§ 5.44 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF MANSFIELD asked His Majesty's Government if they would state the position, in regard to war gratuities, of Allied nationals serving, or who have served, in the Armed Forces of His Majesty. The noble Earl said: My Lords, it is doubtful if everyone realizes how many, or what a diversity of, foreigners have served actually in His Majesty's Forces during the war. I do not refer to those larger bodies of foreign troops, such as the Polish and Norwegian forces, who were for considerable periods in this country under their own senior officers, but to the smaller but by no means inconsiderable numbers who, for one reason or another, found themselves serving actually in His Majesty's Forces, usually, though by no means always, in the Royal Air Force. The ways in which these persons found their way into our Army varied, of course, in each case.
§ In many cases they were the debris of Allied Armies who, after the German break-through in Europe, had found themselves able to make their escape to this country and had no opportunity of joining forces of their own native country, because not enough of them had escaped to form a separate homogeneous unit. In other cases there were many citizens of the United States of America who threw themselves actively into the war long before their own country entered it. In the latter case a great many of them, like the famous Eagle Squadron, went back to their own Command when the United States was drawn into the conflict; but a considerable number, I understand, remained on fighting with our Forces. There were also other neutrals who joined our ranks, whose countries were never drawn into the war at all. Some three years ago I met on leave in. Scotland a young Chilian who was just about to qualify as a Flying Officer, and he told me that, even at that time, there 455 were, lie believed, at least 2,000 representatives of the neutral Republics of South America who had come, often at great risk and inconvenience to themselves, even in getting here, to fight for civilization. I was acquainted with two young Mexicans, brothers of very considerable means, who had also thrown themselves into the fray and at least one of whom lost his life while serving in the Royal Air Force.
§ Rumours have recently been circulating to the effect that the position of these foreign nationals who have served up to the end of their war service, or who are not yet demobilized, in His Majesty's Forces, is not to be the same as that of our own nationals in regard to war gratuities. I trust that that will not prove to be the case for, surely, when a man, or a woman, has given his or her whole service in our Army, Navy or Air Force, on exactly the same conditions, and has endured the same dangers, as our own nationals, he or she is entitled to be treated in exactly the same way as these nationals of ours are treated. Anything less, I submit, would be decidedly unjust. I hope, therefore, that the noble Lord who is to reply will be able to satisfy me on this point, and to confirm that any stories circulating to the contrary are baseless rumours.
§ 5.47 p.m.
§ LORD NATHANMy Lords, war gratuity is payable to Allied nationals in the British Forces on the same conditions as to British members of the British Forces in those cases where the ultimate cost will fall on British funds. But where the pay and the like of Allied personnel, even though borne initially by British funds, falls to be charged ultimately against the funds of the Allied nation concerned, His Majesty's Government cannot undertake responsibility for the payment of war gratuity.
THE EARL OF MANSFIELDMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his reply, I fear that I must press him a little further. Will he be kind enough to state what is the position, for example, in regard to a Pole serving in the British Air Force throughout the whole of his service, and now demobilized, or about to be demobilized? Will he receive the British war gratuity? Will responsibility 456 for paying him such gratuity be transferred to the Government of Poland; and have the Government of Poland and any other, or all other Allied Governments, agreed to undertake that payment will be made at the same rate that the recipient would have received if he had remained in our Forces?
§ LORD NATHANIn answer to the noble Earl's further question, I would repeat what I have already said—where the ultimate cost will fall on British funds, war gratuity is payable to Allied nationals in the British Forces on the same conditions as to British members of the British Forces; otherwise not.
THE EARL OF MANSFIELDMy Lords, I am sorry but I must ask the noble Lord to be a little more explicit. Otherwise, I shall be compelled to put down a further question.