Orders of the Day — Discharged Soldiers (Hospital Treatment)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 31 May 1945.

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Photo of Major Frederick Cundiff Major Frederick Cundiff , Manchester Rusholme 12:00, 31 May 1945

It is not often that I find myself fn agreement with my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Mr. Stokes), but on this occasion I would like to support his plea specially with regard to the question of plastic cases, and I speak with some little knowledge of this subject. It is a fact that during this war plastic surgery has come very much more into its own, probably because of the amount of tank warfare which has resulted in a much higher percentage of wounds caused by burning. It is a fact that bad plastic cases may involve from six to 12 separate, perhaps major, operations lasting over a. period of three years. I think it is wrong that somebody suffering from very severe burns, and having to put up with these multiple plastic operations, should be discharged from the Army. I therefore plead with the Financial Secretary to see whether these men cannot be retained in the Service; and if it is possible to send them home for periods of two or three months before they return to hospital for a further operation, they should be granted their full pay and allowances and the retention of their uniform.