§ Mr. RAFFANasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that John Morris Jones enlisted in the Loyal Regiment on 8th June, 1922, at Ashbourne Street, Bolton; that he was then under 18 years of age and therefore ineligible under the, King's Regulations and the terms stated in recruiting posters to enlist without his father's consent that his father asked for his release on 10th June and has done so repeatedly since; that he has failed to receive any satisfactory reply to his communications on the subject; and whether, under the circumstances, the lad will be immediately released?
§ Sir R. SANDERSThe hon. Member is under a misapprehension. A man who succeeds in enlisting by mis-stating his age may be held to serve if he is between 17 and 18 years of age, and discharge is ordinarily only carried out in such cases when there are grounds of compassion which warrant it. In the present case, which has been carefully investigated, no such grounds have been found to exist, and Mr. Jones was informed accordingly on 10th July last.