THESE PRISONERS OF WAR NEED YOUR HELP
REPORT from the CAMPS of VICHY!
While the group at the left is just about to leave for a new life in new countries, their less fortunate comrades behind the barbed wire are looking on. Sign in foreground reads: " No admission to civilians."
LE VERNET is a camp for prisoners of war in a country which is supposed to be at peace. It is the camp in France where all the foreign sympathisers with the allied cause and former members of the International Brigade are imprisoned.
They are not called prisoners of war. They are just called "political prisoners." Lumped together anonymously the Vichy Quislings hope that in this way they will be forgotten by their allies in the free countries and left to their fate - either to die of starvation in the camps or to be handed over to the Gestapo.
THE fact is that these men are prisoners of war as surely as uniformed soldiers of the allied forces who may be captured in the day-to-day fighting now. They need to be treated as such. They need to be given as much help and sympathy by the people of this country as possible.
These men were the first soldiers to fight the Fascists.
They fought in the army of Republican Spain. They fought in the International Brigade. They are recognised as prisoners of war by General Franco, under the Geneva Convention.
IF we in Britain are prepared to sacrifice just a little time and money we can save them to live and fight for freedom another day.
They are worth saving these prisoners of Vichy France. To the Allies they are men of importance, valour, and worthy of the highest honour. In their own countries - Holland, Belgium, Yugoslavia, etc. - they are looked upon as leaders of the people's fight against the oppressing Nazis.
In the days that will follow they will play a great part in bringing their people to peace and freedom. It is up to the free peoples here to save them for this task.
Much has already been done. The International Brigade Association in this country has consistently fought to help and save these men. The report which follows is the history of the camps, it is the report of the camps of Vichy France.