“TERRIFIC TASK IX FAR EAST”

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23539, 17 January 1942, Page 8

“TERRIFIC TASK IX FAR EAST”

BRITAIN’S POSITION SURVEYED

LONDON, January 15.

Surveying the British position at the New Year in the Guildhall to-day, the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the War Office (Lord Croft) said: “We have great perils to surmount and a terrific new task in the Far East, from which we will not flinch, but who can doubt that the great combination which is fighting for liberty will win through to a decisive victory? “During 1941 the air warfare went well in our favour in the west, and the decisive defeat of the Luftwaffe is one cf the permanent milestones in the war. The unceasing Battle of the Atlantic is steadily going in our favour. The Navy has had a decisive influence on the campaign in North Africa and it has given invaluable aid to our Russian allies in destroying so much enemy supplies to northern Russia.’’ Lord Croft reminded his hearers that the Axis had mobilised manpower in Europe, comprising frem 12,000,000 to 16.000,000 soldiers compared with the very small British pre-war army and few territorials at the outbreak of war. Nevertheless, British intervention in France, Norway, Belgium, and Greece had helped to inflict some 600,000 casualties on the Axis “before Germany had placed herself in the embrace of the Russian bear.”

During 1941 the British armies conquered Abyssinia and Eritrea, destroyed two great armies and caused the Axis a further 450,000 casualties in dead, wounded, and prisoners. “Not only has the Battle of Libya given what may be a knock-out blow to all the Italian forces, and also to General von Rommel’s famous Afrika Korps. but it has driven them out of fortified positions and back 300 miles, proving once and for all that when equally armed and equipped the British soldier is better than the enemy.” Describing the Middle East as a shield for India. Australia, and New Zealand. Lord Croft said that without its defence there was every danger of the British Empire being cut in two. Every Briton who had died in the desert with his Imperial comrades had surely given his life in the defence of. India. Australia, and New Zealand.