§ CAPTAIN MORRISON-BELL (Devonshire, Ashburton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether a subaltern officer has been transferred from the Leicestershire regiment to the 455 Worcestershire regiment on his original date of commission, thus going over the heads of some forty subalterns, and has since been passed over for promotion; if so, what was the justification for this transfer which, under the circumstances, must naturally create a strong feeling of injustice amongst battalion officers in the regiment concerned who have hitherto considered themselves safe from hindrance to promotion in their own rank provided that they maintained the standard of proficiency for that rank.
§ MR. ACLANDIn consequence of the recent reductions of battalions this officer of the West India regiment accepted transfer to the Leicestershire regiment as junior of his rank. When it was found necessary to resort to compulsory transfer of the supernumerary officers of these battalions to other regiments it was decided to allow officers on transfer to retain their seniority, and to restore their seniority to those who were voluntarily transferred as juniors of their rank. This officer's position in the Leicestershire regiment by seniority would have placed him over the heads of subalterns of longer service; he was accordingly transferred to the Worcestershire regiment, where his seniority did not cause him to supersede lieutenants of longer service. Had he not been transferred to the Worcestershire regiment another supernumerary officer would have been transferred in his place.