§ Andrew MackinlayTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reason the papers, including Courts Martial papers,200W relating to the members of the 7/8 Royal Enniskillen Fusiliers found guilty of Mutiny on the 15 April 1918 and sentenced to five years penal servitude, suspended, are not available for public inspection; and if he will make a statement. [89805]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonMost records relating to mutiny are held in two PRO series: WO 213 Judge Advocate General's Office: Field General Courts Martial and Military Courts, Registers (1909–1963) and WO 71 Judge Advocate General's Office: Courts Martial Proceedings and Board of General Officers' Minutes (1668–1992).
Details of the charges made against individual members of the 7/8 Royal Enniskillen Fusiliers, and subsequent sentences, are contained in the register WO 213/21(folios 94–98). Individual Court Martial papers, if they have survived or have been selected for preservation, are found in WO 71. This series does not contain all Court Martial papers. Of the files for the period since 1914, only those relating to more serious offences, resulting in the imposition of a custodial sentence of five or more years for mutiny and insubordination, have been selected for permanent preservation. Given that members of the 7/8 Royal Enniskillen Fusiliers were handed down the lesser sentence of five years penal servitude suspended, it is unlikely that individual Court Martial papers have survived and are held by the Public Record Office.