§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydfil)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the circumstances attending the degradation for alleged disobedience of Private James Rennie, of the A squadron of the Fife and Forfar Imperial Yeomanry at their annual training camp at Annsmuir, Ladybank, on 27th June; whether Rennie was taken under escort to the centre of the square and informed that he had been sentenced to be drummed out of the regiment, and was thereupon deprived of his cap and had the buttons and decorations cut from his tunic, and was thereafter marched outside the camp; what was the offence for which this punishment was inflicted, and what opportunity had Rennie for defending himself; and what regulations authorise this form of punishment without trial.
§ MR. ACLANDNothing is known at the War Office of this occurrence, but inquiries are being made.