Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is able to communicate to this House the result of the inquiry into the conduct of the military officers responsible for the treatment of Messrs. Beardsworth, Dukes, and Benson at Birkenhead.
§ Mr. FORSTERAs the inquiry has not yet been completed the matter must be regarded as stillsub judice.
Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether his attention has been called to the case of Private H. Alty, No. 5420, 4th Battalion, B Company, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, a conscientious objector to military service, who, while at North 4, Park Hall Camp, Oswestry, was subjected to persistent ill-treatment by being tied from shoulder to shoulder with a rope and then on to a barrow handle; whether he is aware that he was then dragged along by men on either side while another forced his head back and he was prodded from behind with a sharp instrument until he collapsed on the floor, and that he was then dragged some considerable distance and afterwards thrown on the top of the barrow; what action he proposes to take; and (2) whether his attention has been called to the treatment, of A. Robinson, a conscientious objector to military service, 669W at the hands of the military authorities at Park Hall Camp, Oswestry; whether he is aware that Robinson was frog-marched, and that his equipment, kit-bag, and rifle were tied to his back, and he was forced through the motions of the physical exercises; that a pick and shovel were tied round his neck and he was handcuffed, his feet tied together, a pack tied to his back, and a cord tied from his ankles to his hands and pulled tight until his legs bent; whether he is aware that later five picks and five shovels were tied round his neck, and he was cuffed and kicked about, and afterwards dragged round the passage by the hair of his head and kicked; that he was hit about the head with the flat of the hand and hit with a stick continually until he was black and blue; that he was afterwards tied to the handles of the machine used for the grinding of oats and, because he then refused to work the machine, his thumbs were then tied together and he was hit frequently again and again with a stick and struck on the nose, dragged about, and jabbed with a sharp instrument; and will he say what action he proposes to take?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe facts are not as stated. The incidents which led to these allegations of ill-treatment took place some time last August. Private Robinson was remanded for court-martial on the 5th September and Private Alty on the 16th September. Representations were made to this Department on the 28th September that these men, although refusing to obey orders, had not been remanded for trial by court-martial. Inquiries were at once made, with the results above stated. I might add that these men were seen daily by their commanding officer, and, in reply to his question as to whether they had any complaints to make or anything to say, they both invariably answered "No, thank you."