§ Mr. SNOWDENasked the Secretary of State for War if an Army Council instruction has been issued to the effect that in future all promotions within the establishment of units at Home will be acting rank only, and immediately on a warrant officer or a non-commissioned officer departing for service overseas he will revert to his substantive rank; and, in view of the hardship this practice will inflict upon many men who have been kept at Home as indispensable for training of recruits, will he order the revocation of this instruction?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEYes, Sir. A warrant officer or non-commissioned officer going abroad will, under the instructions lately issued, revert to his substantive rank; but it is under consideration to introduce certain modifications of this rule in the case of non-commissioned officers who have held acting rank for some months at Home on being ordered abroad with a draft. No non-commissioned officer who is fit for service abroad is to be retained at home.