Tel. No.-Whitehall 9400.
Any further communication on this subject should be addressed to:-
The Under-Secretary of State,
The War Office,
London, S.W.1,
and the following number quoted.
074/954. (14.S.1.a.)
30 APR 038
NATION
FOR DISA
CHEME
ED MEN
3
За
THE WAR OFFICE,
LONDON. S.W.1.
38-April, 1938.
19
Sir,
C. C. ROGE
I am commanded by the Army Council to acknowledge receipt of your 2 letter No.53628/38 dated 22nd March, 1938, concerning the appointment of an officer to succeed Captain (local Lieutenant-Colonel) R. C. B. Anderson,M.C., of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, as Commandant, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps.
In reply, I am to refer to War Office letter No.074/954 (M.S.1.) 5m6272/37 dated 16th November, 1937, paragraph 3, under which consideration of the
Geal. substantive rank of the Commandant of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps was deferred until a later date. If, as suggested in your letter, the pay of the appointment is to be raised to £1,250 a year, the Council consider that a substantive Lieutenant-Colonel should be appointed to the post. I am, therefore, to enquire whether the figure of £1,250 can be taken as definite, and, if so, whether Mr. Secretary Ormsby Gore is agreeable that the Selection Board shall be asked to select a Major to assume this appointment in the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel
A
2
2
With regard to paragraph 3 of your letter, the Council consider that the suggested sum of £1,250 a year should be regarded as being made up of pay at the rate of £1,100 a year plus £150 a year command pay.
and
With regard to paragraph 4, the Council do not demur to the opinion expressed by the Governor as to the desirability of continuing the arrangement for providing a full-time Commandant with Regular Army experience for the Volunteer Corps. At the same time they adhere to the view expressed in previous correspondence with the General Officer Commanding the British Troops in China, to which the Governor refers; they accordingly request that Mr. Secretary Ormsby Gore will represent to the Governor their considered opinion that the opportunity should now be taken to revert to the normal procedure whereby the Colony would accept liability for the full remuneration of the officer serving as Adjutant of the Volunteer Corps.
The Under Secretary of State,
Colonial Office,
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Mt Widdows.