From the British Archives

Checking for War Criminals
L. Scopes, British Foreign Office, to Canada House,
4 September 1950, Replying to Canadian Enquiry
with Respect to the 14th Galician Grenadier Division ...

CONFIDENTIAL

Sir,

With reference to your letter No. AR 408/7 of the 21st August regarding Ukrainian refugees now in the United Kingdom who formerly served in the German armed forces. I am directed by Mr Secretary Bevin to inform you that while in Italy these men were screened by Soviet and British missions and that neither then nor subsequently has any evidence been brought to light which would suggest that any of them fought against the Western Allies or engaged in crimes against humanity. Their behaviour since they came to this country has been good and they have never indicated in any way that they are infected with any trace of Nazi ideology...

From the reports of the special mission set up by the War Office to screen these men, it seems clear that they volunteered to fight against the Red Army from nationalistic motives which were given greater impetus by the behaviour of the Soviet authorities during their earlier occupation of the Western Ukraine after the Nazi-Soviet Pact. Although Communist propaganda has constantly attempted to depict these, like so many other refugees, as "quislings" and "war criminals" it is interesting to note that no specific charges of war crimes have been made by the Soviet or any other Government against any member of this group...

[sgd.] L. Scopes

MINUTES

29 august, [1950]

As will be seen from WR - 2384 02685 (1947), these charges have been made against these Ukrainians before, but there is nothing to show that there is any truth in them. Let us inform Canada House of the facts at our disposal.

[sgd.] A. W. H. Wilkinson