§ 69. Mr. ANEURIN WILLIAMSasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether coal miners who early in the War volunteered for the Royal Army Medical Corps, and were afterwards placed in Class W and returned to their civil employment, are now being called up again and drafted into the Infantry; whether these men, owing to their age and employment, might in many cases have remained in civil employment all the time had they so wished; whether he is aware that they feel it a grievance that they are now drafted into the Infantry while other men of their age are left in civil employment; and whether he will arrange to leave them in civil employment or in the service for which they originally volunteered?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)All men who are physically fit for service in a combatant unit, and are of suitable age, are required for duty with such units. I regret it is not possible to agree to except from this rule fit men who may, under other circumstances, have volunteered for the Royal Army Medical Corps.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSIs the hon. Gentleman aware that some of these men are forty-seven years of age, and that they are being treated more severely than conscripts?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONNo, Sir; I am not aware of that fact, but I am aware that a great many men of the Royal Army 1277 Medical Corps produced documentary evidence that at the very beginning of the War they enlisted for the Royal Army Medical Corps and were subsequently transferred under the Army Transfer Act. If my hon. Friend has any of these cases and will submit them to me, I will promise that they will be considered on their merits.