Letter from Gerhard Stamer to Lord Mountbatten, May 2nd, 1947:
| Your Exellency, before I leave this country on the way home for repatriation I want to thank you and in you every honest Englishman for the fair treatment I got during the 7 1/2 years of captivity. I shall not forget that and shall do my best to work for an better understanding of our two nations for the sake of Europe and the whole world. - With great interest we follow your efforts in India to bring her the internal peace and welfare. May the Lord bless you! I thank you so much for your magnanimous letter that came just in time for my screening by the Naval Intelligence. I showed it to Lieutenant Edelstone R.N. I.C. and I think it gave me a good start, so if you like: You brought me in, you brought me out. - I go home with the firm intention to help my people with all I have and although for the moment the ex-officer is the Untouchable I know that only our sense of order and preparedness for sacrifice can help my country out of that terrible mess, if the Lords gives his blessing and not that selfish talk we must hear everyday. With my best greetings and wishes for your and your family's health and your people's welfare I am Your Excellency's grateful PoW No.1 Gerhard Stamer, Korvettenkapitän No. 37 422 No. 186 PoW Camp, Bere Church Hall- Camp nr. Colchester / Essex |
Courtesy of the Mountbatten Archives, Hartley Library, University
of Southampton. [39]