HC Deb 15 April 1919 vol 114 cc2703-4
21. Mr. HURD

asked whether special leave granted for such purposes as to bury a soldier's mother is counted as ordinary overseas leave?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The grant of leave from France is a matter which is dealt with by the military authorities there, but, so far as I am aware, leave granted to any officer or man from France for any pur- pose whatever counts as leave, and therefore the individual who is granted leave in the circumstances stated by my hon Friend would be placed at the bottom of the leave roster on return to France.

Mr. BILLING

As there is no particular stress on the Western Front at the present, time, will the right hon. Gentleman consider the giving of compassionate leave?

Mr. CHURCHILL

There is a certain amount of accommodation and transportation for men going on leave, and I have done my utmost to have it made as large as possible. The leave has got to be shared among the men, and any man who gets leave on compassionate or other grounds gets it at the expense of someone else. I am afraid, although the rule may seem hard, it is absolutely inevitable.

23. Mr. HURD

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is because of climatic conditions and disability in respect of home leave that two months' furlough, on completion of the period of service, is now being offered to the Relief Force for Russia, and whether, in the light of this decision and in view of his promised reconsideration of the matter, he will also grant special treatment to the men who have been serving under exceptional climatic conditions and are now returning from distant theatres without having enjoyed any home leave since their departure from England in 1914–15?

Mr. CHURCHILL

The offer of two months' furlough to men joining the Relief Force for Russia is made as an inducement to attract men to volunteer for this force. As regards the later part of the question, I regret that I cannot at the present time consider service in the Middle East or other theatres as a claim for additional leave. I might mention, however, that arrangements have been made to grant special leave to men who have returned suffering from malaria attributable to long service in Salonika and the East generally.