§ General CROFTasked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether in the recent case of arrest of officers at Ley-bourne Camp, these officers were placed under arrest pending further instructions; whether any investigation took place; whether they were put under arrest for any definite charge; whether the charge was later entered as disobedience of orders; and whether in fact the order which these officers were presumed to have disobeyed had ever been conveyed to these officers; and (2) whether, on the occasion of the recent air raid, certain officers at Leybourne Camp were placed under arrest; if he will state on what charge these officers were arrested; and whether these officers are still under arrest?
§ Mr. BILLINGasked whether one or more officers of the Royal Flying Corps, or any other corps, have been courtmartialled at Shorncliffe or elsewhere in connection with the recent enemy aeroplane raid on the South-Eastern counties; if so, for what reason was this court-martial held; and what was the finding of the court?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have not received any information as to the matters suggested in the question, but I will make inquiries.
§ Captain BENNETT-GOLDNEYasked the tinder-Secretary of State for War at what time of the day the first notification was received in London at the Horse Guards, or other office concerned, during the recent daylight raid in the Folkestone area that the enemy machines had been seen on their way to this country and had 352W actually arrived from overseas upon their destructive mission, respectively; and if he will state at what time any warning was sent either to the military or civil authorities of the area either that a raid was to be expected or that our own machines and guns should be in readiness for a possible attack?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe information asked for would disclose to the enemy the measures taken in this country for defence against aerial attack, which it is most undesirable should be made public.
§ Captain BENNETT-GOLDNEYasked whether, during the recent raid on Folkestone and the neighbourhood, any British aeroplanes or seaplanes capable of rising to a similar altitude as that at which the German machines were flying were and are held in readiness for ascent and fighting within the area; and whether any orders were sent through to any flying stations within the area that any such machines should take the air in readiness for defence or attack before the appearance of the enemy?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative.
§ Captain BENNETT-GOLDNEYasked whether in connection with the recent raid in the Folkestone area, any warning at all was sent, either to the military or civil authorities of the area or of the Canterbury or the Ashford area, that enemy machines had arrived or were about to arrive over the Eastern or South-Eastern coasts; whether air defence of any kind was either available or, if available, utilised against these particular raiders within the area attacked; and who or what authority was responsible for the neglect to provide any adequate and efficient defences against such a raid in this area?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONAir defence of various kinds was both available and utilised. It would not be in the public interest to discuss the extent of the defences or the system of warning.
§ Captain BENNETT-GOLDNEYasked whether some fifteen minutes after the German machines concerned in the recent raid in the Folkestone area had left our shores an order from London or elsewhere that certain of our own machines should take the air was sent to any of the flying centres within the area; whether machines suitable for actual defence were 353W known, to be in readiness in this area; whether it was only after such an order had been received that any of our own machines did go up in pursuit; whether the machines then sent up were of such a type as to be capable of climbing swiftly to an altitude of 14,000 or 15,000 feet and there meeting the German machines which came over on terms of equality; and how many of such British machines did actually go up in pursuit while the enemy were near enough to be caught up before reaching the protection of their own lines?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThere is no foundation for the allegations in the first part of the question. The answer to the second part is in the affirmative, and to the third part in the negative, and the fourth part does not arise. It is not in the public interest to give the information asked for in the last part of the question.
§ Captain BENNETT-GOLDNEYasked how many, or whether any, anti-aircraft guns, exclusive of any at Dover, were in use in the area affected or its immediate neighbourhood during the recent raid in the Folkestone area; whether all or any of these guns, if any, had a sufficient range to reach to a height of 14,000 or 15,000 feet; and, if so, how it was that the shells -which were seen from Folkestone to be fired after the machines had left appeared to burst at a very much lower altitude?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONInformation as to the numbers, disposition, and efficiency of the guns available for anti-aircraft defence would be exceedingly valuable to the enemy, and cannot therefore be made public.