HC Deb 22 May 1946 vol 423 cc96-8W
Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Secretary of State for War whether a decision has yet been reached as to the widening of the conditions under which the Efficiency Medal may be earned by members of the Territorial Army Supplementary Reserve categories A and B and the A.T.S. who were serving on September, 1939

Mr. Lawson

Under a Royal Warrant, published as Army Order 73 of 1946, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Territorial Army who were serving on 3rd September, 1939, and were embodied for service but granted commissions, may be granted the Territorial Efficiency Medal provided they otherwise fulfil the necessary conditions for the award of that medal. In order that officers of the Territorial Army who were similarly serving on 3rd September, 1939, and were embodied, may not be placed in a less favourable position than other ranks, the Royal Warrant provides that they may also be awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal under similar conditions. This does not debar such officers from qualifying for the Territorial Decoration in due course under the usual rules for that award. The Royal Warrant deals only with the entitlement of officers, but the position of other ranks of the Territorial Army who have been transferred to other Forces without promotion to commissioned rank will be met by allowing them to count such service for the award of the medal as though it had been performed on their Territorial Army engagements.

At the same time, corresponding provision is being made for Supplementary Reservists, Categories A and B, and Auxiliaries of the Auxiliary Territorial Service, who were similarly granted commissions or transferred, to enable them to count their later service for the grant of the Efficiency Medal appropriate in their case. The necessary amendments to the Territorial Army, Supplementary Reserve and Auxiliary Territorial Service Regulations are in course of preparation and, although they will take some little time, will be issued as quickly as possible.