massacre massacre war crime committed members 14th company division command took place time attempting retreat region battle soldiers isolated regiment occupied defended farmhouse attack forces village running ammunition defenders surrendered german troops germans led road wall machine ninety seven british troops died survived injuries hid captured german forces days later war located tried convicted war crimes court survivors acting witnesses massacre executed background german invasion france netherlands belgium began fought way southern belgium north eastern france german forces pushed river crossing evening german forces rapidly advanced english channel course week units including detached companies ordered try slow german advance northern france buy time evacuate troops participating german units strongly ideology commander men loyalty germany men fought campaign suffering higher death rates german forces major engagement world war division reserves called line unit engaged operations allied forces north east total prisoners taken division refused surrender muslim french troops executed spot time operation finished german units reached english channel british counter attacked west following counter attack day battle division suffered casualties men assault ordered town crossed river british attack men ordered retreat day preserve tanks upcoming campaign allow luftwaffe attack allied positions area men hazardous crossing night men took heavy house house fighting british withdrew line 8th holding allied line villages battalion headquarters based battalions ordered hold long possible germans time evacuate emerged wood attacked dawn british troops defended eventually overrun attack resulted deaths german officers men men officers wounded later day german troops moved forward attack battle engagement 2nd fallen headquarters outside company commanders informed radio units isolated receive assistance dug farmhouse lay boundary adjacent 1st royal scots contact despite support heavy opposition defenders held 14th company 2nd ran ammunition battle germans attacked farmhouse mortars tanks artillery destroyed building forced defenders relocate surviving defenders 2nd eventually ordered commander major brother surrender left defending white flag boundary british regiments road men surrendered company fighting unit fighting mass graves found near suggest men surrendered unit killed separate massacre massacre british captives majority wounded disarmed marched road waiting machine guns machine gun company prepared set barn farm british prisoners marched barn lined alongside fired german continued firing british fallen armed men kill remaining survivors satisfied killed german soldiers left rejoin rest regiment account private survivors turned dusty french road gateway meadow buildings farm saw feelings life heavy machine guns inside meadow pointing head column guns began spit fire seconds cries stricken men drowned guns men fell like grass felt pain pitched forward scream pain cries mates fell dying men thought stabbed brain pay ninety seven british prisoners killed germans forced french civilians bury bodies shallow mass grave day despite german efforts private william survived pulled private alive bodies field pair hid pig days nights surviving raw potatoes water discovered farm owner madame son victor french civilians lives caring men later captured transferred military hospital aftermath day massacre journalist arrived scene deputy legal advisor report saw possible look yard road corpses british uniform lying yard near buildings lying position assume killed machine gun bursts struck dead soldiers wearing helmets equipment took pictures dead bodies farm request placed disposal division believe sitting vehicle told field returned equipment shot british soldiers lying come conclusion summary trial taken place major scene massacre day reported people suffered head wounds shots fired close range skull smashed injury caused blow gun butt similar means news massacre spread neighbouring german divisions eventually reaching general commander german forces france disliked especially determined dismissed charges murdering prisoners brought investigations successful regardless officers appalled massacre reportedly challenged duel fought allies received information massacre summer spent years german hospital injuries suffered massacre declared medically unfit repatriated british authorities believe story arrival thought german army capable atrocities british troops private return united_kingdom liberation prisoner war camp confirmation story prompted official investigation bodies killed massacre french successfully identified bodies churchyard forms war cemetery administered commonwealth war graves commission memorial plaque placed barn wall massacre took place large memorial subsequently erected church trial war evidence discovery run camps prompted british authorities look reports massacre investigated company identified perpetrators traced arrested germany charges war crimes august pleaded guilty accused german national charge regulation regulations trial war criminals charged committing war crime vicinity france violation laws war concerned killing ninety prisoners war members british units tried crimes court court number monday october defence claim present massacre lawyers deny event took place claimed british bullets battle flag truce vigorously denied prosecution evidence given madame french civilian testified recognizing 12th day trial judge advocate said british illegal ammunition abused flag truce irrelevant german troops absolutely right execute prisoners war fair proper trial october president court pronounced verdict defendant found guilty war crimes lawyer following plea court account wife family attended day trial left little doubt remained minds court enable members award extreme penalty spare life accused wife children dependent support consider fact soldier court composed members british_army believe entitled appeal court sentence enable client come prison early date despite plea sentenced death hanging carried january hamburg german soldiers officers prosecuted roles massacre
Le Paradis massacre