Lieut.-Colonel Sir F. HALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that members of police forces, who are otherwise eligible for demobilisation, are being retained in the military police, although their chief constables have applied for their release; that many of these men joined up in 1914 and 1915, and after being wounded were transferred from Infantry regiments to the military police; and, if so, in view of the fact that there is a difficulty in obtaining a sufficient number of recruits to bring up the police forces to pre-war strength, whether these men could be more usefully employed at home than in France and Belgium?
Captain GUESTAll men in the Corps of Military Police who are eligible for demobilisation are being released as rapidly as the exigencies of the Service permit, but I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that they are liable to be temporarily retained as part of the military machinery for demobilisation until their services can be spared or they can be replaced. Such men as are retained are being replaced as rapidly as possible by men who are not eligible for demobilisation.
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Sir F. HALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that members of police forces who are otherwise eligible for demobilisation are being retained in the military police although their chief constables have applied for their release; that many of these men joined up in 1914 and 1915 and, after being wounded, were transferred from Infantry regiments to the military police; and whether, in view of the fact that policemen who were called up in 1917 and 1918 are now back in their forces, he is prepared to recommend the immediate release from military service of these long-service men?
Captain GUESTAll men in the corps of military police who are eligible for demobilisation are being released as rapidly as the exigencies of the Service permit. I would, however, remind my hon. and gallant Friend that they are liable to be temporarily retained as part of the military machinery for demobilisation until their services can be spared or they can be replaced. Such men as are retained are being replaced as rapidly as possible by men who are not eligible for demobilisation.