§ Sir R. Glynasked the Secretary of State for War whether consideration will be given to the cases of non-commissioned and warrant officers recommended for commissions who are shortly due to receive the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal; whether he is aware that an officer, having served 17 years and 92 days in the ranks and who was granted a commission, was informed that he had by this become ineligible for the medal to which he would have been entitled had he refused a commission within a further period of a few months; and whether he will review King's Regulations dealing with this matter.
§ Sir J. GriggOfficers are not eligible for this Medal and a non-commissioned or warrant officer who is granted a commission therefore cannot receive it. It would be impossible to modify this rule without entirely changing the nature of the award. If, however, the man in question is appointed to an emergency commission, he may return to the ranks when the emergency is over. He is then once more entitled to the medal and, moreover, he is allowed to count his service as an officer towards the period which qualifies for the award. Whatever period is fixed as the qualifying period there will always be men who just fail to qualify. The case quoted by my hon. Friend is undoubtedly a hard case, but I regret that it does not justify a revision of the rules governing the award of this medal.