46. Sir F. HALLasked the Prime Minister whether, in the official inquiry that is to be held into the circumstances of the withdrawal of the Fifth Army from St. Quentin, the Government will undertake that any Court set up to deal with the matter shall have free access to any documents required or reports bearing upon the requests put forward by the General Staff for reinforcements and the replies that were made by the Government to such requests?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe investigation of the circumstances of the withdrawal and the Report which the Army Council have called upon the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief to make will include consideration of all relevant documents.
§ 49. Mr. G. LAMBERTasked the Prime Minister if he can offer the House any explanation of the failure of the Fifth Army to hold the line of the Somme; and whether this portion of the line was taken over by the British troops contrary to the judgment of Sir William Robertson and Sir Douglas Haig?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI cannot at present make any statement in regard to the first part of the question. There is not the smallest justification for the suggestion that this portion of the line was taken over contrary to the judgment of Sir W. 852 Robertson and Sir D. Haig. The arrangements in the matter were made entirely by the British and French military authorities.
§ Mr. LAMBERTIs it the fact that this portion of the line was taken over after the War Cabinet had ordered it to be taken over, and that, therefore, the objections of Sir W. Robertson and Sir Douglas Haig were thereby overruled?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe answer which I have given is an answer to the supplementary question. The suggestion is absolutely without foundation. The arrangement was a military arrangement, made between the two military authorities.
§ Colonel BURNWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Commander-in-Chief of the British Force at the time did not make a protest, owing to the short number of divisions at his disposal, against taking the extra line from the French?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI am glad that this matter should be cleared up. To the best of my knowledge— and I think that I know all the facts—there is not the smallest truth in any such suggestion. Naturally, there have been differences of opinion as to the extent of line which should be taken over, but such representations as occurred between the two Governments on that subject always were left to the military authorities to decide. Of course, if they had not agreed, a decision would have had to be made by the Government, but that did not arise.
§ Mr. LAMBERTDid Sir William Robertson and Sir Douglas Haig make no objection at any time to taking over any part of the line?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe answer which I have given is clear— that, though obviously there may have been different views as to the proper course, such differences were always left to be decided by the military authorities. If they did not agree, then the Government would have had to take a final decision, but the need for such a decision did not arise.
§ Mr. PRINGLEWas this matter entered into at the Versailles War Council at anytime?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThis particular matter was not dealt with at all by the Versailles War Council.