§ 37. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Under-secretary of State for War if he will have a review of the sentence passed on Private No. 12649, B Company, 24th Welsh Regiment, on the 18th February last, when he was given five years' imprisonment by court-martial on the charge of assaulting a Greek at Alexandria; and will he take into consideration the fact that this man had served two years in France, where he was thrice wounded, and has a wife and four children, who are now left destitute?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI am making inquiries, and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will inquire into the case of Gunner No. 100922, Royal Field Artillery, who was tried by court-martial in December, 1917, on a charge of being absent from picket duty and sentenced to 112 days' detention, and who has been released by the command of the Commandant of the Detention Barracks at Chelmsford on the ground that his conviction was unjust; and whether he will, in 349 the circumstances, order that the offence be expunged from the record against this soldier?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have made inquiries and am informed that a gunner, whose regimental particulars agree with those stated in the question, was tried on the 9th January for leaving his post when a sentinel and that he was released on the 27th February in the usual way on account of good conduct. The statement that he was released on the ground that the conviction was unjust is not correct, and the last part of my hon. Friend's question does not, therefore, arise.