Ministry of Munitions. The following letter (from FO 383-211) was sent to
both the Home Office and the Council.
Prisoners of War Department,
Downing Street. December 19
th 1916
Sir,
With reference to my letter … respecting the release of
Mr. Robert Le Rossignol from Ruhleben, I am directed by
the Controller of the Prisoners of War Department to
transmit herewith a copy of a letter from the Ministry of
Munitions on that subject.
I am to state that subject to the concurrence of [the
Home Office and Army Council] it is proposed to reply to
the enquiry by Mr. Le Rossignol in the terms suggested by
the Ministry of Munitions.
I am Sir,
your most obedient, humble servant.
G. R. Warner
To:- the Under Secretary of State, the Home Office, the
Secretary to the Army Council.
However, early in the new year Robert’s case was unexpectedly highlighted by
Ambassador Gerard in Berlin who wrote to His majesty’s Government via the
American Embassy in London outlining the difficulties they faced because of
a lack of guidance from London regarding the employment of British prisoners in Germany. In this sense Robert’s letter of October 1916 regarding his
employment was to help form a policy which until then had received little
attention, for the United Kingdom had never fought a war in which such
concerns arose. The relevant parts of Gerard’s letter (from FO 383-279)
appear below;
Embassy of the United States of America
Berlin, January 9
th , 1917
14 Robert’s War 1914–1918
295
both the Home Office and the Council.
Prisoners of War Department,
Downing Street. December 19
th 1916
Sir,
With reference to my letter … respecting the release of
Mr. Robert Le Rossignol from Ruhleben, I am directed by
the Controller of the Prisoners of War Department to
transmit herewith a copy of a letter from the Ministry of
Munitions on that subject.
I am to state that subject to the concurrence of [the
Home Office and Army Council] it is proposed to reply to
the enquiry by Mr. Le Rossignol in the terms suggested by
the Ministry of Munitions.
I am Sir,
your most obedient, humble servant.
G. R. Warner
To:- the Under Secretary of State, the Home Office, the
Secretary to the Army Council.
However, early in the new year Robert’s case was unexpectedly highlighted by
Ambassador Gerard in Berlin who wrote to His majesty’s Government via the
American Embassy in London outlining the difficulties they faced because of
a lack of guidance from London regarding the employment of British prisoners in Germany. In this sense Robert’s letter of October 1916 regarding his
employment was to help form a policy which until then had received little
attention, for the United Kingdom had never fought a war in which such
concerns arose. The relevant parts of Gerard’s letter (from FO 383-279)
appear below;
Embassy of the United States of America
Berlin, January 9
th , 1917
14 Robert’s War 1914–1918
295