Notice to all prisoners of war

Notice to all prisoners of war

Headlined that the escape from prison camps was no longer a sport. Mentions illegal and irregular warfare and that England has opened up a non military form of gangster warfare. Warns of strictly forbidden zones where unauthorized trespassers would be shot on sight.

One page handwritten document

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MBakerR1549392-200303-19

TO ALL PRISONERS OF WAR!
THE ESCAPE FROM PRISON CAMPS IS NO LONGER A SPORT!
GERMANY HAS ALWAYS KEPT TO THE HAGUE CONVENTION, AND ONLY PUNISHED RECAPTURED PRISONERS OF WAR WITH MINOR DISCIPLINARY PUNISHMENT. GERMANY WILL STILL MAINTAIN THESE PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW!
BUT ENGLAND HAS, BESIDES FIGHTING ON THE FRONT IN AN HONEST MANNER, INSTITUTED ILLEGAL WARFARE IN NON-COMBAT ZONES IN THE FORM OF GANGSTER COMMANDOS, TERROR BANDITS AND SABOTAGE TROOPS EVEN UP TO THE FRONTIERS OF GERMANY.
THEY SAY IN A CAPTURED SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL ENGLISH MILITARY PAMPHLET, “THE HANDBOOK OF MODERN IRREGULAR WARFARE”, THE DAYS WHEN WE COULD PRACTICE THE RULES OF SPORTSMANSHIP ARE OVER. FOR THE TIME BEING, EVERY SOLDIER MUST BE A POTENTIAL GANGSTER AND MUST BE PREPARED TO ADOPT THEIR METHODS WHENEVER NECESSARY. THE SPHERE OF OPERATIONS SHOULD ALWAYS THE ENEMY’S OWN COUNTRY, ANY OCCUPIED TERRITORY, AND IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH NEUTRAL COUNTRIES AS HE IS USING AS A SOURCE OF SUPPLY.
ENGLAND HAS, WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS, OPENED UP A NON-MILITARY FORM OF GANGSTER WARFARE. GERMANY IS DETERMINED TO SAFEGUARD HER HOMELAND AND ESPECIALLY HER WAR INDUSTRY AND PROVISIONAL CENTRES FOR THE FIGHTING FORCES. THEREFORE IT HAS BECOME NECESSARY TO CREATE [underlined]STRICTLY FORBIDDEN ZONES CALLED DEATH ZONES[/underlined] IN WHICH ALL UNAUTHORISED TRESPASSERS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY [underlined]SHOT ON SIGHT! [/underlined].
ESCAPING PRISONERS OF WAR ENTERING SUCH DEATH ZONES WILL CERTAINLY LOSE THEIR LIVES! THEY ARE THEREFORE IN CONSTANT DANGER OF BEING MISTAKEN FOR ENEMY AGENTS OR SABOTAGE GROUPS.
[underlined]URGENT WARNING IS GIVEN AGAINST MAKING FUTURE ESCAPES!![/underlined]
IN PLAIN ENGLISH – “STAY IN THE CAMP WHERE YOU WILL BE SAFE!” BREAKING OUT OF IT IS NOW A DAMNED DANGEROUS ACT.
[underlined]THE CHANCES OF PRESERVING YOUR LIFE ARE ALMOST NIL! [/underlined]
ALL POLICE AND MILITARY GUARDS HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE MOST STRICT ORDERS TO SHOOT ON SIGHT ALL SUSPECTED PERSONS.
ESCAPING FROM PRISON CAMPS HAS CEASED TO BE A SPORT!!