Miscellaneous (General). Prisoners, including: Request by the Vatican for the release...

FO 383/243

1916

Miscellaneous (General). Prisoners, including:

Request by the Vatican for the release of Ayoub Sabri Bey (also known as Ejonbesabribem), a Turkish prisoner interned at Malta.

Recommendation by the Hon Arthur Stanley MP for the establishment of a special government department for issues relating to prisoners.

Proposed petition to the Pope regarding the treatment of English prisoners in Germany.

Recommendation for enquiries about missing officers and men and about the welfare of prisoners to be directed to the War Office, including:

• Extracts from the letters page of The Spectator of 19 and 26 August 1916, regarding an offer by Mr R B Marston to assist in tracing missing soldiers believed to be held prisoner; printed letter issued by Mr Marston to enquirers (in docket no.193700, with a later version in docket no.199132).
• Sir Alfred Sharpe: enquiry about son, Lieut Maurice Sharpe of the Royal Flying Corps, reported missing on the Somme.
• Enquiries about various missing prisoners, with a printed enquiry form from Mrs Breadmore (in docket no.192892) about her husband, Private J J G Breadmore, and information on his internment provided by the German authorities.
• Advice from the War Office about procedures for dealing with enquiries received by the American Embassy.
• Mrs W Robertson: enquiry about son Mr John Robertson, reported missing at Mametz Wood in France.
• Printed leaflet titled Missing Officers and Men, produced by the War Office in October 1916 (in docket no.227529).

Enquiry from the Russian Embassy about methods of transferring money to interned prisoners.

Age limits in respect of the detention and exchange of prisoners.

Ruling by the War Office that enemy prisoners interned in the United Kingdom could not be employed in the munitions industry.

Suggested transfer of enemy prisoners from the United Kingdom to Canada.

Mohamed Abdel Rahman el Sabbahy: petition requesting his release from internment in Malta, and a report on his activities by the Ministry of the Interior in Egypt.

Letter from the International Committee of the Red Cross, addressed to all governments involved in hostilities, protesting against the use of reprisals against prisoners, including:

• Copy (French language) of the letter (in docket no.147081), with a covering letter from the Vice-President of the Committee, Mr E Naville.
• Printed copy of the British Government's response to the letter (in docket no.147081).
• Parliamentary question from Sir Edwin Cornwall about efforts by the International Red Cross Committee to influence treatment of Allied prisoners by the Germans.
• Proposal by the Vatican for a general amnesty regarding reprisals.
• Query from the Belgian Government about the proposed response of the British Government to the Vatican's proposal.
• Response of the French Government to the letter from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
• Attitude of the Peruvian Government to the question of reprisals.

Enquiries about survivors from the SS Windermere, sunk off the coast of Minorca by an enemy submarine, including:

• Enquiry on behalf of Mrs H Baxter regarding husband Mr W J Baxter, Second Officer on the ship.
• Enquiry from the owners of the ship, the Cardiff Steamship Company, with a list of the missing crew members (in docket no.152864).
• Efforts to trace the crew members via the American Embassy in Vienna; reply from the Austro-Hungarian authorities, stating that the ship was sunk by an Austrian submarine, and that the crew were last seen in two lifeboats.
• Confirmation to the Greek Consul in Calcutta, India, that a number of members of the Greek Orthodox Church were interned at Sumerpur Camp.

Offer by the Danish Government to intern sick and wounded Allied prisoners in Denmark, including:

• Reply from the British Government stating that the needs of such prisoners were currently being met by the existing arrangements with Switzerland.
• Parliamentary questions from Mr Malcom and Mr Hume-Williams about the Danish offer.
• Unwillingness of the British Government to transfer German prisoners to Denmark.
• Letter from Mr Hume Williams MP, questioning the decision to refuse the Danish Government's offer.

Parliamentary question from Sir Edward Carson regarding a common policy on the treatment of prisoners by the Allies.

Request by the Foreign Office for monthly updates on exchange rates from the Treasury.

Despatch of a parcel containing cigars to August H Kriemelmann at Knockaloe Camp on the Isle of Man.

Offer of assistance by the Foreign Office to Monsieur de Mandelstamm in connection with his relief efforts for Allied prisoners

Mr B Hall: letter recommending the repatriation of all enemy subjects from the United Kingdom.

Shipment of tea purchased for the Russian Prisoners of War Help Committee: delay in its export caused by the customs authorities.

Enquiry from the Government of Canada about the transmission of money by the American Express Company from Canada to Allied subjects in enemy occupied territory.

Internment of enemy subjects at Alexandria: question raised by the Vatican, and report on the situation by the War Office.

Proposal for a new government committee to replace the Prisoners of War Help Committee, including:

• Involvement of the Red Cross Organisation in the new committee.
• Draft suggestions of issues to be considered by the new committee.
• Occupation of new premises in London by the Central Prisoners of War Committee.
• Printed copy of a press notice on the formation of the Central Prisoners of War Committee, titled Relief for British Prisoners of War, for issue on 21 Oct 1916.
• Issue of new regulations on the despatch of parcels to prisoners.
• Parliamentary question by Mr Lough MP regarding the issue of the press notice by the committee.
• Arrangements for sending parcels to Belgian prisoners.
• Agreement between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands regarding the purchase of agricultural produce; recommendation for Dutch condensed milk to be sent to Britisih prisoners in Germany.
• Question of permission for the supply of oils and fats from Sweden to Indian prisoners interned in Germany.
• Authorisation for the French and Italian Red Cross Societies to liaise with the committee over the sending of parcels to French and Italian prisoners.
• Nomination of the Serbian and Russian Relief Funds as contact points regarding the sending of parcels to Serbian and Russian prisoners.
• Cooperation of the Japanese Government regarding the sending of parcels to Japanese prisoners.
• Query from the General Post Office regarding regulations on the despatch of parcels to Allied prisoners.
• Request for continued permission for individual parcels to be sent to Russian prisoners.
• Proposed modifications to the new regulations on sending parcels to prisoners.
• Parliamentary questions from Colonel Ivor Philipps MP, Mr Edmund Harvey MP and Mr Jowett MP regarding complaints from prisoners arising from the new regulations on the sending of parcels.
• Grant of officer status to Father Gougand and Professor F A Damiens, interned at Dülmen in Germany.

Code 1250 Files 118092-173132.

Files 118092-173132.

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