61. Colonel WILLIAMSasked if it is with the sanction or by the orders of the Army Council that the right observance of two Sundays in May is interfered with by those days being chosen for the beginning and the ending of the annual training of more than one regiment of Territorial Cavalry?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe dates of the annual trainings of Territorial Force units are in most cases approved locally. Where movements to or from camp take place on Sundays it would be to suit the convenience of the men by interfering as little as possible with their civil employments and to meet difficulties as regards railway traffic.
Colonel WILLIAMSMay I ask whether this discouragement of the due observance of those two Sundays in May has the sanction or approval of the War Office or the Army Council?
§ Mr. TENNANTAs I stated in my answer, these movements are first approved in most cases locally and then by the War Office, and so the answer to the hon. Member's question would be in the affirmative.
§ Earl WINTERTONIs the hon. Member aware that the reason these movements take place on Sunday is generally to suit the convenience of the railway companies, who state that they cannot carry them on other days?
§ Mr. TENNANTThat is what I stated in my answer.
§ Colonel GREIGIs it not also for the convenience of the units that are moved, and are not the commanding officers consulted in most cases?
§ Mr. TENNANTYes, that is so.