§ Mr. BARRANDasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that there was recently an accumulation of over 2,000 officers surplus to requirements at Cologne; and who was responsible for this state of affairs?
Captain GUESTI understand that the statement made in the first part of my hon. Friend's question is not correct. There are in the Army of the Rhine a number of officers surplus to the establishments of the actual number of units. Apart from the fact that a percentage of officers must necessarily be maintained surplus to the establishment of units to provide reinforcements to replace wastage, it is obvious that until the excess of the War strength over the present much reduced establishment can be completely absorbed or demobilised there must be surpluses somewhere. The1704W reduction of the general surplus numbers, regarded as a whole, is proceeding satisfactorily. The Commander-in-Chief Army of the Rhine is giving this matter his personal attention.