEAccording to our last definite information, nine officer prisoners of war in this regiment were distributed as follows: —In Yozgad five, Castamouni three, Constantinople one. The conditions at officers' camps are comparatively good. We also heard that there were eighty-six non-commissioned officers and privates of this regiment distributed at eighteen camps, and that there were five others whose camps were not 1203W known. A certain number of these men were orderlies to officer prisoners, and relatively well off, but the conditions at all the men's camps were unsatisfactory. Since, however, we received the above information, it has been reported that the majority of all able-bodied prisoners of war have been moved to work on the Bagdad Railway, east of Aleppo. Complete lists of those working there are being obtained, pending which it is not possible to say what men have been so transferred, or from what camps. The men working on the railway are under the German construction company, who may be supposed to have an interest in keeping them in health, and with whom the Netherland Minister at Constantinople has made arrangements for their benefit.