HC Deb 27 July 1943 vol 391 cc1371-2
24 and 28. Sir Robert Young

asked the Secretary of State for War (I) whether all officers, whether Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers or infantry, etc., go through the same officer cadet training units and have the same training; whether there is any training of a specialised character given to Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers officers not given to the others, or vice versa; and, if so, what is the difference in each section that are being trained;

(2) the difference in training given to probable officers of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from that given to all other probable officers of other corps passing through the same officer cadets training unit; and whether there are separate training establishments from those of the Royal Engineers, Royal Corps of Signals and Royal Army Ordnance Corps or any other Army corps?

Sir J. Grigg

There are different officer cadet training units for different arms and corps of the Service, and the nature of the training and the length of the courses vary accordingly. R.E.M.E. cadets who do not possess the necessary knowledge of their technical duties and of workshop administration are sent on an r8-week course of special technical training for the R.E.M.E. After this course they are sent to an O.C.T.U. to learn their duties as officers. There are also at this O.C.T.U. cadets for R.E.M.E. who already have the necessary technical knowledge and do not need the technical course to which I have referred, and also some cadets for other arms of the service who, owing to their military knowledge and experience, do not need the full course at the O.C.T.U. of their arm or corps. The course at this O.C.T.U. has not hitherto included any subjects peculiar to the R.E.M.E., but in future the course for R.E.M.E. cadets will be lengthened and will include certain non-technical subjects peculiar to their corps.

Sir R. Young

Seeing that this is a combatant corps, will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the chances of promotion for those who pass as officers are the same as those for officers in the Royal Engineers? Will he remember that the late Lord Kitchener was a Royal Engineer?

Sir J. Grigg

I am afraid I could not possibly, in any circumstances, give a guarantee that the rates of promotion in every unit or corps of the Army will be completely uniform.