§ 76. Mr. MILNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in the raising of local levies in Iraq; from what districts they have principally been recruited; how many British and Arab officers, respectively, are engaged; and in what areas they are principally stationed?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREMy reply is based on the assumption that the hon. Member's question refers to the Iraq levies only and not to the Iraq Army, which is a quite separate force. (1) The Iraq levies number, as was stated in the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Melton (Sir C. Yate) on the 30th November, about 4,800. (2) Most of the rank and file were recruited from the northern portion of the mandated territory. (3) There are at present with the levies, 59 British officers out of a total of 78 asked for, 38 British warrant and noncommissioned officers out of an establishment of 45, and 90 Iraqi officers. (4) The levies are used chiefly to garrison the northern districts.