§ 14. Colonel M'CALMONTasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will state the period covered by the list of officers and other ranks mentioned in 1585 the dispatches published on 1st January last; whether he is aware that it includes the names of many for services performed in May last year; and whether steps will be taken to ensure that those who earn such mention may be able to see that their services have been recognised within a reasonable period?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe period of service covered by the recent dispatch, published on the 1st January, was approximately the six months between March and September. Speaking generally the practice is to put forward recommendations for mentions half-yearly, and it is not practicable to do it more frequently. In any case this is a matter on which the discretion must rest with the military authorities at the front, who are primarily responsible.
§ Colonel M'CALMONTCould it not be represented to the Commander in Chief by the War Office that these names would be much better appreciated if a shorter period elapsed?
§ Mr. TENNANTI do not think the hon. and gallant Gentleman can have a real appreciation of the enormous amount of labour involved in such a dispatch as that recently published containing a vast number of names. In that case the names were called for in September, and it took four months to get them, have them verified, and put forward for issue. It involved an enormous amount of labour.