I LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2657, 31 December 1915, Page 6

I LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

« RETURNED SOLDIERS. EXPERIENCE AND SERVICE A HANDICAP. Sir, —The writer has been waiting to see whether the publicity you have recently given in your correspondence columns to tho well-founded complaint of returned soldiers that thoy are refused admission to the non-commissioned ollicers' camp, and aro otherwise prevented from securing promotion of any kind whatever in cither tho Reinforcements or new units, would result in any modification of the rule, but apparently tho Defence Department is determined to adhere to. its unjust decision. The result is that a mau without previous military experience, enlisting to-day, and securing admission to tho non-commissioned officers' camp, is given an .opportunity of winning promotion, even to commissioned rank, which is absolutely denied to good men who enlisted, at the very beginning, have borne the hoax and burden of the campaign, have gained most valuable experience, and after being invalided homo, on account of wounds or illhealth, are now ready to return to the fray. Not only is tho injustice to bravo and efficient men apparent, but it is self-evident that many of tho returned men would make for better officers, and inspire greater confidence in their men than some at least of the quite inexperienced junior officers who now go with our Reinforcements. : In one case a private of the Main Force rose at the front to the rank of sergeant-major, and after being wounded was invalided to New Zealand. When ho recovered he applied for an opportunity to sit for a commission in the Reinforcements, but the regulations forbade it, and this particular man, so it is said, is returning to the front under men who were not even connected with the military forces of the Dominion when he enlisted. One would think that tho Defence Office would be glad to secure good men of service, ■ but the fact is that active service is, contrary to all precedent, considered not only a drawback to promotion in tho Reinforcements and any now units, but as creating an impassable barrier to such promotion. It is understood .that tho rchson for the regulation advanced by the Defence Office is that if promotion in tho Reinforcements is given to returned soldiers, however qualified, there is a possibility of such men taking rank over the heads of men who have not had ! the luck to be invalided. This argument might be reasonable if it were not for tho fact tliat all commissioned officers of the Reinforcements, most of whom go to the front for tho first time, now take precedence of all non. corns, and privates in the firing line, no matter how long they have boon there, and the so-called temporary non. corns, of tho Reinforcements, in very many cases, also retain their seniority when attached to the Main Body. Even in cases where they do lose their stripes, their experience as non-coms, appears- to give them a certain prior right to early promotion, which the private of many long months at tho front cannot claim. If promotion is to go at all to men of the Reinforcements, it stands to reason that the man of the .Main Body would rather see it go to an old comrado of experience than to an entirely now soldier and arrival at the front. _ ' If it is argued, despite reports to the contrary from soldiers at tho front, that all non. corns; in the Reinforcements lose their stripes on- arrival, then all oxcuse against giving promotion in tho Reinforcements to returned soldiors disappears, and there can be no possible military objection to granting the same opportunity to win promotion as is given to a man who, say, eulisted_ for the first time yesterday; Tho military authorities cannot afford at this , time to disregard in , this i matter the manifest rights and feeliugs of many capable men, veterans in experience, who, for the second time, are being sent forth to battle on our behalf.—l am, etc., A.L.