§ 39. Lieut.-Colonel Macnamaraasked the Secretary of State for War whether it is intended that Regular or Territorial soldiers should be taken from their own normal duties, should war break out, in order to fill the gaps in the air-raid pre cautions services?
§ Sir V. WarrenderNo, Sir, but, in the event of air attack, one of the normal duties of the troops in this country would be to give such assistance as might be required.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MacnamaraDoes that mean that the Territorial Army and Regular Army will be used on the out-break of war as special constables, and is it not a rather dangerous policy if the Army is not available for training as an Army at the beginning of a war?
§ Sir V. WarrenderIt does not mean that. My right hon. Friend in his Estimates speech last year said there might be many ways in which the organised forces might help the civil population, and all troops, whether Regular or Territorial, will be practised in that. That does not mean that their military training will be interfered with in any sense.