§ Brigadier-General COCKERILLasked the Secretary of State for War whether there is any reason why Sergeant A. G. Smith, No. 497218, Royal Army Medical Corps, No. 6 Company, Depot, Cosham, Hants, now stationed at the Military Hospital, IIilsea. Portsmouth, who joined the Army in November, 1914, served twelve months in France, and was invalided home, should not be demobilised forthwith?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLSergeant Smith is not registered by the War Office either as pivotal or for special release. If his length of service is as stated by my hon. and gallant Friend ho is eligible for demobilisation unless he is serving under pre-war conditions of service and his term of Colour service is not completed. If he is eligible he will be released as soon as the exigencies of the Service permit. I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that personnel of the Royal Army Medical Corps, though eligible for demobilisation, -are liable to be temporarily retained until their services can be spared or they can be replaced. Men so retained are being replaced as rapidly as possible by men who are not eligible for demobilisation.
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§ Mr. RAWLINSONasked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the case of Private J. Llewellyn Jones, 3rd Southern Non-Combatant Corps, undergraduate student at Cambridge, now in camp at Donington; and whether he can see his way to release Mr. Jones to continue his studies at Cambridge?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. Private Jones is not registered by the War Office either as pivotal or for special release. As I have already stated in this House, students are treated on exactly the same footing, as regards demobilisation, as other men. In order to be released they must' be eligible for demobilisation under current instructions. If this man is eligible under such instructions he will be released as soon as the exigencies of the Service permit.
§ Mr. INSKIPasked the Secretary of State for War whether consideration may be given to the case of Private George Andrews, No. 38905, 16th Worcestershire Regiment, at present on duty at the Drill Hall, Swindon, who volunteered three times in 1914 and 1915, and was rejected on each occasion on medical grounds, but was afterwards called up for sedentary work in 1916, being classed as a B 2 man, and whose wife has four children under ten years of ago to look after and is shortly expecting her confinement; and whether, in view of the fact that Mrs. Andrews has no one to help her, her husband may be discharged on compassionate grounds or on other grounds applicable to his case?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLPrivate Andrews is not registered either as pivotal or for special release, nor is there trace of any application on his behalf having been received by the War Office. If this case falls within any of the categories prescribed in the Instructions recently issued governing demobilisation on compassionate grounds, and my hon. Friend will obtain a statement giving full facts and particulars certified as set out in the said Instructions, it will be considered.
§ General Sir IVOR PHILIPPSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has received an application from Mr. W. Richards, of Shamrock Cottage, Alma Road, Bassett, Southampton, for the release of his son, Sapper J. Richards, No. 146980, 226th Field Company, Royal 1043W Engineers, British Expeditionary Force, France, on compassionate grounds, such compassionate grounds being that Mr. Richards' three sons joined up voluntarily for the War and two of them have been killed in action; and whether he will see if it is possible to extend to the father of this family at least as favourable treatment as regards his son as he extends to conscientious objectors?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLInquiries are already being made in this case, and I will inform my hon. and gallant Friend of the result as early as possible.
Lieut.-Colonel BUCKLEYasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that orders for the release of Gunner. A. H. Parry, No. 362556, l5th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Egyptian Expeditionary Force, were cabled to Egypt on the 6th March last, and yet, notwithstanding these orders, Gunner Parry is still retained in the Army; and if he will have inquiries made with a view to the immediate demobilisation of this soldier whose release has been approved by the Director-General of Mobilisation?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLSpecial inquiries are being made in this case, and I will inform my hon. and gallant Friend of the result as early as possible.
Lieut.-Colonel SPENDER CLAYasked the Secretary of State for War whether Sergeant J. Saunders, No. 58597, 97th Labour Company, Salonika Force, who has been two and a half years without leave in (Salonika, may expect early demobilisation in view of his long service in an unhealthy climate.
§ Mr. CHURCHILLSergeant Saunders is not registered by the War Office either as pivotal or for special release. If he is eligible for demoblisation under current instructions he will be released as soon as the exigencies of the Service permit.
Lieut.-Colonel SPENDER CLAYasked the Secretary of State for War whether Private F. H. Walter, No. 382247, E.F.C., R.A.S.C., A.P.O.L.I., British Expeditionary Force, Italy, aged forty, is entitled to demobilisation, or whether, in view of the fact that he has been retained as indispensable, he may be granted leave, seeing that he has been in Italy since November, 1917?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLPrivate Walter is not registered by the War Office either as pivotal or for special release. If his age1044W is as stated by my hon. and gallant Friend he is eligible for demobilisation unless he is serving under pre-war conditions of service and his term of Colour service is not completed. If he is eligible he will be released as soon as the exigencies of the Service permit. I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that personnel of the Royal Army Service Corps, though eligible for demobilisation, are liable to be temporarily retained as part of the military machinery for demobilisation until their services can be spared or they can be replaced. Men so retained are being replaced as rapidly as possible by men who are not eligible for demobilisation. With regard to the last part of the question, men who are eligible for demobilisation are not being granted leave unless there is a probability of considerable delay in their demobilisation.
§ Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private W. J. Hill, No. 235056, 8th Yorkshire Regiment, Victory Camp, A.P.O., L. 1, Arquata, Italian Expeditionary Force, who joined up in September, 1916, has filled up all his demobilisation papers at Cæsar's Camp, Arquata, was told that he would leave Italy on the 6th, 13th, or 26th April last, but has not yet sailed; whether he is also aware that this man's employer has repeatedly applied for his release without success; whether all communications addressed to Private Hill are returned marked demobilised; and whether he will order this man's immediate return to England?
§ Mr. FORSTERPrivate Hill is not registered either as pivotal or for special release, nor is there trace of any application on his behalf having been received by the War Office. I am also informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour that he is not so registered by his Department. If he joined the Colours after 1st January, 1916, he is not eligible for demobilisation unless he falls within one of the exceptions set out in Army Order 55 of 1919. If he is eligible, he will be released as soon as the exigencies of the Service permit.
§ Mr. HAYDAYasked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry whether he is aware that a cable was sent to Mudros ordering the demobilisation of No. 242320/A.C. 1 Sheail, F. H. J., but in consequence of the name being incorrectly spelt the commanding officer asked for the cable to be repeated; that in the mean- 1045W time the soldier was transferred to South Russia; and whether, in view of the fact that instructions were received for this man's demobilisation, his number being given correctly, before he was sent to Russia, he will order the immediate return of the soldier?
§ Major-General SEELYThe facts are as stated in the question. The mistake arose through a fire at the station, when some of the documents were burnt. Orders have been issued for the return to England of this air mechanic.