§ 67. Rear-Admiral SUETERasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give any details of the evacuation of the women and children of the International Corps Diplomatic of Kabul in December last; whether he can arrange with the India Office to have issued in an official Report the despatches of the Commander-in-Chief in India dealing with these air operations; and the number and nationality of those rescued, supplies carried, type of machines used, the name of the air officer in command, and the names of pilots who performed this feat?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Earl Winterton)I have been asked to reply. At present I have very little information beyond what has already appeared in the Press. So far as I am aware, the total number of British and foreign nationals removed 341 by aircraft from Kabul has been 140, of whom 50 were of British nationality, 37 of Turkish, 23 of German, 10 of French, 9 of Persian, and the remainder of miscellaneous nationalities. The Government of India has been asked for a report on the whole subject, and the question of publishing the remaining particulars asked for by my hon. and gallant Friend will be dealt with on its receipt. I am sure that hon. Members will have noticed with satisfaction the remarkable efficiency with which this evacuation was carried out and the absence of casualty or accident.