§ 18. Mr. LANE-FOXasked whether the Army Council have considered the desirability of practising the mobilisation of the whole of the vehicles and horses necessary in war for the six divisions of the Expeditionary Force at one time and over a period of at least several days, in order to give the staff and supervising officers the opportunity not hitherto afforded them of handling the horses and transport of such a force fully mobilised as to its equipment, and in order to prove the existence of the horses and vehicles required?
§ Colonel SEELYThis proposal would involve the hiring of 42,000 horses, involving an expenditure out of all proportion to the value to be derived from the experiment.
§ Mr. LANE-FOXWill the first time this transport can be seen and handled be in time of war? Will there be no previous opportunity for practising the mobilisation of the whole of the vehicles and horses?
§ Colonel SEELYI should suppose that in every army in the world complete mobilisation only takes place at the time of war.
§ Mr. LANE-FOXWill the right hon. Gentleman consider whether it would not be possible to do this in the case of one division only?
§ Colonel SEELYCertainly, with a small number of men small experiments would be practicable, and that, I understand, is being done, but to do it for the whole Army is a thing that no nation in the world has ever attempted or would think of in the case of transport, especially involving the immense number of horses that must be hired.
§ Mr. LANE-FOXWill the right hon. Gentleman promise to consider the possibility of doing it with regard to one complete unit?
§ Colonel SEELYYes, Sir.
§ Mr. MEYSEY-THOMPSONWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability of buying, training, and maintaining a sufficient number of horses for the purpose so as to make sure of them on mobilisation?
§ Colonel SEELYIt would be quite impossible in the case of the British Army or any other army to maintain in time of peace all the animals required for transport on mobilisation.