The German and Soviet militaries of the time have reputations for ordering--or a least not fully preventing-- various lootings, rapings, massacres, etc. of civilians in the territory they invaded. I've never heard about the US or UK committing similar war crimes, but surely among the millions of deployed soldiers a few thieves, rapists, and murderers slipped through and abused civilians. How did the Western Allies deal with such cases?
Did they have a military-wide prevention and punishment policy already in place? Did let the immediate commanding officer deal with it? How far up the chain of command would such a sticky problem get kicked? Did they wink knowingly and just try to sweep the whole thing under the rug? Did news ever get back to the home front, and if so how did the civilians there respond?
Good question and not something I have ever read much about. I know Patton had two soldiers tried and hung for rape of a civilian woman but, I can't recall what nation she was from.
An insane US soldier attacked some women in Australia and I think killed one or two. He was quickly tried and hung. His trial was later considered a bit of a farce and caused changes in US Military law.
I know one US submarine sank a Japanese troop ship and then surfaced and shot the survivors and nothing happened to them. How well it was known they had done it I don't know.
A German lady a young girl in the war said the first US troops that came into her town were pretty rough on them and stole jewelry.
But, she defended them saying that they had been fired on as they approached the town and lost some men.
Other troops that followed were nice and gave them food.