Pakkettenrapport Rode Kruis

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landers van daar via Spanje in Lissabon te krijgen. Alleen uit gezinnen bestaande convooien mochten via Spanje trekken, zodat talloze Neder-landse jongens als gezinsleden van families werden opgegeven. Tot het najaar van 1942 werden op deze wijze door de heer van Harinxma 1200 mannen in de buurt van Lissabon en 300 in Bilbao (Spanje) gebracht, van waar uit moest worden gezorgd hen naar Nederlands-Indie, zo enigszins mogelijk naar Engeland te doen overbrengen.

Bijlage 16.    /

Miss S. J. Warner, (directrice afd. Buitenland van het Britse Rode

Kruis).

War Organisation of the British Red Cross-Society and Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

Belgrave Square, London S.W. 1.

29th June 1947.

To whom it may concern.

I understand that certain allegations are being made stating that the Dutch Red Cross Committee formed during the war in London, was not able to send parcels to civilian prisoners of war because the Chairman, Baron van Harinxma thoe Slooten, did not make every effort to arrange for the despatch of such food parcels.

I was Director of the Foreign Relations Department of the British Red Cross Society from October 1939 until the present time, and was responsible for the co-ordination of work done by the Allied Red Cross Committees in London.

I have much pleasure in testifying that the fate of civilian prisoners of war in Germany (who were not protected by the Prisoners of War Convention, 1929), was the subject of constant discussion at many meetings of the Inter-allied Red Cross Committee. These took place in the Foreign Relations Department of the British Red Cross Society, and we hold all records of these meetings. Not only did the Allied Red Cross Committees write to the International Red Cross at Geneva constantly on this subject, but verbal communications took place w hen representatives of neutral countries arrived in London to ascertain whether it would be possible for parcels to be sent from any part of the world which would be allowed by the Germans to enter the camps of these civilian prisoners. The Dutch Red Cross Committee in London not only took an active part in the above conversations, but took the initiative in asking the British Red Cross again and again to make representations through the International Red Cross Committee to the enemy to allow parrels to reach these camps.

Anyone desiring information on this subject who cares to write to me at the above address, can receive copies of the answers given by the International Red Cross Committee and the report of the discussions at our Committee meetings, showing why parcels very seldom reached the civilian prisoners of any nationality not protected by the Prisoners of War Convention.