§ Lieut.-Commander Tufnellasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the practice under which sublieutenants appointed in September after three months at Sandhurst rank as senior to second-lieutenant supplementary reservists who have had at least four years training in view of the fuller experience of the latter type of officer?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaOfficers of the Supplementary Reserve of Officers appointed on or before 24th August, 1939, reckon seniority in rank, as compared with officers of other branches of the Army, as from that date.
Cadets from Sandhurst appointed to commissions reckon their seniority from the date of their appointment. No cadet from Sandhurst appointed to a commission after 24th August, 1939, could therefore rank senior to any second-lieutenant of the Supplementary Reserve of Officers appointed to a commission on or before that date. After the outbreak of war, no cadets from Sandhurst were appointed to commissions before 22nd October last.
Second-lieutenants of the Supplementary Reserve of Officers with three years' commissioned service should, if recommended, have been promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and would then be senior to all second-lieutenants of the Regular Army.