BRITISH WAR EFFORT

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23719, 18 August 1942, Page 4

BRITISH WAR EFFORT

IMMENSE MUNITIONS OUTPUT EXPORT OF WEAPONS (PS.S.) AUCKLAND, August 14. The immense scale of the output from British war factories, which he said, was sometimes not realised, was described by the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom. (Sir Harry Batterbee) in an address to tne Rotary Club to-day. The High Commissioner reviewed the war effort to date, referring to the utuisa tion of manpower, and particularly to munitions production. „ “In his speech on January 27, Mr Churchill stated that the United Kingdom produced in 1941 more than double the munitions equipment of the united States,” said Sir Harry. “Of course United States production has greatly increased during the present year Today Britain’s air production equals or surpasses that of Germany, and her total armament production approaches that of Germany, thus leaving almost the entire American production as a victory surplus for the United Nations. “We are producing tanks, ‘jeeps ana other mechanical vehicles at the rate of 257,000 a year, and big guns at the rate of 40,000 a year. War weapons output as a whole doubled in 1941. The output*of machine tools was six times that of normal peace-time level towards the close of last year. “In the seventh quarter of this war the total output of warlike stores was nearly twice as great as the corresponding quarter of the last war and equalled our production in the fourteenth and culminating quarter of the last war. Not Pent Up -

“What has been done with the great output of munitions from United King, dom factories?” asked Sir Harry. The guiding rule has been to send mujutions and equipment wherever they are most wanted for active operations to the absolute maximum. The suggestion which has sometimes been made that military resources have been unnecessarily pent up in Britain has no foundation. “The fact is that the United Kingdom, in spite of substantial imports from America, is a big net ex P°rt|r weapons. In 1941 we sent out 978r*aircraft as against 2134 brought in. We sent out 3000 tanks as against 200 brought in. In October, 1941, alone we sent overseas 2300 army vehicles, 1300 aircraft, 400,000 tons of military and air stores, and some hundreds of locomotives. “The limiting factor in sending resources overseas has been transport. As Mr Churchill said in January, every scrap of shipping we could draw away from our vital supply routes has been used to the utmost capacity to carry troops, tanks, and munitions from the United Kingdom and overseas. More than half the ships which used to bring food to Britain have been diverted to supplying and maintaining armies throughout the world. It was announced in March that for months past not less than 80 per cent, of our total military production and every soldier for whom shipping space was available, had been sent overseas. Aid to Russia “In spite of great economies of ship-ping-through a reduction in the time of the ships’ turn round, a saving of nearly 1,500,000 tons has been effected —the ships available do not nearly suffice for our needs. In 1941, 200 ships were continuously employed round the Cape to the Middle East, conveying more than 1,000,000 tons of goods and 30,000 vehicles in convoys. “At the same time Herculean efforts have been made to get supplies to Russia in the face of serious attacks on convoys, and well over 90 per cent, of all cargoes sent by the northern route have been safely delivered. Over 2000 tanks were sent to Russia in July. In January, 1942, twice as much material was carried over the Persian route as in November, 1941, and it was hoped to double the figures again in May. “Amongst the goods being sent to Russia are tanks, aircraft, aluminium, rubber, copper, lead, oil, jute, steel, machine tools, sugar, and boots. For boots alone—3,ooo,ooo pairs—4o,ooo tons of shipping space have been necessary. Large numbers of British tanks took part in the Russian winter advance, specially manufactured to operate at temperatures of 50 degrees below zero and complete with spare parts.