§ 37 R. C. Morrisonasked the First Lord of the Admiralty who was responsible for recent display advertisements in newspapers urging the 19's, when registering, to express preference for the Royal Navy; and is he aware that Members are receiving many letters from young men belonging to naval families, and keen to serve in the Navy, complaining that they have been ordered into the Army against their choice?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (Sir Victor Warrender)This advertisement was issued in the normal course. In reply to the second part of the Question, an urgent and important Army requirement arose recently, which made it necessary to allocate to the Army a certain number of men who had expressed a preference for the Navy, but had not yet been called up. The naval requirement is only postponed, and the men now allocated to the Army will have to be replaced by recruitment in the near future.
§ Mr. MorrisonDo I understand that men who have come from naval families and are anxious to get into the Navy, but have been put into the Army against their will and against the wishes of their families, will have an opportunity of transferring from the Army into the Navy?
§ Sir V. WarrenderNo, Sir, that is not so. Unfortunately, we cannot do that in all cases, but we are considering the special cases of men who have had previous service in the Navy and who are in these categories.
§ Mr. MorrisonIs it not very unfortunate that a large-scale advertisement should have appeared in the public Press urging on the 19's to ask to be put into the Navy and then that they should have been told that they cannot go into the Navy but must go into the Army?
§ Sir V. WarrenderThe great majority of these men were far beyond the age of 19. Their average age would be about 30.
§ Mr. SpensDoes the hon. Gentleman realise that a large number of these men would never have volunteered for the Navy unless this advertisement had appeared? They were under age, they were not liable to serve and they were members of naval families. Is it not possible, having regard to the strong feeling which exists on this matter, for some special arrangement to be made for these boys to be got out of the Army and put into the Navy?
§ Sir V. WarrenderThere was a very special requirement, and it was considered vital that the Navy should help the Army out in this particular difficulty. The men who have been drafted from the waiting list into the Army are stoker and steward candidates who arc of a lower medical category and a higher average age, somewhere about 30.
§ Mr. SpensIs the hon. Gentleman aware that I can give him instances which do not square with that statement at all, cases of perfectly fit young men who volunteered specially for the Navy? The needs of the Army may be urgent, but was it not possible to recruit for the Army others who are liable to be called up, because there must be lots of them?
§ Mr. R. C. MorrisonWill this not result in the Army getting a lot of discontented soldiers, while the Navy might have had contented sailors?
§ Mr. LevyIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the fact that these men, who volunteered for the Navy because they had a desire to go into the Navy, found themselves drafted into the Army is causing a lot of discontent?
§ Sir V. WarrenderYes, I am aware that it has caused great disappointment, and I can assure the House that this decision was not taken without realising that that would be the case, but when the Army had urgent need for these men it was not considered right that the Navy, which had a long waiting list of men whom they could not take in at once, should hold in reserve these men of higher age. The average age of the men who are being transferred is between 25 and 30.
§ Mr. MathersWhen will the Navy be able to accept these men?
§ Sir V. WarrenderWe are taking young men in now.