§ 89. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Undersecretary of State for War if he will have special inquiry made at once into the case of Private H. B. Johnson, S/4, No. 041752, 15th Field Bakery, British Expeditionary Force, who, though having strong conscientious objections against combatant service, nevertheless enlisted in the Army on the 31st December, 1914, on the condition that he was to be employed in the Army in his trade as a baker, and who, since July, 1915, has been working at that trade in France, and who, until 27th April last, had a record free from sickness or misconduct, but who has now refused to obey an order requiring him to be equipped for Infantry; and, seeing that on 14th March last, when it was suggested that he should join the Infantry, he made an application under the Army instruction governing such matters to be transferred to a non - combatant corps on account of his conscientious objection to combatant service, whether the court-martial proceedings which have been taken against him for refusing to obey the order mentioned will be quashed and an opportunity given him to apply to continue with the field bakery regiment or to be transferred to a non-combatant corps?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONNo court-martial proceedings in this case have yet been received from France, and I regret, therefore, that I am unable to answer my hon. Friend's question. I understand, however, that Johnson enlisted for general service.