§ 62 and 63. Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that many parents of boys who enlisted in the Territorial Army before attaining the age of 19 years only gave their consent because they thought that their sons would not be sent abroad before they reached the age of 20 years; and if, in view of the harm done to voluntary recruitment by this differentiation between volunteers and conscripts, he will now reconsider the position and agree to withdraw all boys of under 20 from overseas and undertake not to send them abroad in future until they reach the age of 20;
(2) how it is that many boys who were under 19 years of age when the Government announced their policy of withdrawing all lads of this age from the forces preparing to go overseas have now, on attaining the age of 19, been incorporated and sent abroad; whether he will state the steps taken to withdraw them; and why they were not posted to reserve units to complete their training and only sent abroad as and when reinforcements were required?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThis matter was fully debated, understood and accepted by the House. Despite the fact that Regular soldiers joined for oversea ser- 675 vice and Territorials specifically volunteered for such service in the case of war, I informed the House that we would not send them to France under the age of 19. I also informed the House that, without a prior statement, if possible, we will not send to France under the age of 20 men called up under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act. Far from harm being done to voluntary recruitment, it is probable that, if we would take men under the age of 20, we should have many volunteers.
§ Mr. KirkwoodIs the Minister aware that there is indignation from one end of the country to the other regarding this idea that the boys who were conscripted are here, while the boys who volunteered have been sent to France; and is he aware that these boys, many of them innocent lads, practically children, never dreamt when they enlisted in the Territorials, that they were enlisting for France but believed that they would be retained at home?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaI would like to contradict the impression that there is indignation in the country as the hon. Member suggests. On the contrary, these Territorials individually signed forms volunteering for oversea service.
§ Mr. KirkwoodIs the Minister aware that I can show him almost 100 letters which I have received this week on this matter, most of them from people of the lower middle class and all protesting against this.
69. Colonel Arthur Evansasked the Secretary of State for War whether the pledge given as to the minimum age at which soldiers will be sent overseas also applies to commissioned ranks?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaYes, Sir.