§ THE EARL OF CROMARTIEasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, when officers of the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers are informed by the War Office that they have reached the age limit for service in that Reserve, a form of application for the Territorial Decoration could, as a matter of courtesy, be enclosed with the papers by the War Office in the case of officers eligible for that decoration.
EARL JELLICOEExcept for colonels and above in the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers, it is not now the practice to inform an officer in the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers that he has reached the age limit for service in that Reserve. This is a recent change to bring the procedure into line364WA with that adopted for officers transferred from the Regular Army to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers.
In the letter which now notifies an officer of the rank of lieutenant-colonel and below of his transfer to the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers, the officer is informed of the date on which he will leave the Reserve on account of age. Formal notification on his reaching the age limit is made in the London Gazette.
It is therefore no longer possible to enclose a form of application for the Territorial Decoration at this stage. My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for War proposes, however, that in the letter notifying an officer of his transfer to the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers and the date on which that service will end, an officer should be reminded of how to make an application for the Territorial Decoration and of the qualifications required.
House adjourned at three minutes before nine o'clock.