24. Colonel Sir 4. Lambert Wardasked the Secretary of State for War whether the anti-aircraft guns protecting Hull are now entirely manned by the Home Guard; and to what extent it has recently been the custom to withdraw the crews of those guns at midnight?
§ Mr. A. HendersonThe answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir." All these anti-aircraft defences are fully manned during the hours of darkness.
§ Sir A. Lambert WardIs the hon. and learned Gentleman satisfied that the liaison between the men at the guns and Fighter Command, which is responsible for giving the order to open fire, is sufficiently close to obviate any delay?
§ Mr. HendersonI think so, Sir. If the guns do not fire during a raid there is, I think, a very good reason. It may be there is a fighter overhead, and that makes it impossible to fire in the circumstances.
§ Sir A. Lambert WardIs the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that in the raid in question bombs were falling on Hull for at least five minutes before a single anti-aircraft gun opened fire?
§ Mr. HendersonAll I can say is that the operational control of guns is in the hands of Fighter Command of the Air Ministry. That is the position.