DEFENCE OF BRITAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 116, 12 November 1938, Page 9

DEFENCE OF BRITAIN

EXPANSION PROGRAMME

OBJECTIVE BY NEXT MARCH

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, November 11. Reviewing recent progress in his department, the Air Minister, Sir Kingsley Wood, speaking in the Ad-dress-in-Repl'y debate in the House of Commons, summed up the position as follows: — The 1700 first-line aircraft announced by his predecessor would be achieved by next March, and the Government was concentrating on expediting the completion of a programme, as announced last Monday, comprising a metropolitan first-line strength of 2370 aircraft with an 1 overall strength of 3000 planes, and expansion of the fleet air arm. He mentioned that the response to his appeal of last June was already the equivalent of the intake in the pre-expansion days. At the present rate Britain would have an air force of 10,000 trained men ready by next June. He also gave an encouraging account of the expansion of productive

capacity and the acceleration of production by the aircraft industry. ASSISTANCE BY DOMINIONS. Referring to assistance fcom the Dominions, Sir Kingsley Wood said he was glad to announce that Australia was sending an increased number of candidates for short service commissions. The alliance of the Melbourne Squadron of the Australian Citizen Air Force with the City of London Auxiliary Air Force, made with his Majesty's approval, was significant. This was the first Dominion air force, unit to be allied with a unit of the R.A.F. The Government had gladly accepted a number of trained pilots from New Zealand, and much larger pro-1 jects were being examined by the New Zealand Air Board and the Air Ministry. Sir Murray Sueter (Conservative) welcomed the news that pilots were being traihed in the Dominions. Some Dominion pilots, he said, had become great1 aces of the last war and were a wonderful success. He thought that the present Dominion pilots should be allowed to serve with the Royal Air Force in Palestine and India. FIRST-CLASS POWER OR NOTHING. , Mr. Anthony Eden (Conservative) declared that fortified towns were necessary in the future until the bombei > had been tamed or civilisation destroyed. Britain must be a firstclass Power or nothing. She could not, with her area and population, live as a second- or third-class Power. Sir Thomas Inskip, Minister for Co-ordination of Defence, said it was not true to suggest that the air force had been subordinated to other departments. Production of anti-aircraft guns had taken precedence over field guns, and the Cabinet had taken new decisions for accelerating output. Britain was now in the possession of j sufficient raw materials to carry through a long war. The debate was adjourned. j