§ 10. Sir FRANCIS BLAKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that many men of our trawler crews have been serving in foreign waters for two and a half to three years without home leave; and whether some consideration can be shown to them and their families and arrangements made to enable them to come home?
§ Dr. MACNAMARASo far as is known, none of the men referred to have been on a foreign station for three years. A certain number have been abroad for two and a half years, and in these cases reliefs have been detailed. As far as circumstances permit, however, every effort is now made to relieve trawler crews regularly as soon as they have completed two years abroad. Also it is the practice to give such men home leave from certain foreign bases whilst their vessels are undergoing a long refit.