§ 106. Major COLFOXasked the Secretary of State for India whether, on a date early in June of this year, some troops arrived at Lucknow at 11 a.m. on a day when the thermometer registered 115 degrees in the shade; whether they were marched to barracks carrying their full kit; whether, as a consequence, five officers and sixty men were admitted to hospital suffering from heat stroke, of whom three died; and whether it is proposed to institute an inquiry to find out who was to blame for this occurrence?
§ Commander EYRES- MONSELLI greatly regret to say that, according to a preliminary report which my right hon. Friend has received from the Government of India, the facts are as follows: The 3rd Garrison Battalion Bedford Regiment, the transfer of which from Burma to Lucknow was necessitated by military exigencies, was timed to arrive at the latter place in the early morning of 27th May, but the train was four hours late in leaving Calcutta owing to delay in unloading the baggage from the transport. The troops suffered from heat on arrival at Lucknow, and during the march to barracks in the heat of the day, with the result that there were twelve cases of heat stroke and seventeen of exhaustion, and two deaths. When the full report on this lamentable occurrence is received, my right hon. Friend will be in a position to consider what action is necessary.