§ Captain CARR-GOMMasked the Undersecretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Regular and Territorial Artillery captains who were in command of batteries in the early part of the War and were sent home wounded before December, 1916, at which date batteries, with the exception of howitzer batteries, were augmented to six guns, and became a major's command; whether by an Army Council Instruction, August, 1917, officers in this position who were captains and had been given the acting rank of major were allowed to retain this rank on return to England; whether temporary officers who have obtained command of batteries after December, 1916, and been subsequently sent home wounded or sick have been allowed to retain the rank of major; and whether the Army Council will grant acting majorities without pay or allowances to officers who have commanded batteries, say, for six months or more, before December, 1916?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONAt the time referred to the batteries mentioned were not majors' commands, and the battery commanders, therefore, never held the rank. I am afraid, therefore, that the suggestion in the last part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question cannot be entertained.