§ Mr. Donovanasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that an urgent application for compassionate leave on the ground of his mother's serious illness was submitted by 14056150 Lance-Corporal D. Chadwick, 115, Kitchener Road, Leicester, serving in the Middle East, three weeks before the same was granted; that he was then sent home from Egypt by boat which took a further 14 days, so that this soldier did not reach home either before his mother died, or before she was buried; and if he will take steps to reduce the time taken for the investigation of such applications and to provide air transport when they are granted.
§ Mr. BellengerThe soldier himself, I understand, submitted an application locally on 13th September. The case was also referred to the War Office on 20th September by the soldier's father through the local Welfare Office and the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association. A signal was sent to Middle East on 21st September and the soldier was granted compassionate leave on 24th September. Wherever possible in such cases air passages are granted but there are many claimants of high priority for these passages and it may often be quicker for a soldier to come home by sea if a passage is available immediately, as in this case, than to wait for an air passage.