Missing character when using ${VAR:1} and length(VAR)==1

[Lauffher, Wolfgang]

From: root
Configuration Information [Automatically generated, do not change]:
Machine: x86_64
OS: linux
Compiler: gcc -I/usr/src/packages/BUILD/bash-3.1 
-L/usr/src/packages/BUILD/bash-3.1/../readline-5.1
Compilation CFLAGS:  -DPROGRAM='bash' -DCONF_HOSTTYPE='x86_64' 
-DCONF_OSTYPE='linux' -DCONF_MACHTYPE='x86_64-suse-linux' -DCONF_VENDOR='suse' 
-DLOCALEDIR='/usr/share/locale' -DPACKAGE='bash' -DSHELL -DHAVE_CONFIG_H   -I.  
-I. -I./include -I./lib   -O2 -fmessage-length=0 -Wall -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 -g 
-D_GNU_SOURCE -DRECYCLES_PIDS -Wall -pipe -g -fbranch-probabilities
uname output: Linux erunb001 2.6.16.46-0.12-smp #1 SMP Thu May 17 14:00:09 UTC 
2007 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Machine Type: x86_64-suse-linux

Bash Version: 3.1
Patch Level: 17
Release Status: release

Description:
        there is missing a charachter when using the following:
        # TT="oo"; echo "l${TT:1}l"
        lol
        # TT="o"; echo "l${TT:1}l"
        l

Repeat-By:
        every time

Fix:
        In older versions it worked :-) also in 3.0.16


regards,
Wolfgang Lauffher