§ 21. Colonel ARCHER-SHEEasked the Secretary of State for War whether it is possible to give a greater number of military medals and other recognition by immediate reward in view of the fact that 1843 during the present operations a very large number of cases have occurred in which officers, non-commissioned officers, and men have performed exceptional acts of gallantly and devotion to duty which it is impossible under the present circumstances to recognise in any way?
§ Mr. FORSTERAll Commanders-in-Chief in the field have unlimited power to award immediately the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Military Medal, and as regards the Military Medal commanders of corps have similar unlimited powers. I may inform my hon. and gallant Friend that more than 8,000 Military Medals are, known to have been awarded in Franco alone, although the decoration was only instituted on the 25th March last. Immediate awards of the Distinguished Conduct Medals in France average 300 a month. Of the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross combined, 370 are, on an average, awarded monthly by the Commander-in-Chief.
§ Colonel ARCHER-SHEEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that, arising out of the recent operations, battalions were cut-down to a ration of two or three mentions per battalion, including the officers?
§ Mr. FORSTERI am not aware of that.