§ Sir STUART COATSasked the Secretary of State for War whether on Peace Day it was necessary, in answer to an urgent summons, to send a detachment of troops in motor lorries, with a machine gun, from the Guards' barracks at Cater-ham to suppress a serious riot at the military hospital for venereal diseases at 576W Warlingham; and whether he is now in a position to state what steps he is taking to prevent in future the recurrence of such breaches of discipline?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am informed that there has never been a riot at the military hospital at Warlingham. A number of patients were, or had been, absent without leave on the night 18th–19th July, and to prevent additional men leaving the hospital a detachment from the Guards' depot was sent on the morning of the 19th. No machine gun accompanied the troops. The detachment of Guards was relieved the next day by other troops, who are still there. The breaches of discipline have been, and are being, dealt with in the ordinary course, and twenty men are now awaiting trial by district court-martial in connection with the occurrence.