§ 84. Sir HERBERT NIELDasked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether he is aware that Leading Air-Mechanic Daniel Mahoney, No. 62750, late 49th Squadron, Royal Air Force, who had served twenty months in France, was ordered to leave Belgium for India at two hours' notice, which did not allow him time to send his personal belongings home; why it was that this soldier was not granted leave; whether he will see that steps are taken in the future to ensure that soldiers have an opportunity of seeing their relatives before being dispatched to India and like places at a great distance from home; and whether he will give facilities for Mahoney to return at an early date and, in the meantime, see that steps are taken to prevent the practice complained of being continued?
§ General SEELYThis airman is serving on an ordinary long service engagement with the Colours. The departure of the Squadron to which he was posted was too near at hand to make it possible to grant him home leave. Home leave is given before men are sent to distant stations providing the exigencies of the Service permit, and it is regretted that the urgency of the departure of this Squadron to India made it impossible to follow this general rule on this occasion.