§ 32. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will inquire into the case of Private J. Holmes, No. 37745, B Company, Durham Light Infantry, now in the guard-room at Seaham 1810 Harbour, who enlisted as a non-combatant and is now being forced to accept combatant service?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThis man was called up on 9th August and was posted on 10th August not to the Non-Combatant Corps but to the 4th Durham Light Infantry, and according to his attestation paper he has not been exempted from combatant service. His commanding officer reports that this man is fit and has gone through his training and that he displayed no conscientious objection until warned for drafting overseas. If this is so, it illustrates the results which follow from the efforts of those who try to develop so-called conscientious scruples where no such scruples genuinely exist.
§ 37. Mr. SNOWDENasked why Isaac Britton, a conscientious objector detained at Maidstone, has been detained for seven weeks under orders of court-martial without any decision having been come to in his case?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIf my hon. Friend will give me this man's unit and regiment, I will have inquiries made.