§ 116 and 117. Mr. W. Griffithsasked the Minister of Defence (1) how many members of the Armed Forces have lost their lives through accidents, other than on operational exercises, in Germany during 1953, 1954, and to the nearest convenient date in 1955;
(2) how many members of the Armed Forces stationed in Germany, have lost their lives on operational exercises in 1953, 1954 and to the latest convenient date in 1955.
§ Mr. Selwyn LloydThe statistics in the form asked for by the hon. Member are not readily available. No one in the Royal Navy or Royal Marines has lost his life in Germany since 1953. In the Army in Germany there were 72 deaths from all causes in 1953, 37 in 1954 and 23 up to 15th October, 1955; about 80 per cent. of these deaths can be considered to be due to accidents of all kinds, including bathing fatalities and road accidents. In the R.A.F. in Germany there were 59 fatal accidents in 1953, 31 in 1954 and 45 up to 30th November, 1955; of these, 6 in 1953 and 10 in 1955 occurred during the periods of named operational exercises but not necessarily as a result of these.