The behaviour of German soldiers towards British soldiers during the Breakout on 29-30th May 1940 was aggresive in the extreme, and undoubtedly war crimes were committed, including the execution of surrendering soldiers- e.g. Major Ronald Cartland’s column.
There were two specific allegations of atrocities made by local civilians who had claimed to have witnessed the beheading of British soldiers in Winnezeele and another allegation of a British soldier being buried alive.
As Allied forces recaptured the Flanders area in February 1945 an investigation into those two specific allegations was commissioned by Supreme HQ of Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). Capt A.E. Andrews led the investigation and came to the conclusion that neither allegation could be proven.
Capt Andrews Investigation Summary Report into Alleged War Crimes at Winnezeele