§ Colonel WEDGWOODasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office how many officers and soldiers, respectively, are at present in Russia as instructors, assistants, or in any other capacity with the armies under the command of General Koltchak, General Denikin, General Yudenitch, or of generals of other armies operating against the Soviets; whether the pay and expenses of these officers and men will fall on the British Government or the Russian or other Governments which are being assisted; and whether the time served and services rendered under foreign generals count for pensions payable by the War Office?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLWith regard to the first part of the question, a similar question was asked orally by the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull on the 28th October. I regret that the figures given in reply to that question were not quite correct, the members of the Royal Air Force with General Denikin in South Russia, amounting to eighty-two officers and 273 men, having by inadvertence been included twice over. The correct particulars are therefore as follows:
- Siberia.
- 190 officers, 341 other ranks.
- This Mission is in process of being reduced to about 100 all ranks.
- South Russia.
- 274 officers, 829 men (including 82 officers and 273 men of the Royal Air Force)
- Baltic States.
- (I) Mission (soon to be largely reduced)—44 officers, 45 other ranks.
- (II) A detachment of the Tank Corps attached to the Mission, engaged in instructing Russians—22 officers, 29 other ranks. The withdrawal of this detachment has been ordered.
There are no members of the Royal Air Force with the Missions in Siberia or the Baltic States.
903WWith regard to the second and third parts of the question, the pay and other expenses of these officers and men are borne by the British Government, and the time served counts for pension in the ordinary course.