The British Interned in Switzerland

by Henry Philip Picot

1. The list of disabilities on which the internment was to be based.

2. The organization of the Itinerant Commissions of Swiss doctors, whose duty it was to visit France and Germany and designate candidates for internment.

With regard to 1, the first list of 12 categories drawn up in January, 1916, was increased to 20 categories in February. In June and July, 1916, the list was again the subject of discussion by an International Conference at Berne, and the categories were then finally fixed at 18.

With regard to 2, the proposals made by the Council for the appointment of ten Sanitary Commissions for each country, composed of two Swiss doctors reinforced by a third, an officer of the captor States, who should have the place of President, with power to examine and designate prisoners for despatch to Lyons or Constance, as the case might be, for a final inspection by a Board of Control, was accepted by the French and German diplomatic representatives at Berne, in February, 1916. On the 21st of February the Political Department announced the approaching departure of the Itinerant Commissions.

On the termination of these negotiations, the Swiss Government invited Great Britain and Germany to become parties thereto, offering to give the same hospitality to their prisoners of war as to those of France and Germany. This offer was accepted, and in May, 1916, the agreement, as drawn up between France and Germany, was also made applicable to Great Britain and Germany.

No time was lost in carrying out the intentions foreshadowed. Already, in March, 1916, the first Itinerant Swiss Commissions set out on their visit to the camps in France and Germany, and during March, April, and May, were busily engaged in examining such prisoners as were said to be suffering from the disabilities set forth in the various categories.

By the time I reached Berne on the 14th of May, 1916, to take up my duties as "Officer in charge of British Interned in Switzerland," the work of these Commissions was drawing to a close, and Colonel Hauser (Chief Medical Officer, Swiss Army) informed me of the concentration at Lyons and Constance of French, German, and Belgian prisoners of war who had been designated by the Itinerant Commissions for further examination by the Boards of Control at those places. Amongst these were several hundred British officers and men, and he suggested that he might effect their transfer from Constance to Switzerland within a fortnight, if it were possible for me to be in readiness for them; otherwise they must await their turn, which would not come until a month later. The alternative decided me to close with the offer, and to make what arrangements I could in the few days at my disposal.

The three most important questions to be dealt with prior to the arrival of the men were equipment, medical comforts, and choice of localities.

As regards the equipment of the men, I had already taken steps to ensure the despatch from British Headquarters in France of everything necessary, but owing to pressure on the French railways, no positive assurances could be given me as to the exact date of delivery. Judging by the condition of those French and Belgian prisoners who had already arrived in Switzerland, I knew that the state of our men would be equally deplorable, and I was anxious that they should be able to exchange their worn-out and probably vermin-infested garments without any delay. It was only too likely, also, that the first arrivals would consist of the badly wounded and tuberculous, men who would be in urgent need of sick and home comforts—not that the Swiss would not have all essential medicines and comforts at their disposal, but they could not have in any abundance the comforts and requisites familiar to our soldiers.

Such being the conditions, I addressed myself to the "British Legation Red Cross Organization," and was much relieved to find that Mrs. Grant Duff had not only laid in stocks of medical comforts, but had prepared her staff for any sudden call I might make upon her for underclothing or hospital garments. The various groups in Switzerland forming part of her organization were set to work, and within the fortnight sufficient underclothing was made up to meet the requirements of 500 men, and hospital garments for 200 sick. As it turned out, the regulation kit was delivered just in time to have it ready for issue, so that the men were outfitted from head to foot on arrival, the fullest use being made of the Red Cross clothing.