§ 32. Mr. CROOKSasked the Under-Secretary for War whether he is aware that in some districts, the Guiseley district of Yorkshire for instance, attested men are not being allowed to join the regiments they have put down on their attestation papers; and whether he will give instructions that if a regiment chosen by an attested man is open for enlistments the man will have the opportunity of joining it?
§ Mr. TENNANTI am unaware that in the Guiseley district of Yorkshire attested men are not being allowed to join the regiments they have put down on their attestation papers. The reports which come from various parts of the country show that, as a general rule, where a man has stated his preference for a unit in which there are vacancies, every effort is made to give him his preference; but as many men state that they wish to join the Army Service Corps or the Royal Army Medical Corps, both of which have been closed to recruiting for some time, it is natural that in these cases men whose preference has not been for an Infantry unit are a little disappointed if they are not able to join the two arms mentioned.
§ Mr. HOGGEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that Derby recruits are frequently refused choice of regiment, while men brought in under the Military Service Act are given a choice?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have not heard that. I suggest that in cases where Derby attested men have not been able to join the units they have said they prefer is because the units are closed, or because they have requested to join the units I have just mentioned-the Army Service Corps and the Royal Army Medical Corps.