HL Deb 16 December 1915 vol 20 c694
LORD ST. DAVIDS

had the following Question on the Paper—

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to a speech made by the Lord President of the Council on the 16th November, 1915, in which he said— I come now to the infinitely more serious question which was indicated by my noble friend, I am bound to say with great care, and more fully developed by my noble friend on the Cross Benches, Lord Sydenham—I mean the question of the attack at Loos in the later part of September, when, as was currently reported and as has been repeated by my noble friend to-night, a success was missed owing to the failure to bring up reserves at the proper time. Well, I am not able to enter into the discussion of that question at all this afternoon. The whole matter is in this sense sub judice that it is the subject of close military inquiry at this moment by the highest authorities; and in those circumstances it clearly would not he becoming in me to say anything upon it at all—in any case I should be most unwilling to embark on a discussion of the merits or demerits of a particular strategical movement undertaken on their own responsibility by Generals. But that, of course, is not precisely the point, because the question is rather one as to whether in this particular instance neglect took place, and, if there were neglect, who ought to be held responsible for it whether the "close military inquiry by the highest authorities" is now completed; and, if so, whether the Government could, without disadvantage to the Public Service, make any statement upon the subject; and to move for Papers.

The noble Lord said: My Lords, when I put this Question on the Paper I was riot aware, naturally, of the announcement that was going to be made as to the change in the command in France. Since that announcement I see no advantage in pursuingt his matter further, and therefore I do not propose to put my Question.

House adjourned at ten minutes past Seven o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter past Four o'clock.