§ MR. ASHLEY (Lancashire, Blackpool)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War why a man over thirty years of ago is considered to be too old to join the Special Reserve of the Army, seeing that men between thirty and forty are better fitted to take the field than boys under eighteen who may be enlisted.
§ MR. HALDANEIt is not considered that men over thirty-six years of age are suitable for active service abroad, and the maximum age was therefore purposely fixed at thirty, so that men could put in a term of six years before reaching the age of thirty-six. I may add that experience has shown that for active service reservists over the age of thirty-six are of less value than younger men.
§ MR. ASHLEYBut the right hon. Gentleman has not answered my Question why men over thirty cannot be put on the Special Reserve?
§ MR. HALDANEBecause we want men in that with six years training.
§ MR. ASHLEYWould you allow a man who has completed twelve years service with the colours to go straight from the Regular Army into the Reserve?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERpointed out that there were in the Army some 20,000 men over the age, and it would therefore be impossible to take them into the Reserve under this decision.