§ Sir A. HOLBROOKasked the Secretary of State for India whether he is prepared to acknowledge the services during the Great War of Europeans employed in India by the initiation of a long-service decoration for the Indian Army Reserve of Officers or by allowing service with the Indian Army Reserve of Officers to count as double for the Volunteer officers' decoration in the case of those who were either on the strength of the Volunteer Force on the 4th August, 1914, or joined it subsequently, irrespective of whether their names remained on the Volunteer rolls for the whole of their war service with the Indian Army Reserve of Officers or by allowing efficient members of Indian Volunteer corps who were actually mobilised with the Territorials in England on the 5th August, 1914, to qualify for the Teritorial war medal or by initiating a Volunteer war medal for those who were actually mobilised with any unit during August, 1914, or by placing all those who served in a military capacity outside their pre-War Presidency or province on a par with members of the British Army in India for the award of the 1914–18 medal?
§ Mr. MONTAGUIt is not proposed to institute a special decoration for officers of the Indian Army Reserve. These officers qualify for war medals under the same conditions as regular officers of the Indian Army. Under Army Instruction (India) 723 of 21st September, 1920, embodied service in India in the case of an Indian volunteer who belonged to the 287W Volunteer Force on the 4th August, 1914, and served continuously from that date, counts double as qualifying service for the award of the Volunteer officer's decoration and the Volunteer Long Service Medal. The restriction that such Volunteers should be serving on the 4th August, 1914, is in accordance with the decision of the General Commanding in the case of the Territorial Force. Under the same Army Instruction (India), service actually rendered by an Indian Volunteer in a theatre of war in any capacity also counts double as qualifying service for the Volunteer officer's decoration and the Volunteer Long Service Medal, provided that his name was retained on the rolls of a Volunteer unit throughout such service. I will consult the Government of India as to the possibility of this proviso being modified or withdrawn. Indian Volunteers who were mobilised with the Territorial Force in England on the 5th August, 1914, must, presumably, have belonged to the Territorial Force at the outbreak of War, and would, therefore, be eligible for the award of the Territorial Force Medal if they fulfilled the necessary conditions. If at some future date it is decided to grant a medal for home service, the question of its award, or the award of a similar medal, to Indian Volunteers who served only in India will be considered