§ Sir JOHN BUTCHERasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether a soldier who has been serving abroad and has been wounded and sent home as only fit for home service is entitled to a gratuity of £5 for the first year of his service and 10s. a month for every month of service after the first year, or is only entitled to a gratuity of £5 for the first year and 10s. for every month of service abroad and 5s. for every month of service at home after the first year?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe war gratuity is payable on the basis mentioned in the first part of my hon. and learned Friend's question.
§ Colonel ASHLEYasked the Secretary, of State for War whether, in view of the fact that Army Order 17, of 1919, absolutely debars from the special war gratuity thousands of men who voluntarily joined Up in 1914 and 1915, served for less than six months, and were then discharged with no overseas service through no fault of their own, thus placing them on a level with men dishonourably discharged and conscientious objectors, he will consider some modification of this Army Order?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe decision that a soldier who had not rendered any war service overseas should be required to 295W have given a minimum period of more than six months' service at home was reached by the Government after very careful consideration, and I regret that it is not possible to re-open the matter.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the gratuities payable to soldiers of £5 for the first year and of 10s. or 5s. a month for every month after the first year during the present War are given in addition to or substitution for the war service gratuities of £1 for every year of service?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLGenerally the war gratuity is in substitution for the service gratuity; but in the case of soldiers serving on regular attestations of the ordinary type, no deduction will be made, when the soldier is eventually discharged, by reason of the war gratuity given in respect of the years of war.