General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
RE: War CRIMES by the ALLIED, a taboo?
Posted by:
Binnacle
()
Date: June 13, 2001 06:12PM
<HTML>
Dietzsch wrote:
-------------------------------
Is it \\\'not done\\\' to ask about or give info about Allied warcrimes?
Is this forum particularly hostile towards people asking about those?
The following may be of interest, and indicate to you an interest in historical accuracy, free of bias, which is IMHO the mainstay of this Forum.
\"William Prendergast, HMS Petard\'s surgeon became increasingly alarmed at the
way Lt. Commander Thornton treated his men. Prendergast was also upset by Thornton\'s behaviour when another submarine, the Italian Uarscieck, was captured by Petard in Dec 42. Thornton had seized a machine gun and mowed down a row of Italian submariners standing on the submarine\'s deck, even though the rest of Petard\'s crew believed they were surrendering. A fine line had to be drawn between ruthlessly, but properly, shooting at submariners to stop them throwing confidential codebooks into the sea and cold bloodedly murdering defenceless men who were trying to surrender. Although there was always a risk that such men might make a run for the deck gun, Pendergast thought that Thornton had gone too far. So he notified that Thornton needed a rest.\"
Source - Enigma - The Battle For The Code. ISBN 0 75381 130 8
Thornton was discharged from his ship, suffering from a suspected nervous breakdown.
Bill </HTML>
Dietzsch wrote:
-------------------------------
Is it \\\'not done\\\' to ask about or give info about Allied warcrimes?
Is this forum particularly hostile towards people asking about those?
The following may be of interest, and indicate to you an interest in historical accuracy, free of bias, which is IMHO the mainstay of this Forum.
\"William Prendergast, HMS Petard\'s surgeon became increasingly alarmed at the
way Lt. Commander Thornton treated his men. Prendergast was also upset by Thornton\'s behaviour when another submarine, the Italian Uarscieck, was captured by Petard in Dec 42. Thornton had seized a machine gun and mowed down a row of Italian submariners standing on the submarine\'s deck, even though the rest of Petard\'s crew believed they were surrendering. A fine line had to be drawn between ruthlessly, but properly, shooting at submariners to stop them throwing confidential codebooks into the sea and cold bloodedly murdering defenceless men who were trying to surrender. Although there was always a risk that such men might make a run for the deck gun, Pendergast thought that Thornton had gone too far. So he notified that Thornton needed a rest.\"
Source - Enigma - The Battle For The Code. ISBN 0 75381 130 8
Thornton was discharged from his ship, suffering from a suspected nervous breakdown.
Bill </HTML>
