§ 19. Mr. Leaveyasked the Secretary of State for War if he is satisfied that the recent move of the 1st Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment to Aden adequately demonstrated the mobility of the Central Reserve; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AmeryThe battalion concerned is one of the units of the Strategic Reserve earmarked for internal security duties. 1203 Orders to move were issued on the evening of 11th April. On the 14th, the battalion was moved south from Yorkshire and the first troops left by air on the morning of the 15th.
The move to Kenya was complete by 19th April, eight days after the original order was issued. By then, advanced elements had already been sent ahead to Aden.
This move gives encouraging evidence of the readiness and mobility of the Strategic Reserve, and the flexibility of Transport Command.
§ Mr. LeaveyI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that encouraging Answer, but could he tell us why it is that this particular force was not delivered to its ultimate objective which was, presumably, Aden, and was staged, as I understand it, through Kenya?
§ Mr. AmeryAs I said in my Answer, the advance elements were already in Aden before the last elements of the battalion had reached Kenya; they were phased through as quickly as possible.
§ Mr. StracheyWill the Under-Secretary of State tell us what equipment was moved for this battalion, because it is not really so impressive unless most of its equipment was moved with it? Also, will he hesitate in claiming too much for the mobility of our Strategic Reserve out of the movement of a single battalion?
§ Mr. AmeryI do not think that I am claiming too much. I am only saying that it is encouraging evidence in so far as it goes. Where the equipment is concerned, the troops involved took their own personal and light equipment but we had, of course, taken precautions to stockpile equipment in Aden.