§ 18. Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieuasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why S. A. C. Vernon Walker was withdrawn from a university course in Russian five days before the course was due to begin.
Mr. WardAs I explained to the hon. Member in my letter of 13th October, S. A. C. Walker was selected for the course at Cambridge in error and was withdrawn when the mistake was discovered. This airman was then returned to his former trade of photographer, instead of being allowed to complete the full nine-month course for training regular airmen as second-class translators at a Joint Services School for Linguists. Instructions are now being issued for S. A. C. Walker to be returned to a Linguist School.
I greatly regret the disappointment which has been caused to the airman and to his parents through our mistake in informing him that he had been earmarked for a university course.
§ Mr. MallalieuCould the Under-Secretary say to which school he is being returned?