§ 41. Mr. W. R. SMITHasked the Secretary of State for War whether 83 men belonging to B Company, 4th platoon, 6th Royal Marine battalion, are at present serving terms of imprisonment as a result of court martial when serving in Russia in September, 1919; whether he can state the nature of the offence with which they are charged; whether they had acted under instructions from their superior officers; and, having regard to the strong feeling that exists regarding this and similar cases, he will take the necessary steps to secure an amnesty for such prisoners?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)I have been asked to answer this question. My hon. Friend will perhaps remember the full statement made by the First Lord on December 22nd. In any case I am sending him forthwith a copy of that reply. The First Lord dealt fully with these most regrettable occurrences, stated the sentences imposed in the first instance by the Field General Courts Martial and reviewed by the General Officer Commanding in the Field, and gave particulars of the remissions which, in the exercise of their proper duty of revision, the Board of Admiralty had approved.
§ Mr. SMITHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many of these men served on four different fronts in the War previous to going to Russia without any offence being recorded against them, and, having regard to the fact that there was no declaration of war against Russia, might this case be given further special consideration?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend had better read the very full answers on the case given on December 22nd.