British Free Corps

[tazpants]

Hi all,
I,ve been fortunate to pick up a piece of paper given to British POWs to try to recruit them into the British Free Corps. thought i would let you guys have a look. The print is quite faint and the paper is quite brittle but its such a rarity to have survived. It was brought home by a British POW along with a copy of the POW newspaper "The Camp" which was published by the Germans for the POWs. Its not for sale but all comments will be appreciated.
Cheers,
DAVID

[tazpants]

2

[tazpants]

<SUP>1</SUP> The circular read as follows:
<TABLE class=list><TBODY><TR><TD class=label></TD><TD class=item>As a result of repeated applications from British subjects from all parts of the world wishing to take part in the common European struggle against Bolshevism, authorisation has recently been given for the creation of a British Volunteer unit. The British Free Corps publishes herewith the following short statement of the aims and principles of the unit.
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=label>1</TD><TD class=item>The British Free Corps is a thoroughly British volunteer unit conceived and created by British subjects from all parts of the Empire who have taken up arms and pledged their lives in the common European struggle against Soviet Russia.
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=label>2</TD><TD class=item>The British Free Corps condemns the war with Germany and the sacrifice of British blood in the interests of Jewry and International Finance, and regards this conflict as a fundamental betrayal of the British people and British Imperial interests.
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=label>3</TD><TD class=item>The British Free Corps desires the establishment of peace in Europe, the development of close friendly relations between England and Germany, and the encouragement of mutual understanding and collaboration between the two great Germanic peoples.
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=label>4</TD><TD class=item>The British Free Corps will neither make war against Britain or the British Crown, nor support any action or policy detrimental to the interests of the British.

Published by the British Free Corps.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<SUP>2</SUP> Quoted from an article which appeared in The Camp for 20 February 1944.

[i.spring]

i think that is really cool, iv only ever seen a few photos and arm patches but never any serviving documentation.
Great historical find, congradulations.
Ian

[tazpants]

Thanks Ian,
Sorry for the poor photos, but its the way the scans came out.
DAVID

[Don Scowen]

Very nice.

Not quite the same, but the Jersey Museum has a poster on display for the Legion St. George, which I found very interesting.

Cheers
Don

[Don Scowen]

Detail

[Simon O.]

Detail

Great way to p***off the scots, welsh and Irish

[McCulloh]

Wow-rare paper. Wait until the SS guys see that.

[Basil]

It's an interesting piece of paper and it certainly follows the text of the printed handbills which were distributed around POW camps in April and May of 1944 - but there are a good few surviving examples and they were printed, not typed or cyclostyled. I wonder if it was a copy made by a POW to bring home?

[tazpants]

Do you know if there is a picture of any of those flyers you mention Basil ? This is the only one i,ve seen obviously, so i wouldn,t know for sure if it was handed out or not. I bought it with a copy of "The Camp" which was dated 01/01/1944 which interestingly contains an article about foreign units of the Waffen SS (no mention of a British unit at that time).
Cheers,
DAVID