HC Deb 15 March 1915 vol 70 cc1749-50
71. Colonel YATE

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is the intention of the War Office to accept the services of the Maltese British subjects who have volunteered to enlist for service at the front; whether, in this connection, he will consider the question of increasing the strength of the Royal Malta Artillery from its present establishment of three companies to its former establishment of eight companies; and whether the subaltern officers of the Royal Malta Artillery can be placed on the same footing as regards promotion to the rank of captain after thirteen years' service as the officers of the Royal Garrison Artillery?

Mr. TENNANT

Authority has recently been given to increase considerably the strength not only of the Royal Malta Artillery but also of the King's Own Malta Regiment, of Militia; it is not in the public interest to publish the numbers. As I informed the hon. and gallant Member on the 9th February last, an offer of service outside Malta by a portion of the Malta Militia has been accepted; it is not desirable to specify the locality. The question of promoting subalterns in the Royal Malta Artillery after thirteen years' service has been carefully considered on more than one occasion in recent years, but the Army Council have not been able to accept the proposal.

Colonel YATE

Why is the Army Council not able to accept that proposal?

Mr. TENNANT

Because it was considered the scheme would not afford that amount of acceleration which was aimed at. It was not really in the interests of the officers themselves.

Colonel YATE

Has not the right hon. Gentleman received any complaints from these officers, many of whom with seventeen years' service are not yet promoted?

Mr. TENNANT

I believe that is so. But the scheme was not deemed to be satisfactory, because it would not relieve the object aimed at.

Colonel YATE

Will the right hon. Gentleman give these officers promotion, and not keep them as subalterns for seventeen years.

Mr. TENNANT

The whole question is under consideration.