(a) that the right to intern prisoners of war in tented
camps, subject to climatic conditions permitting, be embodied in the Convention;
that it be emphasised that prisoners of way may be interned only on land, to guard against the use of hulk ships;
(c) that protective shelters be provided to an equal degree
with those provided for the local civilian population;
(a) that belligerents should exchange information regarding
the location of prisoner of war camps, and that such camps be distinctively marked by day for the information of aircraft;
(e) that explicit provision for liberty on parole be embodied: the grant of parole is at present governed by Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the Annexe regarding the Laws and Customs of War to the Hague Convention of 18th October, 1907, Artioles 4 to 9 and 13 to 20 of that Annexe having been superseded by the 1929 Geneva Prisoners of War Convention - see paragraph 11 above).
241. My Committee recommend general approval for the proposals of the 1947 Geneva Conference with the following addition:-
"Prisoners of war of the same nationality may be segregated from one another in the interests of their own safety and well-being." (C. R. G. C./M(47)4, Item 29)
This would authorise such segregation as that of Nazis from non-Nazis, which we practised in the Second World War, and which, without some special provision, might be argued to be contrary to the general provisions of the Convention.
242. With regard to paragraph 240(a) above my Committee were informed that the Air Staff would have no objection to the distinctive marking of prisoner of war camps by night as well as by day. (C. R. G. C. M(47)4, Item 29(0)
243. P.W. Article 10 - Accommodation.
-
The 1947 Geneva Conference of Government Experts recommended strengthening this Article by provisions:-
(a)
that the accommodation should be as favourable as that of the forces of the Detaining Power in the same distriot (this would replace the old Article requiring that it should be the same as for "depot troops" - a definition which proved to have little objective meaning);
(b) that accommodation should also take into account manners
and customs of the prisoners of war concerned, and not be prejudicial to their health;
(c) that dormitories, furniture, bedding, blankets should
be sufficient to ensure the well-being and health of prisoners of war;
(a) that accommodation should be properly heated and lighted
"especially between nightfall and lights out".
The recommendation under (b) and (c) above were designed to meet the widely different needs of prisoners of war from different cultures and climates (e.g. the contrasting needs of United Kingdom and Central African Rage27.3 of 488
Page 273
น
244. Accommodation in Transit Camos. Two important new provisions
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were recommended by the 1947 Geneva Conference of Government Experts for transit camps, viz:-
133
Rage that the accommodation should age 274 af 48possible
(b)
to that laid down for permanent camps;
that prisoners of war should stay in transit camps for as short a period as possible.
These provisions may give rise to pressure for inmediate steps to provide adequately for large numbers of prisoners of war in periods immediately following capture. Difficulties were experienced in the second World War, by all belligerents, in the days and weeks immediately following capture, in coping with large numbers of prisoners (e.g. by the Germans at Dunkirk, Italians in North Africa, Allied Forces in North and East Africa, North West Europe, etc.) and it is difficult to see any remedy for this situation which would not impose very severe handicaps on a victorious belligerent. For this reason the recommendations regarding
transit camps are "as possible".
245. My Committee recommend acceptance of the recommendations of the 1947 Geneva Conference of Government Experts regarding accommodation (see paragraphs 243 and 244 above), (C.R.G.C../(47)4, Item 29)
246. P.W. Article 11 - Food. The first paragraph of this Article in the 1929 Prisoners of War Convention requires prisoners of war to be fed on the same basis as "depot troops" of the Detaining Power. Apart from doubt as to the meaning of the term "depot troops" the application of this Article had, "for different reasons, unsatisfactory results for British prisoners both in German and Japanese hands.
247. At the 1947 Geneva Conference of Government Experts the United States delegation proposed an elaborate Article setting out in detail the food values to be provided in the ration for prisoners of war; but they withdrew this proposal because the general view of the Conference was that such an article would have little meaning in many of the countries where prisoners of war might be detained. The 1947 Geneva Conference finally recommended that.
248.
"The food rations shall be sufficient in quality, quantity
and variety to keep prisoners of war in good health and to prevent loss of weight. Account shall also be taken of the habitual diet of prisoners of war.
11
•
I should record, however, that the International Red Cross representatives were most unhappy at the absence from the Article, as recommended by the 1947 Conference (see paragraph 247 above) of any objective standard with which their visiting delegates could press the Detaining Power to comply; and they would have preferred a comparison with some specified troops of the Detaining Power, (e.g. camp staffs or guard troops) or a minimum number of calories (representatives of the Swiss Government were not present and the Conference was without the views of their experience as Protecting Power). The 1947 Conference clearly felt that troops actively employed, either as camp staffs or guard troops, might require a larger ration than non-working prisoners of war; and that, in any case, a ration appropriate to certain races (e.g. Japanese) would be entirely unsuitable for the forces of other races. The 1947 Geneva Conference rejected a calory standard because of the practical difficulty of its application in the camps.
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249. The formula finally recommended is not claimed absolutely secure; but the 1947 Geneva Conference of Government Experts were satisfied that it stated as clearly and as explicitly as was practicable, what should be required of a Detaining Power. My Committee recommends acceptance of the recommended formula. (C. R. G. C. (47)4, Item. 30) 250. Food may be the subject of further detailed consideration at a future International Conference; and I suggest that the United Kingdom delegation, whilst supporting the text reagent by4&&e 1947 Geneva Conference of Government Experts, should be at liberty to consider modifications so long as they would not weaken the specific
49
references to:-
(a) good health of the prisoners; Page 275 of 488
(b) weight of therisoners;
(c) normal diet of the prisoners;