BRITISH ARMY ESTIMATES

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22656, 10 March 1939, Page 11

BRITISH ARMY ESTIMATES

Part To Be Played In European War FIELD STRENGTH >, REVIEWED ' Territorial Forces At Record Level (British or fichu wireless.) (Received March 9, 8 p.m.) RUGBY, March 8. The Secretary of State for War (Mr L. Hore-Belisha) . began his speech introducing the Army estimates in the House of Commons by reference to the question, which he said he thought was uppermost in the mind of the House, namely , to what extent Britain should be prepared, in-the event of war, to intervene with land forces on the Continent of Europe. The question was a searching one, and could only adequately be discussed within the context of countries’ strategic problems. Mr Hore-Belisha recalled the declaration by the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain) on December 14, which he reinforced oh February 11, and which left in no doubt the position, which in certain eventualities, Britain would assume. On the latter occasion Mr Chamberlain had said that he felt “bound to make it plain that the- solidarity of interest by which France and this country are united is such that any threat to the vital interests of France, from whatever quarter it came, inust evoke the immediate co-operation of this country.” That declaration was. of greater significance than any which had preceded it, and it made it incumbent to consider and prepare for the use of a field force in certain eventualities. “The conversations between ourselves and the French had not committed us in this. respect, but prudent minds should be ready for any eventuality,” declared the Minister. “If we are involved in war our contribution and the ways in which we can best make it will not be half-hearted, nor based upon any theory of limited liability. We have, on our side, made plans—plans of great detail. i Principle of Assistance “The principle which we lay down V in order that it may be posffor us to deliver bur maximum A 'ih a Continental war should the need arise, the productive arrangements that we should make in peace, together with the accumulated reserves and the new capacity which could be created and brought into operation must be sufficient to equal and maintain each echelon of, force, as.,it. is,, deployed. .By the time the last of the serial dates is reached, the hew forces should be trained and the necessary additional provision for their equipment and maintenance made.” - , Mr Hore-Belisha said that the historical qualification of a British' military effort abroad still remained every soldier who fought had to be transported, and every weapon he usep, the shell he fired and the vehiclehe drove had to be carried overseas.-The whole of the army could not, therefore, arrive simultaneously •in the theatre of war, where Continental armies might already be in position. It would have to’be dispatched in echelons on serial dates. ‘ Mr Hore-Belisha said that all the regular divisions, except • the armoured divisions, would-be ped, for action within the coming financial year. Production of light tanks was well ahead of schedule, but. cruiser tanks were only now being delivered. The Bren gun was being produced in overwhelming numbers. . A proportion of the regular reserves, for the first time, would be summoned to the colours this year. All ranks, exclusive of the troops in India and Burma, numbered 531,353.

The Army in Hom6 Defence

In a survey of .the military purp6ses for which British forces were maintained and the manner in , w they were being discharged, Mr Hore-Belisha recalled that the foundation of British strategy had been to maintain'land forces which, in conjunction .with sea power, would be sufficient to safeguard British territories. He showed how development in the air had restored home defence to the, first place, which it had always occupied until 1905, when 'the then Prime Minister (Mr .Balfour), on the basis of material accumulated by the newly-constituted Defence Committee,' relegated the rold of the Army in home defence to limited proportions. ... As a result of the decision, announced last year, tp restore home defence to priority, the number ol officers and men in, the anti-aircraft units had • been doubled m the last 12 months. Five divisions had replaced the former two, and now two more would be added. The corps headquarters set up during the year to control the anti-aircratt divisions would be made into a command. Some measure of the further expansion intended could be seen in ,thc fact that in the new financial 'yair the number of batteries would injcfebse bybetweenso and 100 per cent. The new batteries would be -formed forthwith, and would receive -their training quota, of .equipment. .The production of the- 3.7ripch. gun from the new factory would begin in the autumn. . Turning from home defence to overseas garrisons, .Mr Hore-Belisha said he doubted whether in recent years there had been an adequate realisation of the extent to which the country’s sea power depended upon the Army’s defence of naval bases which themselves were encompassed .Witlfa new peril. The principle upon which they were proceeding, : and 'Which he announced-a year ago, was in fact a reversion to the doctrine laid down in 1882 by the' Caernarvon Commission, namely that stations far distant from, the United' Kingdom and in close proxirrrty to those of foreign Powers and liable-to attack suddenly, must have their garrisons sjcept at war strength.

Overseas Garrisons These garrison? were, wherever .-possible, enlisted 1 from local personnel. In Malta, for example, the Royal Maltese Artillery was the old-