§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Secretary of State for War how many of His Majesty's commissioned officers surrendered to the enemy during the conquest of Syria; how many of these were unwounded; how it happened that so many surrendered when we largely outnumbered the enemy; and whether he was satisfied that it is sufficiently understood in the Army that there is rarely any justification for an un-wounded officer to surrender?
§ Mr. SandysThe number of commissioned officers taken prisoner in Syria was 78. Of these, 15 are known to have been wounded, but complete information is not at present available. As regards the third part of the Question, it was not until late in the campaign that superiority in numbers was reached and even then there were many occasions when the enemy possessed local superiority. As regards the last part of the Question, I may perhaps remind my right hon. Friend of the gallant resistance of the Royal Fusiliers at Kuneitra when, although outnumbered and surrounded, they continued the fight until their ammunition was exhausted.
§ Mr. Wedgwoodasked the Secretary of State for War on what grounds and on whose advice the decision was taken to send at first to the conquest of Syria weak forces without tanks or air co-operation?
§ Mr. SandysIt is not the case that the forces sent to Syria were without tanks or air co-operation. In view of our other heavy commitments in the Middle East it was not possible to send as strong a force as we would have wished, but the urgency of the German threat made it necessary to act quickly. I think the House will agree that the successful conclusion of this difficult campaign in less than five weeks thoroughly justifies the decision to act at once with the forces then at our disposal.