Letters From the Front

Concerning the handcuffing of prisoners

Huntingdon Gleaner Published: June 23, 1943

Dated: April 6, 1943

April 6th, 1943.
Mr. Lionel Clairmont,
81 St. Cecile Street, Valleyfield, Que.
Dear Lionel:
I have received your letters and also received some books from Armand (Dr. Armand Clairmont of Valleyfield). We are always in need of books, as this is about the only pastime we have between our hours of work at the camp. Our hours of work are not too long, and Saturday afternoons and Sundays are free periods.
There are football games, (which I do not like.) and musical concerts are given from time to time by the prisoners-of-war. I am glad to know that you are all in good health. I am also well.
Armand (Dr. Clairmont) was enquiring from me regarding the handcuffs and told me that everything is supposed to be normal here. The newspapers have erred in regard to this report, as the reign of handcuffs is not ended, and I wouldn't be surprised if it lasted until the end of the war. It is a punishment for what was supposed to have been done during the raid we made on Dieppe. But what can we do about it, it is war, and we must resign ourselves to the consequences.
I appreciate all you do for me.
Yours, etc.,
Noel

Context:

After the Dieppe Raid, German authorities discovered that a small number of German prisoners taken by the Canadians during the landing had been temporarily tied with rope or improvised restraints (Canadian forces were collapsing the beachhead and had no facilities for proper escort). Hitler seized on this as a propaganda and retaliation opportunity. On 2 October 1942, Hitler ordered that:

All captured Canadian and British commandos would be bound or handcuffed for twelve hours a day, from 0800 to 2000, until Germany was “satisfied” that similar treatment of German POWs in Canada had ceased.

Although Canadian authorities denied any “mistreatment,” Germany enforced the order anyway — and Canadian Dieppe prisoners were the prime targets. To force Germany to stop, Canada began restraining German POWs in camps in Ontario. After intense diplomatic pressure, including from the Swiss Protecting Power and the International Red Cross, and after Canadian forces threatened further retaliation. In October 1943, Germany finally ended the shackling order. Canada immediately released German POWs from restraint. The incident is remembered as one of the most serious mass breaches of the Geneva Convention committed against Canadian POWs in WWII.

Transcribed by: marc