War Crimes

After two days at the National Archives at Kew I ended up ordering this document. I had no idea what it would be and had to go to the 'large documents' reading room to look at it.

It turns out to be the Register of War Criminals tried in British Military Courts between 1945 and 1967. It is a huge 'book', massive, heavy with thick pages and what feels like steel-bound covers.

It details - in hand-written script - the war crimes trials and sentences carried out by British military courts after the IIWW.

Time was limited but I worked my way through the pages and counted 410 sentences of either hanging or shooting imposed by  the courts that were carried out.

There were many others that were commuted to prison sentences and then suspensions (see, for example - in extras - the listing and suspension of sentence for the commander of German Forces in Norway during the occupation in WWII, Nicolaus von Falkenhorst, who was sentenced to hang and then had his sentence commuted to 20 years imprisonment and then was released in 1953.)

 I had no idea that these trials were carried out before the 'major war criminal' trials at Nurnberg. They largely tried Germans, Japanese and Italians - amongst others - who had badly treated, shot, killed and tortured (that is, against the 'rules and usages of war') British personnel held as POWs.

Many of the accused in the 'Register' were acquitted.

I drove back in the rain and fog around the M25. John is improved and may be out of hospital tomorrow.

The National Archives are amazing - well organised, efficient and even have free parking. If you ever get a chance to go, do. You can register online and don't need any special qualifications. It is open to everyone and once registered they can issue a 'readers ticket' in five minutes once you are there. Then, the world is your oyster.