§ 43. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he can state, approximately, how many officers have since the commencement of the War been transferred from one unit to another; and what considerations affected such transfers?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe number of transfers has not been large. They are allowed for service reasons only, and not to further the personal interests of particular officers. For example, officers of mounted corps who are not good riders might be transferred to Infantry, and specialists, such as machine-gun officers, might be transferred from a unit where there are several to units in which there are none.
§ 44. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the 11th Cheshire Regiment possesses nineteen supernumerary second-lieutenants; and whether the War Office refused to transfer one of them to another battalion which was in need of officers?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe officers in question are posted to the 11th Battalion Cheshire Regiment for training as a reserve, and are not intended to be used up for forming new battalions. The answer to the second part of the question is therefore in the affirmative.