28. Mr. E. HARVEYasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he will make arrangements for suspending the drafting of the members of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial Force) now at Blackpool to Infantry battalions so as to permit of the reconsideration of their position, in view of the fact that about 74 per cent, of these men have already been wounded at the front, are anxious and able to return to their former work there, for which they have had long 1717 training and special experience, and also of the fact that a large number of them enlisted at the commencemet of the War for the form of military service which they could conscientiously render and had no opportunity of claiming the position given by the Military Service Act to men who did not voluntarily enlist?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONOut of 1,154 Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial Force) men who are being transferred to Infantry, ninety-two only (or 7.97 per cent.) have been wounded. Arrangements have been made by which any men who enlisted with the express proviso that they should only be employed in Royal Army Medical Corps work shall remain with the Royal Army Medical Corps. Also that the cases of any men who enlisted at the commencement of the War, and are in a position to prove that they conscientiously object to service other than that in the Royal Army Medical Corps, will be sympathetically treated.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI shall have to consider that.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONYes; I think that is advisable.