§ 10. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Under secretary of State for War if he will have inquiry made into the action of the base commandant, Havre, who on the 4th January issued an order to the officer commanding the 11th Labour Group to the effect that the personnel of the Non-Combatant Corps are not soldiers, and he considered they should not be granted privileges as such and further directed that the men of the Non-Combatant Corps should not be granted leave in the same manner as soldiers, but that any application for leave on special grounds should be submitted to the quartermaster-general at Havre; and whether the base commandant has the authority of the War Office for such an order as this?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIn January last there were at Havre a number of soldiers who had served in the trenches and had not been granted leave for long periods. The commandant, therefore, ordered that such men should have priority in the matter of leave; but he also arranged that applicants for leave on special grounds from men in the Non-Combatant Corps should be considered. This was a local order issued by the commandant on his own responsibility, and, in the circumstances, I see no ground for intervening.
§ Mr. SNOWDENDid the hon. Gentleman take into consideration the fact that it was distinctly stated that these men were not soldiers, and were not to have leave because they did not regard them as soldiers?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI cannot add anything to the answer I have given, which is practically a repetition of the telegram which I got from the commandant this morning.
§ Mr. SNOWDENMay I send the hon. Gentleman a copy of the order, in which it is distinctly stated that they are not soldiers, and that they are deprived of leave because they are not soldiers?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONCertainly. I am always very glad to receive information of that sort.