§ Mr. ALFRED SHORTasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Staff-Sergeant R. W. Johnston, No. 512335, Royal Engineers, c/o D.O.R.E., Camicrs, A.P.O.S. 39, British Expeditionary Force, France, voluntarily joined the forces in November, 1914; whether he is thirty-eight years of age; whether repeated applications have been made for his demobilisation by the Midland Electric Corporation, Limited, Ocker Hill, Wednesbury; and, if so, will he cause inquiry to be made with a view to his demobilisation being expedited?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLSergeant Johnston is not registered either as pivotal or for special release, nor is there any trace of any application on his behalf having been received by the War Office. I am also informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour that he is not so registered by his Department. If this non-commissioned officer's age and length of service are as stated by my hon. Friend he is eligible for demobilisation, unless he is serving under pre-war conditions of service and his term of Colour service is not completed. If he is eligible, he will be released as soon as the exigencies of the Service permit. As I have already stated in the House, senior officers have been appointed to inspect unit registers with a view to ensuring that no officers or men who are eligible for demobilisation are being retained without good and sufficient cause. I regret that I cannot take any special action in this case.
Mr. THOMSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Corporal Joseph McDonald, No. 1126W S4/125534, 11th Field Battery, Army Service Corps, Base Supply Depot, No. L1, A.P.O., Italian Expeditionary Force, who enlisted in August, 1915, and is thirty-nine years of age, and has had no leave for twenty-one months, is still retained; and whether he will give orders for his immediate release?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLCorporal McDonald is not registered by the War Office either as pivotal or for special release. If his age and length of service are as stated by my hon. Friend he is eligible for demobilisation, unless he is serving under pre-war conditions of service and his term of Colour service is not completed. If he is eligible, he will be released as soon as circumstances permit.
§ Sir H. NIELDasked the Secretary of State for War the reason for the continued detention in the Army of Gunner Sidney Hurley, No. 961030, A Battery, 100th Brigade, Salonika Forces, who enlisted on the 25th July, 1915, and in respect of whom a claim has been made by Messrs. Foote and Milne, of 66, Victoria Street, S.W.1, as a workman of importance required to resume his work; whether this soldier has been sent to Russia, and, if so, under what authority; and what, if any, consent is required from a man before being sent to join the British Forces operating in Russia?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLEvery effort is being made to release all demobilisable men at the earliest possible moment, but it is obvious that they cannot all be released at once. As regards the latter part of the question, I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given on the 1st May to a question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Manchester, Moss Side, to the effect that the brigade referred to is serving in the Caucasus as part of its normal duty with the Army of Occupation. No consent on the part of a serving soldier is required before being sent to join the Army of Occupation in the Caucasus.
§ Mr. CAIRNSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can release Driver T. W. Lilburn, No. 221600, S.A.A. section, 59th Division, British Expeditionary Force, France, on compassionate grounds, seeing that his mother is seventy-one years of age, in failing health and her sole support, and that he is also a married man and his wife is not in the best of health?
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§ Mr. CHURCHILLInquiries are already being made in this case, and I will inform my hon. Friend of the result in due course.
Mr. THOMSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private David Westland, No. 301222, B Section, 89th Field Ambulance, British Expeditionary Force, Army of Occupation, Germany, who enlisted in September, 1914, is still retained; and whether he will give orders for his demobilisation?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLPrivate Westland is not registered toy the War Office as pivotal or for special release. If his length of service is as stated by my hon. Friend, he is eligible for demobilisation unless he is serving under pre-war conditions of service and his term of Colour service is not completed. If he is eligible, he will be released as soon as circumstances permit. I would remind my hon. Friend that personnel of the Royal Army Medical Corps, though eligible for demobilisation, are liable to be temporarily retained as part of the military machinery of demobilisation. Men thus retained are being released as soon as their services can be spared or they can be replaced. I would also refer to the answer given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Moss Side on the 1st, regarding the appointment of senior officers to inspect unit registers with a view to ensuring that no officers or men who are eligible for demobilisation are retained without good and sufficient cause.
§ Sir W. SEAGERasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a number of soldiers who joined up voluntarily in the early days of the War and prior to 1st January, 1916, are still being retained in the Army, although entitled to their demobilisation under the new Army Order, and that hardship is being inflicted, especially on the young men who are desirous of completing their industrial training; and whether he is prepared to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Moss Side on the 1st instant, regarding the appointment of senior officers to inspect unit registers with a view to ensuring that no officer or man who is eligible for demobilisation is retained without good and sufficient cause. I regret I cannot take any special action in the cases mentioned by my hon. Friend.
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§ Mr. F. ROBERTSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Ministry of Labour has requested the demobilisation of Private J. M. Rothwell, No. 27170, 7th Platoon, D Company, 1/1st Kents Battalion, on several occasions during the last few months; and, in view of the fact that Rothwell is an employer of labour whose return will mean the employment of more men, what steps does he propose to take in the matter?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLInstructions have already been issued for the demobilisation of Private Rothwell, but as he is stationed in India it must necessarily take time before they can be acted upon.
§ Mr. RENDALLasked the Secretary of State for War why Private A. K. Pilcher, No. 08245, Army Ordnance Corps Detachment, A.P.O. 7, British Expeditionary Force, Marseilles, is still undischarged as he joined the Army in May, 1915;whether he is aware that this man is a wheelwright at Olveston, Gloucestershire, that a great deal of work is actually waiting for him to do, and that the agriculturists in the neighbourhood are restricted in their operations owing to the impossibility of getting their work done; and is this man one of those who he said he believed would be discharged by the end of April?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLPrivate Pilcher is not registered by the War Office either as pivotal or for special release. If his length of service is as stated by my hon. Friend he is eligible for demobilisation unless he is serving under pre-war conditions of service and his term of Colour service is not completed. If he is eligible he will be released as soon as circumstances permit. I would refer to the answer given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Moss Side on the 1st instant, regarding the appointment of senior officers to inspect unit registers with a view to ensuring that to officers or men who are eligible for demobilisation are retained without good and sufficient cause.
§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Bombardier F. May, No. 182024, 34th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, British Expeditionary Force, France, is still being retained in the Army although he is forty years old, has handed a contract letter from his employer to his commanding officer duly signed by the local advisory committee, is a married man with two children, and has to help to 1129W support a widowed mother; and whether he will give instructions that he should be released as soon as possible?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLInquiries are being made in this case and I will inform my Noble Friend of the result as early as possible.
§ Mr. RENDALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether the appeal of Corporal H. Nowell, No. 21735, B Company, 6th Platoon, 1st Royal West Kents, British Expeditionary Force, France, for release on compassionate grounds has been considered; whether he is aware that this man's father died since his enlistment; that he is the only support of his mother whom her doctor has certified as unfit to live alone; whether he was invalided home from Salonika and has one brother discharged seriously wounded and unfit for any work; and will he have this case dealt with under the new rules dealing with applications on compassionate grounds?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLInquiries are already being made in this case, and I will inform my hon. Friend of the result as early as possible.
§ Mr. CROOKSasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the papers for the demobilisation of Private S. Phillips, No. 030798, A.O.C., A.P.O., S. 21, British Expeditionary Force, France, have gone through, but that no further action has been taken up to the present; and whether he can expedite this man's release?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLI am informed that instructions have already been issued for the demobilisation of Private Phillips.
§ Major CAYZERasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give instructions for the early release of Private D. Craven, No. 23355, 4th Hants Regiment; who has only recently been discharged from Milton military hospital, after suffering from pneumonia, and sent to rejoin his regiment in Germany, notwithstanding that Private Craven is entitled to three wound stripes, has lost his two brothers on service in the War, and that application for his release was endorsed by the Labour Exchange in January last without avail?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLPrivate Craven is not registered by the War Office either as pivotal or for special release. The application referred to by my hon. and gallant1130W Friend, which was endorsed by the Labour Exchange, was probably a contract offer of employment such as to obtain his registration as a "slip" man. This does not entitle him to immediate demobilisation, but only gives him a certain priority if otherwise eligible for demobilisation. If he is entitled to wear three wound stripes he is eligible for demobilisation, unless he is serving under pre-war conditions of service, and his term of Colour service is not completed. If he is eligible he will be released as soon as the exigencies of the Service permit.
§ Mr. HANCOCKasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the application made by the man's employer and also by the Derbyshire agricultural committee for the release of Private J. Thorpe, No. 593912, regimental address, 18, Burn Street, Nottingham, seeing that his employer has a farm of 190 acres and is without any assistance now this man has been called up?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLPrivate Thorpe is not registered either as pivotal or for special release, nor is there trace of any application on his behalf having been received by the War Office. If he is eligible under current restrictions he will be released as soon as circumstances permit.