§ 88. Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Under-Secretary for War whether, in view of the official announcement that permanent commissions in the Army are not refused to Territorials, he has received from a Member of this House two letters, dated 16th June and 8th July, respectively, from general headquarters expressing regret that permanent commissions cannot be granted, as the regulations do not admit of this, and that this was a ruling of the War Office; whether he has also had a sight of two letters from Brigadier-General Lowther, and from Colonel Green, of the London Scottish, dated May last; and whether, seeing that both these officers stated that they believed no permanent commissions are now granted in any unit, he will inform Sir John French that Territorials from the ranks are eligible for permanent commissions the same as Regulars?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have received from my hon. Friend several letters addressed to the father of two soldiers serving in the London Scottish which- appear to be replies to letters addressed by him to officers at the front requesting that his sons should be recommended for permanent commissions in the Regular Army, although they have not fulfilled the required conditions. A similar request had been previously received in the War Office, and in reply thereto the conditions to be fulfilled by the two soldiers in question were fully explained to their father. Many 1960 soldiers of the Territorial Force have obtained commissions by fulfilling these conditions, and there appears to be no reason why these two soldiers should not do so. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the printed memorandum in which the conditions are set forth.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMIs the right, hon. Gentleman aware that he definitely stated in reply to a question I put in this House that the Territorials were enabled from the ranks to obtain commissions? I ask him whether the statement on the paper that general headquarters had definitely stated in writing, and that the brigadier and the commanding officer had also stated, that permanent commissions are not granted to Territorials from the ranks is correct. Is that not the statement made from general headquarters in writing?
§ Mr. TENNANTWhat I think happened was that the hon. Member asked me a question in regard to Territorials getting permanent commissions. I assumed that he was referring to officers in the Territorial Force and not to soldiers. If I made a mistake I am sorry. It is true that the officers in the Territorial Army can receive permanent commissions in the Regular Army in the manner I have described. Soldiers in the ranks in the Territorial Force are in a different position. They are in the position I have described in my answer.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMHad not these two privates been at public schools, and would they not have been eligible for commissions if they had come direct from the public schools?
§ Mr. TENNANTIf they had gone in the ordinary way through Sandhurst and Woolwich they would have been eligible.