§ 81. Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSasked the Under-Secretary of 'State for War whether his attention has been called to the case of Private R. L. Dixon, aged just under forty, married, educated at University College School. London, and holding a high position in a commercial house in London; whether he is aware that he applied for a commission, but pending consideration was sent into the Army as a private; that his training at once proved his unfitness for military work; that he was marked C1 and then sent to the 2/7th Essex Battalion at Welbeck Camp; that he has since been marked B 1, but has been gradually knocked to pieces in health by manual labour for which he is quite unfitted; whether he is now retained doing odd jobs in the camp of no possible use to the country and no benefit to himself; whether he has applied to be transferred to some other department of the Army where his commercial knowledge would be of some use; and whether it is in the interests of recruiting generally that this waste of material is allowed to go on?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)This case has not previously been brought to my notice. I have called for a full report, and will communicate further with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.