HC Deb 20 February 1918 vol 103 cc713-4
10. General CROFT

asked the Undersecretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that in the case of Indian troops serving in France service only counts from the day they land; and whether, in the case of the 1914 Star, he will provide that service should count from the date of embarkation, as is the case with chevrons?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Macpherson)

The "1914 Star" is granted for certain service rendered under certain conditions, as specified in Army Order No. 350, of 1917. Unless the conditions for the award of this decoration are fulfilled, I regret that it cannot be awarded.

General M'CALMONT

Will the hon. Gentleman make it perfectly clear that the conditions are not going to be extended, as a great many applications must be reaching hon. Members on this subject?

Mr. MACPHERSON

I make it perfectly clear now. The whole matter was very carefully considered before the Order was issued.

11. Colonel YATE

asked the Undersecretary for War whether, considering the importance to the Indian Army that there should be a record of the part taken by Indian troops in the earlier operations in East Africa, and considering his promise that a time would arrive for the publication of the dispatches for the period from the commencement of hostilities up to the 12th February, 1916, the date from which General Smuts assumed command, he will now reconsider the question of the delay in authorising the publication of these dispatches?

Mr. MACPHERSON

I can only refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my answer to a similar question on 27th June, 1916. No dispatches have been received dealing with the operations referred to, and for the reasons already stated in an answer which I gave on the 22nd January last, it is not proposed to publish the Reports of these or of similar operations on a corresponding scale.

Colonel YATE

Is it not the case that it was stated by the late Under-Secretary that a time would come for the publication of these dispatches—can the hon. Gentleman say when that time will come?

Mr. MACPHERSON

I have looked up what was said by my right hon. Friend (Mr. Tennant), and what ho said was that he thought the proper time would be at the end of the War.

Colonel YATE

Will they be published at the end of the War?

Mr. MACPHERSON

I cannot say that just now.