§ 35. Mr. W. J. Brownasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information showing the terms of service overseas applied to the American Armed Forces, Dominion Forces, and Crown Colony Forces, respectively
§ Sir J. GriggI understand that there is no tour of service fixed in the American Armed Forces or in general in the Forces of the Dominions except that they are working towards one in the case of New Zealand. For military reasons a number of formations of those Forces, as of the United Kingdom Forces, returned to their homeland at some time or other in the course of the war. As far as non-European colonial troops are concerned no scheme to bring troops back home after a fixed period is in operation.
§ Mr. BrownIs it not a fact that whether or not there is a formula governing this matter, the period of overseas service of the Forces referred to in the Question works out in practice to considerably less than is exacted from British soldiers; and must the British soldier get the rough end of the stick all the time?
§ Sir J. GriggI am as sorry as anybody that it is not possible to give our soldiers conditions in all respects as good as the best of the other Allies, but they are in a position as regards reserves of manpower in which we unfortunately are not.