§ Major WARINGasked the Secretary of State for War for what purpose he maintains a military headquarters at Constantinople; whether this is an independent Army Command and of how many troops does it consist; and whether the expenses connected with this force are defrayed by ourselves or the enemy?
1954W
§ Mr. CHURCHILLA military headquarters is maintained at Constantinople for the command and administration of the British Army of the Black Sea, which forms part of the Allied Army of Occupation required to enforce the terms of the Armistice. An independent Command is necessitated by the fact that the British force is scattered in detachments from the Dardanelles to the Caspian Sea, and Egypt and Bagdad are too far away to maintain effective control and communication with forces dispersed over such a wide area. The total strength on 28th June was 84,000, made up of 37,000 British and 47,000 native troops, including 20,000 Indians. The expenses of the force are defrayed by the British Government. I am at present unable to say whether the Peace Treaty with Turkey will provide for any of these expenses being recovered from the enemy Government, as in the case of the Peace Treaties with Germany and Austria.