Leave Parties (Reception) (Hansard, 16 January 1945)

§ Sir J. Grigg

Troops have been arriving regularly in this country after long service overseas for at least the last 18 months. In fact they have been arriving by every convoy. Except in the case of repatriated prisoners of war no public reception has been provided for any of these parties. In the first place the movements of all convoys or vessels arriving from the more distant theatres of war are subject to strict46W security conditions. Secondly, the aim has always been to get the men home to their families as quickly as is humanly possible. The first consideration precludes a pre-arranged public welcome. The second would in any case make it doubtfully agreeable to the soldier.

For the arrivals from more distant theatres a special transit camp has been established to which the men are moved as soon as they leave the ship. Here they can get clean clothes issued, here special facilities are provided for the men to send warning telegrams to their families, and a special movements staff to distribute the men to their innumerable destinations. Apart from meals before disembarkation and at the normal times in the camp all soldiers are provided with food for the railway journey.

The recent much increased volume of arrivals has thrown up no serious new problems. An occasional soldier asks his wife to meet him at the wrong station and soldiers quite often arrive at the nearest station to their homes after the last bus has gone. To meet the latter kind of case arrangements are being made to revive the "Get-you-Home" scheme which was shut down in 1942 in order to conserve petrol, but in its new form it will be designed to serve only soldiers returning from overseas.

Inquiries have shown that so far from any dissatisfaction with the arrangements, officers and men have expressed general satisfaction with all the arrangements made for their reception, welfare and onward travel.