§ 35. Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any details regarding the origin, nature of, and casualties in the recent out-break of trouble at Abu Tafar, near Mosul, Mesopotamia; and what steps have been taken to deal with the situation?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLOn the 3rd June, a party of some 300 Shamman Jarba tribesmen, led by Sherifian officers attacked Tel Afar (4 miles west of Mosul) and killed all the Government officials including Major J. E. Barlow, D.S.O., M.C. (the Political Officer), Lieutenant B. Stuart (Gendarmerie Officer), Mr. A. V. Walker (Gendarmerie Instructor), and No. 32287 Private W. R. Lawler, 7th Hussars. It is feared also that two cars of a light armed motor battery which visited Tel Afar on 4th June were also captured, and the crews killed. No report of any further casualties has been received. A punitive column from Mosul should have reached Tel Afar on the 8th June.
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREHas the right hon. Gentleman made inquiries as to where these Sherifian officers come from?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI should like to have notice of that question. I do not want to make any charges I cannot prove.
§ Mr. AUBREY HERBERTAre not incidents of this character likely to occur constantly until we decide what our policy is, and state that policy?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI think they are likely to occur very frequently in different parts of that enormous area which we are endeavouring to pacify.