§ 9. Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that a certain number of men who came up for enlistment in 1914 and 1915 were told that they were of the proper standard for the Household Cavalry, and that they could not join that corps except for eight years with the Colours and four years with the Reserve; whether the Regulations in force at the time of such enlistment would have permitted them to purchase their discharge at the end of the War; whether the purchase of discharges has recently been suspended for the period of a year or thereabouts; and whether, in view of the exceptional position of these men and of the fact that other 1914 and 1915 men are now being demobilised, he will permit the men above referred to to purchase their discharge at once if they so desire?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLUp to the 15th October, 1914, and again from November, 1915, onwards, recruiting for the Household Cavalry was confined to men enlisting on normal engagements, namely, eight years with the Colours and four years in the Army Reserve. Recruiting for the duration of the War in the case of the Household Cavalry was only open between the dates mentioned.
The purchase of discharge from the Army was suspended in August, 1914, and no promise was made as to when the Regulation would again be brought into force. There is at present no intention of permitting the purchase of discharge, and I regret that I cannot adopt the suggestion in the last part of my hon. and learned Friend's question.