HC Deb 13 January 1916 vol 77 cc1765-7
73. Mr. WING

asked the Under-Secretary for War, if he will issue a request to the military authorities that all men who have been on service, say twelve months, without leave shall have priority in the granting of leave over those of less time service?

Mr. TENNANT

The instructions already in force are to the effect that those who have been in France the longest time shall have preference as regards leave. This, however, does not mean and cannot mean that until all the men who have been in the War the longest have had leave no others shall be granted leave.

Mr. WING

Has the right hon. Gentleman not had complaints that the rule, as he has stated it, is not being carried out?

Mr. TENNANT

It is impossible to carry out a scheme for leave for such a large Army as we have in the field without there being complaints of hardship in individual cases, but that is inevitable to any large scheme.

74. Mr. WING

asked the Under-Secretary for War if he is aware that there is dissatisfaction among the Forces at the front owing to the differences in granting leave to various units, especially the Territorials, they having greater difficulty in obtaining leave than those in more recent enlistments, some never having had leave since the beginning of the War; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

Mr. TENNANT

The granting of leave is not, I think, affected by the consideration whether any individual is a Territorial or Regular soldier. Military exigencies make it inevitable that leave in units in different parts of the front cannot be distributed with absolute equality. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief is well aware, I am sure, of the feelings and wishes of his troops in regard to this matter, and consistently with the military considerations, which are paramount, will give leave to the largest number possible.

Mr. WING

Is it true that suspension of leave has become a form of punishment?

Mr. TENNANT

I do not think that is true, but leave has been deferred to those who have been constant delinquents. I think that is not unnatural.

83. Mr. THOMAS

asked the Under-Secretary for War whether he will outline the regulations that govern the granting of leave of absence at the front; whether he is aware that officers who have only been at the front for less than three weeks have been granted leave of absence, and that publicity was given to their presence in London; and, having regard to the dissatisfaction that exists among non-commissioned officers and men at the way in which leave is granted, some men having been at the front ten or eleven months without leave whilst others have been granted leave twice in that period and commissioned officers are allowed frequent leave, whether, with a view to allaying not only the dissatisfaction among the rank and file of our Army but also the misgivings of parents and others anxious to see their sons and relatives, he will arrange for some uniform system being applied which will be fair to all concerned regardless of position or political influence?

Mr. TENNANT

The general principle is to send daily on leave as many as the train and boat accommodation will permit. Which individual officers or men are selected must depend on the military conditions at the moment, which obviously vary and can be known only to the military authorities in France. I am not aware of any cases of officers returning after three weeks' service at the front, unless any Members of this House may have returned after that short interval in order to take part in the important Debates which have recently taken place in this House.

Mr. THOMAS

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many parents of soldiers are complaining when they know men are home on leave who have not been at the front as long as those in whom they are interested? Is it not causing general dissatisfaction?

Mr. TENNANT

I have endeavoured to have this matter put right. I have had correspondence with Field-Marshal Sir John French, the late Commander-in-Chief at the front. He informs me there were really great difficulties, but every effort is made to give leave to those men who have been out longest. The hon. Member must know that is not always possible. It must depend on military conditions.