§ 74. Viscount WOLMERasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that troops of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force have had no home leave for four years, the Army Council will consider the possibility of allocating a priority of transport upon demobilisation for these men, so that they are enabled to return home as soon as possible?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONAs I have already stated, everything possible is being done to grant leave to as many soldiers as possible in Mesopotamia, and I would refer my Noble Friend to the reply which I gave on Thursday last to my Noble Friend the Member for Nottingham (South). In the scheme of demobilisation provision has been made for priority to be given to 776 these troops who have had the longest service in the field. Each draft for dispersal will normally comprise a percentage of soldiers who have served longest in a theatre of active operations.