§ 43 and 44. Mr. D. Howellasked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) the steps he has now taken to secure stricter control and supervision of speed marches, following the death of Marine D. Rhyce-Rees on such a march; and whether he will include the instruction that when a man collapses the man next to him shall remain with him until he is removed to medical care;
(2) whether the speed march held on 31st March, during which Marine D. Rhyce-Rees collapsed, was in full kit, and whether he is aware that the task of speed marching nine miles in ninety minutes is too rigorous; and, as on this occasion two men were looking rather distressed and thus caused the cancellation of the intended range-firing exercise, he will review such arrangements with a view to making the task of speed marching more reasonable.
§ Commander NobleFor the march on 31st May, the men were in light denim uniform, open at the neck, and they did not wear headgear; their equipment, including rifle, weighed 17½ lb. The 1176 speed march is a well-established and important part of Commando training, and I do not consider it too rigorous for fit men who have been trained up to it by planned stages.
The marine in question died on 4th June, not as a result of the march, but of an acute virus infection. Further precautions have been added to those already observed in these tests. The arrangements will be supervised by a captain or more senior officer in addition to the officer who accompanies the men, and tests will not take place in very hot weather. The squads will be counted at the beginning and end of the march—[Laughter.]—and they may be subdivided, according to the capacity of the men, into groups each of which will move at the pace of the slowest man. This last precaution should ensure that a man cannot fall out unobserved.
§ Mr. HowellIs the Minister aware that on this occasion the man next to the man who collapsed saw that he was going to faint and collapse? The arrangements were quite inadequate. The man was left for an hour in long grass and was not detected by the N.C.O. behind or by the follow-up lorries. Is it not a matter of elementary decency that when a comrade sees a man faint, he should be detailed to stay with him until he is collected and removed to medical care? Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that the British Navy record for walking ten miles is only one hour fifteen minutes, or just under, for a man suitably clad? In view of that, it is not undesirable that men should be asked to walk nine miles in ninety minutes in full kit and with rifles, and will the Minister look into this matter?
§ Commander NobleThis man was not in full kit. I did, in my Answer, state the actual kit carried. The rate of marching was decided upon as a result of operational experience and of the reasonable training required. I am most grateful to the hon. Member for the trouble which he has taken over this, and I hope the arrangements we are making for these marches will be in accordance with what I feel is the opinion of this House. May I say, with regard to hon. Members thinking what I said was very funny, that the point of counting the men was implied in the Question and was a factor in the case.
§ Major WallIs it not a fact that the Marines work up to these speed marches after a six weeks' course and Commandos are required to march at this speed over difficult country? Is he aware that several hon. Members have undergone similar speed marches and, therefore, it is utterly ridiculous for the hon. Member for Birmingham, All Saints' (Mr. D. Howell) to say that this is too rigorous?