Sometimes I get sidetracked as I look for information relating to British Naval Operations in the Baltic and I go off on a completely different path to the one I'd planned but that's one of the reasons why I so enjoy this hobby as you never know where it will take you!
On this occasion I was looking for information about the poor morale amongst the so called "volunteers" out in the Baltic and somehow I stumbled on this ......
Sir THOMAS BRAMSDON asked the Secretary for War whether the three soldiers recently released from captivity in Moscow were arrested by a military policeman on their arrival in Hull; whether they were confined for the night in cells in the police station; whether they were refused newspapers and their freedom; and, if so, what is the reason for this treatment, and will these men be set at liberty?
Mr. CHURCHILL I will answer at the same time two private notice questions on the same subject. I regret that a mistake should have been committed in this case owing to a misunderstanding of the expression "escaped prisoners" which occurred in the telegram received from Helsingfors about these men, and was repeated in the War Office message. Orders were, of course, issued at the earliest moment to send these men on leave to their homes.
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[The Private Notice Questions were:
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Mr. LUNN To ask the Prime Minister whether Privates Richards, pickard and Davison, ex-prisoners from Russia, on arrival at Hull on 29th November, were handed over to the
military police; whether they were then kept over the week end in military cells at the
police station; whether for two days they were allowed no papers, were fed on Army rations, and were not allowed to smoke, or to see their friends and relations; whether these men are now detained in hospital, and for what reason; and whether the arrest and detention of these men represents the considered policy of His Majesty's Government towards returned prisoners of war, or was it the act of an irresponsible official; and what steps is it proposed to take in this matter?
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Mr. HAROLD BRIGGS To ask the Secretary of State for War if he has knowledge that the three Privates, Davidson, Pickard and Richards, who have recently been released by the Bolshevists and handed over to the British authorities by Mr. Litvinoff, have been detained by tine Military Police, and are not permitted either to see or communicate with their relatives, and does he consider such action is justifiable or lawful?]
Sir C. KNLOCH-COOKE Is it possible for a. Minister to answer a private notice question at the same time as a starred question? Is it not the rule that private notice questions cannot be given on a subject covered by a question on the Paper?
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Mr. SPEAKER Private notice was given of two questions with regard to a matter already on the Paper. I do not see anything improper in it.
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Mr. W. THORNE Has an apology been sent to the men in question?
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Mr. CHURCHILL No.
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Mr. CLYNES Will any consideration be given to these men in the form of some recompense?
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Mr. CHURCHILL I am not prepared to give any undertaking. I share my right hon. Friend's feelings of regret that men returning from hard service and misfortune abroad should have met with so unceremonious and chilling a welcome on their arrival in their native land.
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Mr. HOGGE Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House what actually happened?
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Mr. CHURCHILL I have done so. By mistake they were detained in Hull by the police and
authorities, but as soon as the mistake was known and telegrams could be sent
stating the facts, they were released on leave and sent to their homes.
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Mr. ROSE Are any steps being taken to punish the people who made this mistake?
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Mr. CHURCHILL I do not quite understand how the hon. Member can at one moment be so fall of sympathy for these men, and so full of malevolence towards people who may unwittingly have made a mistake.
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Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY If these men were escaped prisoners from Russia, what reason was there for arresting them and putting them in the cells?
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Mr. CHURCHILL If they had been described as escaped prisoners of war escaping from the enemy, no doubt the mistake would not have arisen; but they were described as escaped prisoners.
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Mr. DEVLIN Was not the whole thing caused by the belief that these men were in Ireland?
I love it that these documents are now online and it's a bonus that Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY has taken an interest.
HC Deb 03 December 1919 vol 122 cc396-8 396
