HL Deb 06 March 1911 vol 7 cc320-2

*THE DUKE OF BEDFORD rose to ask the Under-Secretary of State for War—

The total number of Regular Infantry officers required for the Expeditionary Force.

The number of Regular infantry officers who are at present serving at home in the 82 battalions, and who are by the Army List of January, 1911, not seconded.

The number of Infantry officers required for the seven battalions who will remain at home on the departure of the Expeditionary Force.

The noble Duke said: These questions arise from a debate which took place a fortnight ago in your Lordships' House. In the course of that debate I made the statement that in the event of mobilisation there would be a shortage of Regular infantry officers. The noble Lord the Under-Secretary of State for War did not accept that statement as accurate. My first question is as to the total number of Regular infantry officers required for the Expeditionary Force. For this Force there are seventy-five battalions of Infantry. In each battalion there are twenty-eight officers, so that the total number of Regular infantry officers (including Guards) required for the seventy-five battalions by the War Establishments, 1910–1911, is 2,100. With regard to the Mounted Infantry, according to the statement of the Secretary of State for War on June 27 last the strength of the Mounted Infantry is as follows. There are two mounted Brigades and two companies of Mounted Infantry to act as divisional Cavalry for each of the six Divisions. The two mounted Brigades are composed of four battalions, and each battalion wants twenty-five officers, so that the four altogether require 100. The twelve companies will each require six officers, or a total of seventy-two. The total, therefore, of Regular Infantry officers required in the Expeditionary Force for Mounted Infantry duties is 172. Thus the total required of Regular officers for the Expeditionary Force is 2,272. Then I next ask the noble Lord the number of Regular Infantry officers who are at present serving at home in the eighty-two battalions and who are by the Amy List of January, 1911, not seconded. I make that number myself, by counting them up in the Army List" to be 1,940. I ask also the number of Infantry officers required for the seven battalions remaining at home on the departure of the Expeditionary Force. There are seven battalions, which gives a total of 196. The result of those figures is this. The deficiency for the Expeditionary Force is 332 officers, leaving out, the 196 required for the seven home battalions. The total deficiency is 528.

TEE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (LORD LUCAS)

My Lords, in answer to the noble Duke's first question, I may say that we find the number required is 2,461, exclusive of those required for Staff appointments. To the second question the reply is that on January 1 last the number was 1,998. The answer to the third question is that four battalions, not seven, will remain at home, and the number of officers required for these is 112. With regard to the other remark, the noble Duke must take into consideration that not only the Special Reserve but also the Reserve of officers are available. The Paper laid on the Table of this House in May, 1909, showed that the total number of Infantry officers available for service abroad was 5,210 in January, 1909, and the number available now is slightly in excess of that.

THE DUKE OF BEDFORD

Do I understand the noble Lord to say there will he no deficiency in Regular officers on mobilisation for the Expeditionary Force?

LORD LUCAS

I prefer to reply to that by referring the noble Duke to my previous replies with regard to mobilisation.

VISCOUNT MIDLETON

Can the noble Lord tell us how many Infantry officers have been reduced in the last five years?

LORD LUCAS

I should like notice of that. I may say that the number of Infantry officers serving at home on December 1,1905, was 2,316. The number serving at home on January 1,1909, was 2,660, which is an increase of rather over 300.