§ 70. Captain MOREINGasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the advisability of issuing a special medal to all ranks of the Special Reserve and Territorial Force who were actually serving in those forces on the 4thAugust, 1914, in recognition of the services which their previous training enabled them to render at that period of the War?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe question of the award of an appropriate distinction to the members of the Territorial Force referred to is still under consideration. I would point out that there is an essential difference in the conditions of service of the Special Reserve, in that the Special Reservist was bound by the conditions of his service to serve abroad if required, while men of the Territorial Force in peace-time were only called upon to serve at home, and thus by later undertaking to serve overseas went beyond the original obligations of their conditions of service. I am afraid I cannot promise that a special award to men of the Special Reserve will be considered.
§ Major COHENIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a great many Territorial officers and men undertook the obligation to serve abroad before the outbreak of the War in 1914?
§ 78. Captain REGINALD TERRELLasked the Secretary of State for War if, in the issue of war medals and decorations, he will recommend the adoption of some clearly distinguishing mark when the award is made for purely staff services and not for the actual leadership of men on the battlefield?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLMy hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion is not considered practicable.
§ Captain TERRELLIn view of the great dissatisfaction which does exist in the Army among officers who have earned their decorations under shell-fire, could the War Office reconsider this matter?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt is a very difficult question. Everyone has a quite clear opinion of what they would like to do, but the difficulties of carrying it out are enormous. The difficulties of drawing a line are enormous in practice. If my hon. Friend is moved to address his mind to the question of endeavouring to frame some kind of rules and regulations, he will see how difficult it is.
§ Captain REDMONDWhy not adopt the same method which is adopted in France and elsewhere for a distinguishing mark?
§ Captain TERRELLWould it be possible for the word "Staff" to be printed on all ribbons given to all Staff officers? [Laughter.] I am quite certain that all Staff officers would be very proud of it.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI would deprecate altogether the House adopting the position that there is something discreditable in the persons who have served on the Staff. As a matter of fact, we lost scores of thousands of men until our Staff was well trained. Then we obtained success. While I quite agree that the sufferings and sacrifices of the fighting units are, in some respects, more arduous than those of the trained officers of the Staff, yet I think that their life was a very hard one of constant devotion to duty.
§ Captain TERRELLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that several Distinguished Service Orders and Military Crosses have been awarded to A.D.C.'s—[An HON. MEMBER: "And about 1,000 Orders of the British Empire!"]—who have never been under shell-fire?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am not aware of any case of that kind, but when we talk about being under shell-fire that is a very extensive term. They may have been under long-range artillery fire.
§ Captain REDMONDWhy should it be more difficult to apply the same rules in regard to decorations which obtain in France—that is, making a distinguishing mark for an Order or medal conferred upon officers and men in the front line from that on a medal conferred on the officers and men who were at the base?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThat is a very far reaching suggestion. I do not exclude that from examination. It has not been the practice of the British Service up to the present, the assumption being that all the men do the duty they are told to do.