HC Deb 04 February 1947 vol 432 c328W
Viscount Hinchingbrooke

asked the Secretary of State for War why, in view of the fact that a passport was granted to Miss S. W. Wegrzynowska of Strachon, Dobrzyn, Lipno, Poland, on 15th October last, the Military Attache in Warsaw has not been able to conclude arrangements for her to travel to this country to join her fiancee, Mr. F. E. Marshall, 52, Eastern Street, Portland, Dorset.

Mr. Bellenger

Travel by fiancees of Service and ex-Servicemen is normally a matter for private arrangement but since many former prisoners of war who became engaged to Polish girls during captivity have found difficulty in arranging passages, the Military Attache has undertaken to assist in the following ways. He will interview the fiancee and send a representative with her to the Polish authorities to help with passport formalities; he will arrange for the issue of visas; and where the fiancee has no funds he will arrange for the man to deposit the cost of the passage with the Military Attache's account in England and will then issue the equivalent in Polish currency. All subsequent arrangements are the responsibility of the fiancee and the Military Attache could not undertake to arrange passages. Mr. Marshall's deposit was notified to Warsaw on 2nd November. I understand that there is only one sailing a fortnight from Gdynia to this country and that passenger accommodation is very limited.