§ Sir R. Youngasked the Secretary of State for War (I) what is the highest rank to which officers of R.E.M.E. can rise; and whether, as a combatant corps in a fighting area, officers of lower rank in other corps take precedence of, and be in authority over, their superiors in rank who are R.E.M.E. officers; (2) what the difference between 189 and 190 of King's Regulations means regarding officers of the R.E.M.E.; whether the officers and men of this combatant corps are denied the status of that given to officers and men in the Royal Engineers, and why?
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§ Sir J. GriggThe highest rank to which a R.E.M.E. officer can rise is that of Major-General. Paragraph 189 of King's Regulations confers certain powers of command on R.E.M.E. officers but paragraph 190 does not apply to them. Officers of corps with more extensive powers of command than R.E.M.E. officers may exercise command over R.E.M.E. officers of higher rank. I outlined the reasons for this difference in an answer I gave my hon. Friend on 20th July.