§ 6. Mr. Liddallasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give an assurance that no persons about to be called up for compulsory military service are appointed to direct commissions in the Army?
§ Captain MargessonNo one. now receives a commission without previous service in the ranks, except from the Army Officers' Emergency Reserve, which consists either of ex-officers or of men with special qualifications. A candidate may not be accepted for the Army Officers' Emergency Reserve after the date on which he is required to register under the National Service (Armed Forces) Acts, unless he is in a reserved occupation or possesses rare specialist knowledge required for some particular appointment, for which older candidates are not available. Cases of the latter type are very exceptional. Members of the Army Officers' Emergency Reserve are not exempt from the provisions of the National Service (Armed Forces) Acts, if they have not been selected for a commissioned appointment by the date on which they are liable to be called up for service in the ordinary way.