§ 12 and 13. Earl WINTERTONasked the Secretary of State for War (1) if the Mounted Infantry cobs provided for the use of the 15th Hussars, at Longmoor camp, have gone through the school training which is given to all Cavalry horses; and, if not, whether there is any precedent for supplying a Cavalry regiment with horses which have not gone through Cavalry training, except in time of war; and (2) what are the names of the officers who reported to him that the Mounted Infantry cobs provided for the use of the 15th Hussars were fit for Cavalry purposes; and what regimental experience these officers had of Cavalry requirements?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Colonel Seely)On the arrival of the 15th Hussars in England the following alternative courses were open to the Army Council: (1) To use Mounted Infantry cobs to mount the Hussars and render them immediately fit for service as divisional Cavalry; (2) to fill up the 15th Hussars with four-year-old remounts, in which circumstances the regiment would be unfit for war for two years; (3) to fill the 15th Hussars by drafts from other Hussar regiments of the Expeditionary Force. This would have resulted in the transfer of fifty aged horses from each of the six Hussar regiments, and the inclusion in their ranks of 140 remounts, thus interfering with the efficiency of the whole Cavalry Division. The Army Council decided on the first of these alternatives.
§ Earl WINTERTONMay I ask whether there is any precedent for taking the action that was taken?
§ Colonel SEELYI could not say off-hand, but I should imagine that there are any number of precedents for taking the action we have taken. What we did was to do what we thought was in the best interests of the Army in order to keep this regiment in a fit state to take the field.
§ Sir REGINALD POLE-CAREWIs it a fact that when this regiment arrived there were no suitable horses for them?
§ Colonel SEELYThere were these horses which were suitable in every respect.
§ Earl WINTERTONWere they suitable for taking the field?
§ Colonel SEELYYes, that is exactly what they were fit for.
§ Sir R. POLE-CAREWI suppose we are to understand that nothing but four-year-old horses were available in case of mobilisation?
§ Colonel SEELYNo, Sir, the hon. and gallant Gentleman must assume nothing of the kind. We took the course we considered best to make the 15th Hussars able to take the field if necessary at the first possible moment. I think the action that was taken was a very proper action.
§ Sir R. POLE-CAREWAre they not untrained?
§ Colonel SEELYNo, Sir, they are very fully trained for all the purposes for which they will be required in war.