§ 13 and 14. Colonel Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Secretary of State for War (1) with reference to the War Office decision that Army pensioned non-commissioned officers who were awarded the Military Cross while on active service as commissioned officers and have been 228 deprived of the pension of 6d. a day to which they are entitled as retired noncommissioned officers, on the ground that the gratuity for their commissioned service exceeded what they would have had if they had remained in the ranks, whether Army pensioned ranker officers who did not gain the Military Cross received the same gratuity for their commissioned service as those who gained the distinction; and, if so, whether he will reconsider the determination to deprive the latter of the small pension accompanying the award as well as of their commissioned rank;
(2) why pensioner Quartermaster-Sergeant Robert Starling, who is in possession of the Military Cross and eligible for the grant of 6d. per day additional pension under Article 1157 of the Royal Warrant, 1914, as amended by Army Order 45 of 1917, is deprived of the additional pension because the Military Cross was awarded for services rendered as a commissioned officer, in view of the fact that he was awarded the Military Cross in June, 1918, demobilised and reverted to quartermaster-sergeant's pension in July, 1919, at which date the proviso contained in the Royal Warrant of 1922, Article 1025, that this additional pension should not be granted to a pensioner in respect of the Military Cross received for services rendered by him as a commissioned officer, was not promulgated and consequently not applicable to him?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Sir L. Worthington-Evans)Army pensioned ranker officers, like any other officers, regular or temporary, who were awarded the Military Cross while serving as officers, are not entitled to any addition to their pensions in respect of this award. The provisions of the Royal Warrant for Pay, 1914, relate to additional pensions in respect of decorations earned by men and not by officers, and the proviso contained in Article 1025 of the Royal Warrant for Pay, 1922, was inserted merely to avoid any possible misunderstanding of the intention of the previous article. The additional pension was not refused on the ground that the officers in question received a larger gratuity than they would have received had they served in the ranks. The issue of a larger gratuity is only relevant as showing that they enjoyed the benefits 229 of officers in respect of their service as such, and that they did not suffer financially through being dealt with as officers and not as soldiers. Pensioned ranker officers like any other temporary officers who gained the Military Cross received the same rate of gratuity as other similar officers who were not awarded the decoration, and I see no reason for differential treatment in their case.
§ Sir A. HOLBROOKIs it not the case that £200 a year would cover the cost of the award to the officers concerned who have been deprived of their commissioned rank and have been retired as non-commissioned officers?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI am glad that the grievance is not any greater than that, but I am afraid that the Regulations are as I have stated.