ALLIED WAR PRODUCTION

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23860, 1 February 1943, Page 6

ALLIED WAR PRODUCTION

HIGHER OUTPUT OF MUNITIONS CAPTAIN LYTTELTON’S REVIEW (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, Jan. 29. “The steel ring round Hitler’s Europe is closing,” said the Minister of Production (Captain , Oliver Lyttelton), speaking in Birmingham. He stressed the importance of the strategical initiative which the Allies have regained. The steel ring round Hitler is formed by three major areas—the Russian armies in the East, the forces of General Alexander and LieutenantGeneral Eisenhower in the Middle East and finally the warships of the Royal Navy from Gibraltar to Murmansk. The lock of the ring was Bizerte. That lock remained to be shut. Captain Lyttelton said that the war meant a daily struggle to get ahead of the enemy in weapons. Nobody was ignorant of the fact that the Üboat menace was one of the few remaining means by which the enemy could prolong the war, and Britain must give new urgency, not only to the production of merchantmen, but also the escort vessels and aircraft which protect them ove. the hazardous seas, also to innumerable new scientific devices, particularly in the radio field. Production changes, however, did not mean a general post in munition industries. Judged in relation, to the total labour forces, the changes were comparatively small. In any event, men and women would not be moved from their homes without good reason. “The greatest single reason for the changes is that we are now about to strike and not defend,” said Captain Lyttelton. “In 1943 -we hope that we shall count our successes in terms of impact on the enemy.” Turn in 1943 The Minister said that 1943 had seen the United Nations turn from successful defence to successful attack, and although the end was not in sight, the drive for victory had started. More employees would be working in factories in 1943, and every factory and every employee must be put to the most effective use. Production in 1942 was 50 per cent, greater than in the previous year. Aircraft, guns and tanks now being turned out were superior in every way to anything Britain had yet produced, he declared. Captain Lyttelton said that it was roughly true to say that over the whole field of munitions production Britain relied for 20 per cent., either in finished munitions or components, on the United States. The object of his recent visit to America was to obtain definite assurances of the help she was able to give Britain in 1943, and he had' come back with a firm agreement which had enabled Britain to plan on a sound foundation the nature of her production and also to use all her manpower to the best advantage in 1943. Production Figures The Minister then gave some striking production figures. “Over the whole field,” he said, "we produced about 50 per cent, more in 1942 than in 1941. We produced nearly twice the output of artillery, more than twice the output of filled shells and small arms ammunition, and 15 times the output of small arms. “The increase was remarkable but it was not achieved at the expense of quality. We have new guns which have proved themselves in North Africa. We have new tanks now coming off the production line which are much superior to any we have yet produced, and in the air we have succeeded in maintaining the lead. “Of the total output in several of the main categories of weapons between a third and a half is now represented by weapons not in production a year ago. That process of change and improvement will be one of the main features of 1943. The total structure weight of aircraft produced in 1942 was about 50 per cent, greater than in 1941. We also completed a substantially greater tonnage of merchant shipping in 1942 than in 1941.” Referring to tanks of the type A 22, popularly Icnown ap Churchills, Captain Lyttelton said that the value of these had been confirmed by reports received this week on their performance in recent operations in Libya. The A 22 was a great engineering feat, and as an infantry tank it was among the best available, either to the enemy or the Allies. “You will hear more of it,” he added. OUTPUT OF BOMBERS FROM FORD PLANT (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 30. The United States War Production Board admits many disappointments at the Ford Motor Company’s Willow Run bomber plant. Bombers are being turned out and production is increasing, but it is still far from its peak. Manpower is the most serious problem. It is not only difficult to get competent workers, but also to hold those who are hired. NEW FLEET AIR ARM BOMBER LONDON, Jan. 29. The Fleet Air Arm will soon possess a new type of torpedo bomber to replace the slow, out-dated Swordfish, states the naval correspondent of the “Daily Mail.” The new machine is a monoplane equipped with a torpedo which has proved more potent against U-boats than bombs, except those dropped from dive-bombers. The Fleet Air Arm’s unobtrusive expansion, particularly in the number of auxiliary aircraft-carriers coming into service, will be most important in the campaign to combat the submarine menace. The expansion is now at the stage when the Admiralty’s staff on the air side is doubled compared with that at the outbreak of war. The number of airmen has greatly increased. The whole question of “naval air” priorities is receiving close attention. EXTENSION OF LEASELEND WASHINGTON. Jan. 29. The United States Lease-Lend Administrator (Mr Edward Stettinius) today urged a year’s extension of the lease-lend operations, when giving evidence before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. He said that lease-lend was the basis of total co-operation between the United Nations. United States’ supplies, he said, had helped to make Britain an impregnable base for offensive operations. CONVOY SCATTERED IN HURRICANE STORM IN ATLANTIC IN DECEMBER LONDON, Jan. 29. It can now be revealed that the worst hurricanes in living memory lashed the Atlantic on December 15-16 from Newfoundland to 1000 miles south 0# Portugal. Mountainous seas scattered a large convoy, but all the ships eventually made port. One escort ship, after burning the mess tables and wardroom furniture, stopped for lack of fuel and had to be towed 200 miles. A corvette made port with a list of 20 degrees as a result of 200 tons of ice forming on the weather side. A destroyer from which the wind tore a funnel, reached port with fuel for only another five hours’ steaming. A corvette’s coxswain summed up the weather when he reported to the captain on the second morning: “It’s eased down to a gale, sir.” The captain of a corvette said: “Our convoy of more than 40 ships just disappeared during the night. We set out to round them up and steamed for 24 hours without sighting one."