§ Mr. Woodburnasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that owing to a mistake, Andrew Morton JX 308824, of High Bonnybridge, was posted as an absentee and later as a deserter and that distress was caused thereby to his mother and family; and whether any steps have been taken to clear the honour of this gallant seaman put under a public cloud by this error.
Mr. AlexanderI am aware of the circumstances of this unfortunate mistake. By a clerical error, this rating was listed in a Seamen's Mess instead of a Signals Mess. He reported quite correctly to his own Mess, but was posted as absent in the other Mess. As soon as it was discovered steps were taken to cancel the warrant for Able-Seaman Morton's arrest, the cause of the mistake was explained to him, which explanation he accepted, and a letter of apology and regret was sent to his mother. My hon. Friend will understand the exceptional circumstances created by a clerical error which is rare 2395W considering the hundreds of thousands of leave periods dealt with every year. I should like to express the Board of Admiralty's regret for any distress that has been caused and to assure my hon. Friend that Naval records have been corrected so as to remove any mention of the charge made in error against A.B. Morton.