§ 88. Mr. CECIL HARMSWORTHasked the Under-Secretary for War whether the totals of German casualties, based on German official information and given by him from time to time in the House, are regarded by the War Office as reliable?
§ Mr. TENNANTI would refer my hon. Friend to the supplementary answer I gave to the Noble Earl the Member for West Derbyshire on the 19th January. My military advisers do not consider it to be in the public interest that any statement should be made of their views as to the reliability or otherwise of the German casualty lists. My own views have been stated.
§ Commander BELLAIRSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware there is a wide discrepancy between the percentages of wastage per month calculated on these British figures. Cannot we have some calculation on the same basis so as not to mislead the public?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe hon. and gallant Member has in mind, I think, two different things. The 15 per cent. I mentioned was in relation to the British Army. These are the German casualties.
§ Commander BELLAIRSThe discrepancy is very very large—by something between 4 per cent, and 15 per cent.
§ Mr. TENNANTI am perfectly aware that the figures given as to the German casualties are derived from figures given to the world at large by the Germans.