HL Deb 28 October 1947 vol 152 cc161-4
VISCOUNT LONG

My Lords, I beg leave to ask His Majesty's Government the question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The question was as follows:

To ask His Majesty's Government, what was the strength of the Regular Army and of the Territorial Army on the latest date for which figures are available, showing separately officers and other ranks, men and women and, in the case of the Regular Army, short service and normal engagements.]

THE MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION (LORD NATHAN)

My Lords, with the noble Lord's permission I will circulate in the Official Report a statement giving the information for which he asks.

Following is the statement:

Table 1.—ACTIVE ARMY.—Strength as at 30th September, 1947.
Male. A.T.S.
Serial. Detail. (I) Officers. (2) O.R. (3) Total. (4) Officers. (5) O.R. (6) Total. (7) Nursing Officers. (8) V.A.D. Members. (9) Total Women's Services. (10) Total Male & Female (Cols. 4 & 10). (11)
1 Regulars—Permanent 15,183 112,996 128,179 — — — 425 — 425 128,604
2 Regulars—Short Service 9,101 16,954 26,055 — — — — — — 26,055
3 Extended Service (A.T.S.) — — — 553 5,174 5,727 — — 5,727 5,727
4 Total (serials 1–3) 24,284 129,950 154,234 553 5,174 5,727 425 — 6,152 160,386
5 All others (a) 33,435 530,292 563,727 561 16,049 16,610 1,849 227 18,686 582,413
6 Total (serials 4 & 5) 57,719 660,242 717,961 1,114 21,223 22,337 2,274 227 24,838 742,799
Note.—(a) The term "All others "comprises National Service men, whether" Fixed Term "or otherwise and all men or women who are governed by the Release Scheme, including those who have voluntarily deferred their release for any period up to General Demobilization.
Table II.—TERRITORIAL ARMY.—Actual strength as at 30th September, 1947 as reported by Officers Commanding all T.A. units in the United Kingdom.
Serial. Detail. (I) Officers. (2) O.R. (3) Total. (4)
1 Male 5,579 22,977 28,556
2 A.T.S. (T.A.) 141 3,322 3,463
3 Total (Male and Female) 5,720 26,299 32,019