HC Deb 04 March 1955 vol 537 cc311-3W
Mr. Wigg

asked the Minister of Defence if he will show under the headings normal volunteers male, volunteers from National Service, part-time National Service, and women, the numbers serving in the Reserve and Auxiliary Forces on 31st December, 1954, the number in each

ROYAL NAVY AND ROYAL MARINES RESERVE FORCES
Type of Reserve Strength at 31st December 1954 Numbers who did part-time training during 1954 Numbers who did whole-time training in 1954
MALE:
R.N.R.—
Normal volunteers 4,198 2,440
R.N.V.R.—
Normal volunteers 8,910 7,457 (a) 9,428 (a)
N.S. volunteers 1,674
N.S. part-time (officers) 861 278
R.M.F.V.R.—
Normal volunteers 1,046 1 084 (a) 837 (a)
N.S. volunteers 347
R.N.S.R.—
N.S. part-time 7,817 7,766
FEMALE:
W.R.N.V.R.—
Normal volunteers 1,344 1,338 529
(a) No returns are available giving a division of these figures between Normal volunteers and National Service volunteers. To obtain separate figures would entail research into individual records.

ARMY RESERVE FORCES
Type of Reserve Strength at 31st December, 1954 Numbers who did part-time training during 1954 Numbers who did whole-time training in 1954
Male:
T.A.—
Normal volunteers 65,101 The Army does not maintain records of numbers out-of-camp training 50,577
N.S. volunteers 54,900* 58,957*
N.S. part-time 177,443 127.582
A.E.R.—
Normal volunteers 11,243 9,879
N.S. volunteers 4,538 3,421
N.S. part-time 143,088 102,489
Female:
T.A. (W.R.A.C. and Q.A.R.A.N.C.)—
Normal volunteers 8,764 7,980
A.E.R. (W.R.A.C. and Q.A.R.A.N.C.)—
Normal volunteers 62 57
* The difference between the number of National Service volunteers who have trained and the actual strength on 31st December, 1954, is due to the large run out of National Service volunteers since July, 1954. In this month the peak strength of 60,807 was reached. These National Service volunteers on completing their liability for part-time service have become normal volunteers during the remaining period of their voluntary engagement.

category who carried out training, part-time and whole-time being shown separately and separate figures being given for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the Army and the Royal Air Force.

Mr. H. Macmillan,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26th January, 1955, c. 29], gave the following additional information

R.A.F. RESERVE AND AUXILIARY FORCES
Type of Reserve Strength at 31st December 1954 Numbers who did part-time training during 1954 Numbers who did whole-time training in 1954
Male:
R.Aux.A.F.—
Normal volunteers 5,631 6,265 (a) 5,571 (a)
N.S. volunteers 774
R.A.F.V.R.—
Normal volunteers 8,722 1,491 (a) 4,157 (a)
N.S. volunteers 2,181
R.A.F.R.O (N.S.) and Class "H"—
N.S. part-time 136,314 77 8,944
Female:
W.R.Aux.A.F.—
Normal volunteers 2,036 2,257 1,595
W.R.A.F.V.R.—
Normal volunteers 388 20 135
(a) No returns are available giving a division of these figures between Normal volunteers and National Service volunteers. To obtain separate figures would entail research into individual records.