DEMOBILISATION
Sus,—Amid the rejoicing over the so-called " speed-up " from the Forces it seems to have 'escaped attention that the proposals are in the nature of a "slow-up" so far as the R.A.F. is concerned. Whereas during the October-November period the Army will release 182,200 men, the Navy 169,000, and the R.A.F. 197,000, during the January-June period the figures will be: Army 1,103,000 (Groups 24-31); Navy 203,000 (Groups 31-45); and R.A.F. only 140,000 (Groups 25—part 28 only).
Is it fair that one Service should be penalised in this fashion? Take my own case. I shall be 40 next February, and after three years in the R.A.F. find myself in Group 31. If I had been lucky enough to get accepted for the Navy, who turned me down on medical grounds, I should be looking forward to release in January, 1946. If I had gone into the Army, as I nearly did, I should have been out in June. As it is, I shall be lucky if I get back to ." civvy street" next September, espgrially as mine is a clerical trade and it -is the release of the (strictly n.-n-technical) clerical trades that is being held back in the R.A.F., in other words the release of those it should be easiest to replace.
Such anomalies reduce the whole age-and-service principle to an absurdity. Is there no fair-minded Independent M.P. who will raise these awkward questions with Mr. Isaacs or the Air Minister?—I am,
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