§ Mr. SWANasked the Secretary of State for War whether Sapper A. T. Turner, No. 191442, A Company, Royal Engineers Signal Service Depot, Poona, has been overseas since 1916; whether he had seven periods of illness in Mesopotamia due to heat stroke, enteric fever, and trench fever; whether he was sent to India for his health and was there declared to be unfit; whether he was nevertheless returned to Mesopotamia; whether he was ordered for demobilisation on 25th March at Baghdad and sent to Basra for embarkation whether, as a result of an outbreak of diphtheria, he was detained there for some weeks; whether, on arrival in India, he was retained for service; and whether he will cause an immediate inquiry to be made?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI have already stated that when demobilisation recommences in India those men who arrived from Mesopotamia will be amongst the first to be released. The reinforcements are now commencing to arrive in India, and a large number of the eligible men in that country will be released accordingly. Under these circumstances, I regret that I can take no special action in the particular case mentioned by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. SWANasked the Secretary of State for War whether Sapper J. T. Rutherford, No. 126345, L Signal Battalion, who is 571W stationed at St. Pol-sur-Ternoise, France, is over forty-one years of age and has been informed that he is not eligible for demobilisation; and whether, having regard to the specific promises which have been repeatedly made, he will cause immediate inquiries to be made?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am not aware that Sapper Rutherford has been informed as suggested. If his age is as stated by the hon. Member he will be released in accordance with the instructions recently issued, and he should proceed for demobilisation by the end of this month.
§ Mr. WATERSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private Tom Smalley, No. 95068, Royal Army Medical Corps, Military Laboratory, Kantara, Egypt, enlisted when thirty-eight years of age and is now forty-one; that he has four children entirely dependent upon him; that his wife's doctor's certificate, stating that she is incapable of doing any of her home work, was sent on as a justification for the man's release on compassionate grounds, yet such evidence has been refused as insufficient for his release by the Major-General of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force; and, seeing that the man is eligible for release according to age and under the sad circumstances, will he at once cable for the man's immediate release?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIf Private Smalley's age is as stated by my hon. Friend, he will be released in accordance with the instructions recently issued, and he should proceed for demobilisation by the end of this month. In the circumstances no special action appears to be called for.
Mr. YOUNGasked the Secretary of State for War if he will explain why the Lancashire Education Committee are still deprived of the services of A. S. William Almond, for whose release instructions were issued on 22nd March last by the War Office; and whether he will take steps to secure that the said instructions will be given effect to without further delay?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLA telegram has been dispatched inquiring into the cause of Sergeant Almond's demobilisation being delayed, and as soon as a reply is received I will inform the hon. Member.