§ Mr. Stokesasked the Secretary of State for War how many Czech soldiers were in the Czechoslovak Army depot at Southend-on-Sea on 1st October, 1945; how many on nth November or near date; and whether he is satisfied that none of them who have expressed their disagreement with the present Government in Czechoslovakia has been forced to return against his will.
§ Mr. LawsonThere were 1,559 men at the depot on 1st October and 780, on 11th November. A party of 43 men who had been enemy prisoners of war, and were later accepted by the Czech authorities as Czech nationals, were sent back to Czechoslovakia on 8th November. Appeals on behalf of 11 of the men, who claimed to be Sudeten Germans, were received in the War Office. In view of the pronounced Nazi record of these men it was decided that there was no reason why they should not be returned to Czechoslovakia.