HC Deb 02 July 1900 vol 85 cc264-5
MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether, having regard to the announcement in the London Gazette of the conferring of the Victoria Cross on four soldiers for their conspicuous bravery during the action of Koorn Spruit, on 31st March, 1900, with particulars of the disposition of the troops on this field of battle, the War Office will now communicate to the public the details of the disaster at Koorn Spruit, and respecting the officer in charge of the convoy when the greater portion of the baggage column and five out of the six guns of the leading battery of the Royal Artillery were captured by falling into the ambush laid for them by the Boers.

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WYNDHAM,) Dover

I will answer this and Question 43 in the name of the hon. Member.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

No, no! Take them separately.

Question 43 was as follows:—"To ask the Under Secretary of State for War if he will explain why the account, now in the possession of the War Office, giving the details of the surrender of the 4th Battalion of the Derbyshire Regiment, has been withheld from publication.

*MR. WYNDHAM

I am not prepared to anticipate by way of question and answer any exercise which the Secretary of State may see fit to make of his discretion to publish despatches and reports on military operations.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

Will the War Office publish the name before the General Election?

[No answer was given.]

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

I wished to put Question 43, but as the hon. Gentleman does not appear to be in his place I will put it to-morrow.

*THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham

The question has already been answered.

MR. SWIFT MACNEILL

I object to its being answered in the way it was. I will repeat it to-morrow.