§ 43. Mr. Liptonasked the Secretary of State for War if he will hold an inquiry into the Dartmoor exercise when eight boy soldiers of the Junior Leaders' Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals, were miss 44W ing for two days in hazardous weather conditions.
§ Mr. ProfumoI have, of course, already received a full report about this matter.
All junior leader units include adventure training in their courses.
This particular establishment, sited as it is on the edge of Dartmoor, naturally uses the moor for its training.
The incident on 7th December occurred during an outward bound type of competition, which is held every term and consists of a night patrol across country by compass. The ground and the course of about eight miles were well known to those taking part, and there had also been prior reconnaissance by day and night. All boys took part except those in their first term, Sixty patrols each consisting of six junior leaders found their way from different places to a given finishing point. Each patrol was equipped with a bivouac tent and sleeping bag and the orders were that if the patrol got lost they were to use the tent and wait until light.
Hot meals were provided before the start and also at the finishing point.
The weather forecast obtained immediately before the exercise was favourable. Half an hour after the last party left, snow showers began and several boys decided to camp for the night.
By dawn fourteen boys had not reported in. Fog and mist hampered search parties and by the end of the following day eight boys were still missing. A more intensive search with aircraft and helicopters took place on the next day, 9th December, and all the boys were found that morning.
One boy who was suffering from exposure was admitted to hospital but discharged on the following day and all the boys are now fit.