Mr. BOWER MANasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware, that the cadre of the 137th (Deptford) Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, landed at Dover from France on 24th June, and were instructed to proceed to London and report to the mayor at the Deptford Town Hall, but that no official notification of their arrival in this country or intended visit to the town hall was conveyed to the mayor; and if he can state the name of the official responsible for the failure to notify the mayor of the arrival of the men, who were 1416W thereby deprived of the welcome which it was the desire of the municipal authorities to give to them upon their return to the borough?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am informed that a telegram was sent from headquarters, London District, to the mayor early on the 24th June, to the effect that the cadre in question was due to arrive at Dover on that day, but that the time at which they were due to arrive in London was not yet known. London District later received a telegram from Dover stating that the cadre would arrive about 9 p.m., but this telegram was unfortunately delivered too late for the mayor to be notified before the men arrived.