HC Deb 12 March 1912 vol 35 cc945-6
Mr. PETO

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that Captain F. S. Brereton's name appeared in the "Army Gazette," dated 5th January, 1912, as having been removed from the Territorial Force, although he never applied to join that force or to be placed on the unattached list, and no communication had been received by him from the War Office, although, after resigning his commission in the Regular Army after the war in South Africa, he was officer commanding the Mounted Infantry Company, 3rd V. B. Liverpool Regiment, stationed at South-port, and registered his address with the post office at Southport, and with his bankers after the 3rd V. B. Liverpool Regiment was disbanded, and he left for abroad; and whether he will take steps to remove the slur upon the good name of this gentleman implied in the notice in the "Army Gazette"?

Colonel SEELY

Officers of disbanded Volunteer units were permitted either to resign their commissions or to accept the new conditions and join the unattached list until such time as they could be appointed to units in which they desired to serve. This procedure was made quite clear by Special Army Order of 8th March, 1908. As this officer did not send in his resignation he was reported to the War Office as being desirous of being placed upon the unattached list, and was consequently gazetted to that list. When his commission was forwarded in due course he could not be found, and, after every effort had been made to trace him, but without success, his name was removed from the list last January. No slur whatever has been cast upon the good name of this officer.

Mr. PETO

Is not the form in which the notice appeared, that the officer in question was removed, necessarily a slur?

Colonel SEELY

No, it involved no slur whatever, and I am glad to have the opportunity of making the fact public. If it appears that the form of words implies censure I shall be very glad to consider some other form of words in the case of those officers who cannot be traced and who therefore must be removed, but on whose character, of course, no slur whatever is cast.