§ 9. Mr. Wiggasked the Secretary of State for War the number of admissions to hospital as a result of the recent disorder at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst; and the length of stay in hospital of the patients concerned.
§ Mr. WiggWould the right hon. Gentleman tell the House what disciplinary action was taken in connection with these disorders which caused damage to public property and caused the admission of men to hospital? Or do we take it that it is his fixed policy that disciplinary action is taken only when it falls, not on the Military Academy, but other branches of the Service?
§ Mr. HeadI will admit that during this particular jubilation the cadets were rather rough. They were addressed subsequently by the Commandant, and were told they had been too rough. At the same time, I do not think that on an occasion like this we can expect them to sit in the mess after dinner reading Clausewitz or knitting.
§ Mr. WiggWould the right hon. Gentleman say whether any disciplinary action was taken, and, if not, why not'?
§ Mr. WiggMay I have an answer to my question? Was disciplinary action taken, and, if not, why not?
§ Mr. ShinwellYes, but why does the right hon. Gentleman brush this matter aside as though it were of no consequence? After all said and done, if action has occurred of a disorderly character—[Laughter]—and, presumably, there was some disorder; the right hon. Gentleman has himself admitted it—
§ Brigadier Prior-PalmerIt has been going on for 100 years.
§ Mr. Shinwell—are we to understand that disorder, which has been tolerated for nearly 100 years, must still be tolerated because it applies to cadets? Would the same treatment be applied to other ranks?
§ Mr. HeadThese occasions of jubilation do sometimes tend to disorder, and I believe it has even occurred in this House—
§ Mr. ShinwellBut here there is discipline.
§ Mr. Head—but what I would point out is this, that it is traditional in this establishment—and I do not think it causes much harm—that there is certain jubilation towards the end of each term. It has occurred in the past, and, indeed, I myself have taken part in it. I think that on this particular occasion the cadets were unduly rough, but I have no doubt that, in the light of the Commandant's address, that will not occur next year.
§ Major BeamishCan my right hon. Friend say how many times the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Wigg), who asked this Question, would have been put into the lake if he had been at Sandhurst?
§ Mr. WiggIs it the fact that because the right hon. Gentleman has taken part in these jubilations he now protects the perpetrators of what, after all, was an outrage and breach of discipline? Consider the consequences of their action. What I want to establish is this. Will the right hon. Gentleman tell the House whether there are to be two rules, one for his class and one for mine?
§ Mr. HeadNo, Sir, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that he can be quite certain that in this particular jubilation there were a great many representatives of all classes, as there are at Sandhurst today.