§ 16. Sir Reginald Blairasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give an estimate of the number of officers, now liable to be called up under the National Service Acts, who were granted the distinction of retaining commissioned rank at the conclusion of the last war?
§ Sir E. GriggIt is impossible to give even an approximate estimate of the number of ex-officers affected. It is known that up to May, 1920, 162,313 officers demobilised after the last war were allowed to retain rank; but there is no record of their subsequent careers. Many of them will by now have passed the age of liability for service, some will have died or become medically unfit and others may have joined the Territorial Army or other branches of His Majesty's Service.
§ 17. Sir R. Blairasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will explain the status of those officers on the Army Officers' Emergency Reserve whose services were declined on medical grounds, but who are now liable to be called up under the National Service Acts; and, in particular, whether they will again be subject to medical examination?
§ Sir E. GriggA member of the Army Officers' Emergency Reserve whose services have to be declined on medical grounds has no claim to be exempted from the statutory medical examination under the National Service Act. The fact that he is not in a high enough medical grade for employment as an officer does not necessarily mean that he is unfit for national service in some other capacity.