§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALDasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to postcards, printed or otherwise duplicated, that have been sent by responsible officers of the Territorial Army to non-commissioned officers and members of the ranks asking them to state by certain specified dates whether they are willing to serve abroad, and stating that in the event of their replying in the affirmative they will receive a distinctive badge; whether the War Office countenances such proceedings; whether, as these postcards have been printed and duplicated, the expense is to be borne by official moneys at the disposal of the county associations; whether, as these postcards are couched in practically the same language, they have emanated from the War Office; and, if not, whether the War Office has any information as to their origin?
§ Mr. HALDANEI have now seen one of these postcards, for which I am obliged to the hon. Member. These postcards have not emanated from the War Office nor has the Army Council any knowledge as to their origin or as to arrangements as to incidence of cost. Usually the cost of such, inquiries would fall on the contingent fund of the commanding officer. My present answer may be regarded as equivalent to instructions that no pressure direct or indirect is to be put upon any man of the Territorial Force to induce him to undertake this obligation.
§ Mr. GREENEasked whether any members of the Territorial Force have complied with Army Order E 624, setting forth the terms of an agreement whereby members of that force are invited to subject themselves to service Abroad in any place outside the United Kingdom, and, if so, how many; and whether, in view of the fact that the Territorial Force is intended for the purpose of Home defence, what steps it is proposed to take to fill, with adequately trained men, the gaps in the Home Defence Force which will be occasioned by the absence of the existing Territorialists?
§ Mr. HALDANEA number of men have accepted the liability to service abroad, but the exact figures are not yet available. Should it ever prove necessary to employ these men for service abroad in time of war, it is not contemplated that they will be so used until the Territorial Force has had a considerable amount of training on embodiment. By that time the Territorial 563W Force Reserve and the men who on embodiment were recruits should together more than suffice to fill their places.