§ 30. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many of the cadets who were at Dartmouth at the outbreak of the War were lost on the "Monmouth" and the "Formidable"?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)The answer, I regret to say, is ten and six respectively.
§ 31. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the number of Dartmouth cadets sent on board at the commencement of the War and what number has since been lost; and whether the proportion is much greater than in any other class of naval officers?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs stated in my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member on the 16th November, the number of Dartmouth cadets embarked at the commencement of the War was 434. Of this number I am sorry to say that forty-one have lost their lives. No statistics have been worked out as to the percentage of officers lost in the various classes, but it is, I am afraid, a fact that the percentage of the cadets embarked from Dartmouth who have lost their lives is greater than in any other class of officer.
§ Mr. JOYNSON HICKSWill the right hon. Gentleman carefully reconsider the question whether the Admiralty will send any more young officers on to the ships?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is impossible to discuss that now. The hon. Gentleman can realise why that is so.