Mr. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for War whether a number of men in the country are still posted as deserters from the Army; whether he is prepared to consider the granting of an amnesty to all such men; and whether he is prepared to issue a notice to that effect?
§ Sir R. SANDERSThere are a certain number of men who served on duration of war engagements, and who are still in a state of desertion. It is not proposed to grant a general amnesty to all such men, and in this connection I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Leith (Captain W. Benn) on 18th February last. If any man who is in a state of desertion desires to make a confession to that effect, he should write to the officer in charge of his records, or, if he does not know who that officer is, to the War Office, expressing a desire to surrender himself as a deserter. If he does so, his case will be dealt with on its merits, in accordance with King's Regulations and the Army Act, and any extenuating circumstances which he puts forward will be considered.