§ 85. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Secretary of State for War whether men who have been passed as unfit for general service in the Army, and have been drafted to home-service garrison duty, are compelled to undergo strenuous active-service training; whether it has been brought to his notice that the active-service training which the men of the East Surrey Regiment, now stationed at Dover, have to undergo has resulted in the breakdown of a number of the men; whether he is aware that in the case of a private in No. 2 Company of this regiment the severe training brought on hæmorrhage with fatal results, and that in another case a private in the same company who asked for permission to remove his pack before marching up a hill, which permission was refused, with the result that the man fainted, and on his removal back to barracks had a severe epileptic fit, notwithstanding which he was ordered to parade the next morning; and whether he will have an inquiry made into these matters?
§ Mr. FORSTERI am not aware of the incidents referred to in the last part of the question, but inquiry shall be made, and the hon. Member shall be informed of the results. On the general question, I may say that men of Garrison Battalions at home and those intended for Garrison Battalions overseas, undergo a much shorter and lighter course of training than is given to men found fit for general service. I understand battalions of the East Surrey Regiment at Dover are draft-finding formations, training drafts for overseas, and not for garrison duty.