§ Mr. Hoggasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the almost universal demand on the part of troops overseas to return home when conditions permit, his attention has been drawn to the case of a staff-sergeant who applied to remain in the Middle East and was refused permission to do so; and if he will ensure that permission is not in future withheld in such cases.
§ Sir J. GriggThis case can be argued at great length either way. But two things are clear. The men who have married Levantine wives while on active service and therefore wish to stay in the Middle East can almost be counted on the fingers of one hand. And, secondly, the Army cannot admit that because a man has married a Levantine while on active service he has a right to remain indefinitely in the Middle East irrespective of any need for his services elsewhere. In the present case the War Office have issued instructions that the man should be given a period of leave instead of reversion to the Home Establishment. This leave need not necessarily be taken in the United Kingdom.