18. Captain ARTHUR EVANSasked the Secretary of State for War if a civilian who has never held His Majesty's commission, but has held the appointment of honorary cadet colonel to a cadet battalion, is entitled to describe himself as colonel after having relinquished that appointment; and what action the War Office takes in cases where a military rank is used by a civilian without any qualification or authority?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe answer to the first part of the question is that he has no right to describe himself as colonel. As regards the second part, it is an offence against good taste for a person to call himself by a military rank to which he is not entitled, but it is not in itself a legal offence, and the War Office is not in a position to take any action.
Captain EVANSAre we to understand that it is not an illegal offence in the case of an officer who has been deprived of his rank by a court-martial to still use that rank without the War Office taking any action in the matter
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI am not quite so sure of that, but I think I must have notice of the question.