The Danish Scheme: The Repatriation of British
Prisoners
of War through Denmark at the end of the First World War
Between 11 November 1918 and mid January 1919
almost a quarter of the British Prisoners of
War (POWs) held in Germany were returned to Britain via Denmark and the Baltic
ports. The
operation became known as the ‘Danish Scheme’.
Film "Return of the Interned":
"Scottish moving picture news, return of the interned"
The "Ficaria" and the
"Primula" arrived at Leith on Thursday 28.11.1918, having left Copenhagen on the
25'th.
The passengers were 609 civilians, former Ruhleben internees and some women and
children.
The "A.P. Bernsdorff" and
the J.C. La Cour" arrived on Saturday 30.11.1918 having left Copenhagen on the
27'th.
The passengers on “A.P. Bernsdorff” were 300 civilians from Ruhleben, including
a group of coloured musicians, and 300 soldiers, ex pows.
The passengers on the “J.C. La Cour” were 400 pows mainly from internment in the
Brandenburg area.
All 4 ships were part of the D.F.D.S. fleet.
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Newly added
Naval memoirs of Captain Wessel
Working on
Hjælp ydet fra danske krigsgudmødre til britiske krigsfanger
Sir Ralph Paget
forklarede at pakkerne var betalt ”by philanthropic and pro-Ally Danes, and it
is difficult to see
how it would be possible to stop the dispatch even if it were desired to do so.”
Han fortsatte “The Danish Red Cross and the Danes generally
have been most generous to our prisoners, and it would seem somewhat ungracious
if His Majesty’s Government now prohibited the dispatch of the parcels.”
Tilbage i the Prisoner of War Department” i England mente de dog noget
andet. Hvis de ”charitable Danes” ønskede at hjælpe britiske krigsfanger,
kunne de yde et bidrag til dansk røde kors til deres udgifter til forsendelse af
pakkerne med brød og ”first capture” pakker sendt fra the Copenhagen Bureau i
København.
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News and updates:
08-12-2019 Naval
memoirs of Captain Wessel - English added
26-09-2019
Cecilie Lütkens diary - English added
04-02-2019 the
right man in the right job at the right time - English added
03-11-2018
From Dänholm to repatriation
and Home – Appendix C - English added
03-11-2018 Dannebrogsvalmuen - "The
Danish flag" poppy - English added