§ Sir ELLIS HUME-WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for War how many officers and men originally reported as missing have been discovered among the British prisoners interned in Germany; and what steps are being taken to institute a thorough search, both in Germany and in territory hitherto occupied by the enemy, to ascertain where the said men are, if alive, or, if dead, when and where and how they died?
Captain GUESTApart from recent captures, where there was not sufficient time for reports as prisoner of war to be received before the Armistice, no case is592W known of a prisoner of war who was in Germany and who has been repatriated without his existence as a prisoner being known to the authorities in this country. There is no reason to suppose that any of the missing are to be found in Germany. In the unlikely event of any being there, I would refer to the measures detailed in a reply to the hon. Member for Twickenham on Thursday last, which are designed to trace the residue of the prisoners at present unaccounted for. In addition, the battlefields are systematically searched by the Graves Registration units. I would also refer my hon. and learned Friend to the general statement on this subject published in the Press on the 4th January last.
§ Major HENNESSYasked the Secretary of State for War what steps, if any, have been taken to try and trace missing prisoners of war?
Captain GUESTAs regards the steps taken in Germany, I would refer to the reply given on Thursday last by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Twickenham. Active steps have been taken by the High Commissioner to trace all missing prisoners of war in Turkey, but owing to the difficulties of communications this must take a considerable time. The number of missing prisoners of war in Bulgaria is small: the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief at Salonika has been instructed to make every possible investigation.