U.K. ARMED FORCES

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28620, 24 June 1958, Page 14

U.K. ARMED FORCES

Sandys To Take

Over Control

(N.Z Press Association-Copyright! (Rec. 8 p.m.) , LONDON, June 23.

The British Minister of Defence (Mr Duncan Sandys) will become supreme commander of Britain’s armed forces under a plan already agreed in principle by the Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan), according to the “Daily Herald.”

The proposal was to give the Defence Minister and his Chiefs of Staff Committee complete operational control of the Navy, Army and Air Force, the newspaper said. This meant that the three service departments would 'no longer be responsible for planning but would become mere “housekeepers,” providing the necessary trained and equipped forces to Mr Sandys’ specification.

The plan was likely to be published as a White Paper soon, the “Daily Herald” said. It provided for a properly organised Defence Council to include the War and Air Ministers, the First Lord of the Admiralty and the Supply Minister. The Defence Minister, now in charge of policy, would take over active command of all British military formations other than those allocated to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Through the Ministry of Supply, which would be given higher status, the Defence Ministry would have full control of weapons research and development.