BIJLAGE 46

Verklaring van 9 Juni 1947 van mejuffrouw S. J. Warner, Director Foreign Relations Department British Red Cross Society

(Afkomstig uit het archief van de Pakkettencommissie)

WAR ORGANISATION OF THE BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY AND ORDER OF ST JOHN OF JERUSALEM

Belgrave Square, London S.W.I.

9th 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 when 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 parcels 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.

To attribute blame to any one member of the Allied Red Cross Committee in London simply shows complete ignorance of the situation which existed at that time in regard to this question of parcels for political prisoners, and it seems to me a great pity that articles should be written on this subject, or that controversial correspondence should take place without the writers taking the trouble to write either to Geneva or to London for the facts of

the situation.

(w.g.) S. J. WARNER,

Director, Foreign Relations Department

British Red Cross Society.

(Betreft pogingen Rode Kruis om haar reputatie te zuiveren van beschuldigingen dat ze feitelijk niets voor de gedeporteerden heeft gedaan, door aan te tonen dat geen enkele landelijk Rode Kruis in staat was om hulp te verlenen)