§ Sir A. MARKHAMasked whether only officers are engaged as pilots of flying machines on active service; and when the officers so engaged intimated their desire that their names should not be mentioned in the dispatches of the Commander-in—Chief when they had performed acts of gallantry which had received high commendation from the Commander-in-Chief in his dispatches?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The name of any officer or man who is mentioned in the dispatches of the Commander-in-Chief as having performed an act of gallantry is made public, but it has been considered desirable that the names of officers and men should not be published until the Commander-in-Chief has had an opportunity of considering the merits of the action performed, and com-paring it with others which may be equally commendable although, perhaps, less sensational. As I intimated on the 11th of this month, the question is being further considered. In the work of the Royal Flying Corps particularly those actions which appeal to the public are not necessarily more commendable than many which are performed in the ordinary routine of duty, and only the Commander-in-Chief is qualified to judge the respective merits of each case. I feel sure my hon. Friend will realise the justice of this decision. I think what I said in answer to a supplementary question the other day may have given rise to some misunderstanding. When I said that officers of the Royal Flying Corps wished that their names should not be published in the Press, I meant that they did not wish their names to appear in the554W descriptive articles furnished by news-paper correspondents. I was not referring to mention made by the Commander-in-Chief. That is an honour which officers of the Royal Flying Corps prize as highly as any other officer in His Majesty's Service.