HC Deb 20 May 1941 vol 371 c1373
17. Captain Dugdale

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the number of serving soldiers whose homes are being destroyed in air raids, he will consider permitting commanding officers to increase the number of free railway warrants that they are allowed to issue to troops proceeding on compassionate leave?

Captain Margesson

Commanding officers already have authority to issue free warrants to all soldiers and officers below field rank who are granted compassionate leave for the purpose of visiting their homes when these have been seriously damaged or relatives have been seriously injured as a result of enemy action. These free warrants are additional to the normal entitlement of two free leave warrants a year.

Captain Dugdale

Is it the fact that a man may get free warrants on two separate occasions if his home has been bombed twice?

Captain Margesson

Yes, Sir; if a soldier is unlucky enough to have his home bombed twice or three times, he gets his free warrant on each occasion.