16. Colonel BATHURSTasked the Secretary of State for War how many of the prize competitions at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association at Bisley are fired under service conditions and on principles absolutely consistent with the musketry regulations, with service regulation targets and rifles as issued for service?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Colonel Seely)The Queen Mary's Territorial prize competition and the three other competitions based on it are the only competitions which fully comply with the conditions stated in the question. Other competitions nearly comply with these conditions.
17. Colonel BATHURSTasked what is the number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Regular Forces detailed for duties connected with the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association at Bisley, and the length of time occupied by these duties; whether the whole of these men were taken from a single brigade at Aldershot; to what extent have the arrangements for brigade training in that command, and to what extent has the brigade or musketry training of the officers and men, been affected in consequence of their withdrawal?
§ Colonel SEELYThe numbers detailed are as follows:—Seventy-seven officers, 342 non-commissioned officers, three buglers, and 801 privates. The majority of these were employed for twelve days, but a few men of the Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Army Ordnance Corps have to remain at Bisley for one month. To reduce the dislocation of the training programme, officers, non-commissioned officers, and men detailed from the Aldershot Command were changed after the first week for a party of similar strength. No one brigade furnished the 963 whole of the men, but a considerable number came from the 5th Brigade. In many cases, field practices have been postponed and will, be carried out at another time.
§ Mr. ASHLEYHave non-commissioned officers and men got extra pay for this work?
§ Colonel SEELYI should like notice.