§ Mr. R. McNEILLasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the 687W name of Sapper A. G. Atkins, No. 66688, Royal Engineers, was included in a list of official returns of the Army postal service as being retained as part of the machinery of demobilisation, such list bearing the signature of Lord Methuen, Commander-in-Chief in Malta; whether Atkins' name was published in Part II. of Orders of 28th Company, Royal Engineers, as being specially retained and entitled to war bonus; whether he was in fact paid such war bonus up to the date when he left Malta on 28th March, 1919; and, in view of the fact that Atkins was retained in Malta as indispensable until the date mentioned, why the payment of bonus to Atkins was discontinued notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 106 (2) (b) of Fortress Orders, by Lord Methuen, dated the 24th February, 1919?
§ Mr. FORSTERI am having inquiries made, and will inform the hon. Member of the result.
§ Mr. HIRSTasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that there are still six 1914 men who are being retained with the 2nd Wireless Squadron in Mesopotamia; whether this squadron publishes none of the general regimental orders or memoranda dealing with the question of demobilisation; NO‡ either no men other than those whose homes are in India are being granted furlough to that country; whether only two men from this squadron have been granted a furlough to Persia; whether the men in this squadron are employed from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with twenty minutes for a break, and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; whether such a long attendance is regarded as an undue strain upon the personnel; and whether he will cause immediate inquiries to be made on the whole of these points?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiries are being made, and the hon. Member will be informed of the result in due course.
§ Mr. HIRSTasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Sapper F. W. Lee, 191988, of the 55th Brigade Signals, Sulaimaniyeh, attested under the Derby scheme, and joined the Colours on the 27th July, 1916; that he is assisting the Indian Civil Telegraph Department and that he is dealing with revenue-producing work; whether the telegraph department has a number of civilian telegraphists who could be spared from such centres as Baghdad; and, if so, whether 688W Sapper Lee can be removed from Sulaimaniyeh before the winter rains commence, as otherwise the roads will prevent his demobilisation before the late spring of 1920?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiries are being made, and I will communicate the result to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.