§ 55. Sir A. MARKHAMasked the Prime Minister whether, seeing the French 817 award the honour of the Croix de Guerre to numbers of officers and men for gallant services in the field, he is aware that a number of our officers at the front holding high rank feel that our sparse distribution of Military Crosses and Distinguished Conduct Medals in no way meets the justice of the claims of officers and men having regard to their gallant conduct and the size of our Armies; will he consider the desirability of instituting a new decoration so that immediate recognition could be given to officers and men who have done well at a critical moment in the presence of the enemy if the generals or officers commanding on the spot recommend such decoration should be granted; and whether he is aware that recommendations for honours made by lieutenant-generals, brigadier-generals, and commanding officers are constantly ignored owing to the limited number of decorations that are granted?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe distribution of rewards of this nature has been made on a scale which compares favourably with that of previous wars, but I am in a position to state that by direction of His Majesty the King the institution of a new medal is now under consideration with a view to meeting the exceptionally large numbers of claims to recognition on account of bravery in the field.