By Guy Aldred and John Wynn
Britain's "Guantanamo Bay" - a contemporary account of how British citizens were arrested and imprisoned without charge or trial under Defence Regulation 18B. The Editor, Guy Aldred, was a dedicated, life long socialist and in his Forward he makes the following statement.
"I have practically no political sympathies with the individuals now interned, as individuals. Were they free I would be their opponent. But they are imprisoned without charge or trial. They are not tried because no charge can be brought against them. Many of them were soldiers and suffered in the first Great War, which I opposed as did some members of His Majesty's Government. Under these circumstances I dare to come forward, not as an apologist of their opinions, but as the defender of their civil rights. If they are traitors, indict them.If they are not traitors, release them. If they cannot be indicted, they ought to be restored to human liberty. In the name of John Hampden, Thomas Paine, Richard Carlile, and most of my radical forbears, I demand their freedom. By what right are our liberties denied and government by proscription accepted as the law of Britain?"
The book gives accounts of the experiences and circumstances of various individuals and the chapters deal with many of the concentration camps in turn. They include, York, the MI5 interrogation centre at Ham Common, Ascot. Huyton, Stafford, the Isle of Man, the womens prison at Holloway and many others. The Ben Greene case is dealt with as is the attitude of the Press and Parliament.
pp.218
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