HC Deb 11 June 1934 vol 290 cc1360-2W
Sir R. GOWER

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the number of officers at present borne in the various Marine headquarters; and how the number of Royal Marine officers borne to the number of Marines compares with the number of Army officers borne to an Army battalion?

Sir B. EYRES MONSELL

A Royal Marine division is not strictly comparable with an Army battalion in that it is a self-contained establishment providing for the whole of its ancillary services, for all classes of instruction, for maintenance of Fleet Services and for corps, classes of instruction, etc., none of which are provided by an Army battalion. The numbers of Royal Marine officers at present borne at Royal Marine divisions and the depot are:

Chatham 41
Portsmouth 80
Plymouth 32
Depot, Royal Marines, Deal 38

but for the comparison required, it is necessary to deduct from this total the following numbers of paymasters, barrack-masters, directors of music, instructional officers and probationary officers (undergoing initial courses of instruction corresponding to Woolwich and Sandhurst), who are not included in an Army battalion:

Chatham 17
Portsmouth 47
Plymouth 18
Depot, Royal Marines, Deal 28

There are thus left for the purposes of comparison:

Chatham 24
Portsmouth 33
Plymouth 14
Depot, Royal Marines, Deal 10

The numbers of other ranks at present borne at Royal Marine establishments are:

Chatham 821
Portsmouth 1,160
Plymouth 827
Depot, Royal Marines, Deal 681

The establishment of an Army battalion is:

Officers. Other ranks.
War 33 800
Peace 28 761