§ 36. Mr. MANDERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what dates, for what purpose, for what periods, and in what numbers since the Great War, officers and men of the British Navy have been lent in an advisory capacity to foreign Governments?
The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Sir Bolton Eyres Monsell)Between the years 1926 and 1933 British officers were lent to Chili in an instructional capacity, the numbers employed being originally five, increasing to seven and finally dropping to one. A British naval mission was serving in Greece at the official termination of the War and a fresh mission of 17 officers and seven ratings was sent out shortly afterwards. This mission returned in 1923 and smaller missions have since served from November, 1924, to May, 1926, and from March, 1927, to August, 1932. One officer was lent to the Nanking Government in an advisory capacity from 1931 to 1933; two officers in succession have been employed by the same Government to supervise Chinese cadets undergoing courses of instruction in this country; and two officers are employed at the Naval College at Mamoi, one of them being an officer on the Active List who relieved a retired officer in the same capacity. One officer is at present employed as naval adviser to the Finnish Government, having been appointed in 1929. All the foregoing were appointed for the same purpose, namely, to develop and train the naval service of the country concerned. In addition an officer was lent to Rumania in 1929 to advise on the development of a port.