§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether a draft of four men and a sergeant were sent from the 4th battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, Belfast, on 15th February to Grantham; are these men to be returned to their battalion or will any Irish soldier of the five be allowed to remain in this Irish regiment; did these men agree to join a non-Irish corps; and, if not, will their wish to remain in an Irish regiment be respected?
§ Mr. TENNANTMen are being transferred from all reserve battalions to the Machine Gun Corps, at Grantham. These men will not be sent back to their regiment. The Machine Gun Corps is composed of men of all regiments, English, Scotch, Irish and Welsh, and it is not proposed to exclude Irish regiments from the privilege of contributing their share of the numbers required to form this corps. Men are selected for their special fitness for the duties required.