§ MR. BELLINGHAMasked the Secretary of State for War, Why the Catholic soldiers of the 87th regiment and of the artillery at present stationed in Guernsey did not attend Divine Service on the Feasts of the Circumcision and the Epiphany although requested to do so by the chaplain, in accordance with War Office Letter 1299, and why the commanding officers of those regiments took no notice whatever of the chaplain requesting that the soldiers should attend?
§ MR. CHILDERSSir, in reply to the hon. Member, I have to inform him that I have received this morning letters from the officers at Guernsey commanding the Artillery and 87th Regiment on the subject of his inquiry. The officer commanding the Artillery is himself a Roman Catholic, and he says that the feast of the Circumcision, generally known as New Year's Day, fell this year on a Saturday, when there were only fatigue parades, and any Roman Catholic soldier might have had leave to go to Mass. Father Doran's letter, however, did not roach him till noon on that day. He gave leave to all the Roman Catholic soldiers who wished to go to Mass on the feast of the Epiphany, but no soldier gave in his name. The letter of the Roman Catholic chaplain to the Colonel of the 87th Regiment was addressed to 772 him by name, not by office, and as he was absent on leave it was forwarded to him, but did not reach him in time. Had it been addressed to the officer in actual command, the Roman Catholic soldiers would have been allowed to go to Mass on both days.