Armies In Germany “Valueless” In War

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29268, 28 July 1960, Page 15

Armies In Germany “Valueless” In War

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, July 27.

The British and American armies in Germany would be almost valueless as fighting forces in the face of an attack from the East, according to the “Daily Express.”

The reason was that the armies could not function without the thousands of German civilians employed in key positions. Yet there was no law by which these civilians could be mobilised. The newspaper said the British Army of the Rhine consisted of 55,000 men and was kept in Germany at a minimum cost of £4O million a year. The American Army in Germany was 200,000 strong. The British Army of the Rhine employed 55.500 German civilians. They were as much a part of the British Army as English-born generals, colonels, tank commanders and privates. Yet there was no law. no machinery and no regulations in West Germany which could mobilise these men in time of war. Without them, the Army could not function. “The point is illustrated by the case of Hans Schmidt, who after completing 18 months’ conscript

service with the Wehrmacht, gets a job as a mechanic at a British base. He is still liable to recall to the Wehrmacht in case of war,” the paper said. "Suddenly war breaks out. Does Hans immediately report to his Wehrmacht unit under mobilisation orders and ’desert’ his key job with the British, or does he remain?

“No-one knows,” said the newspaper.

The German Defence Ministry had "wriggled” when questioned by saying that German employees would be given the status of soldiers and stay with their Allied units.

The key word had been “status.” For the Ministry had added: "They would remain under German law.” But as what, asked the “Daily Express." As German soldiers or civilians? Again no-one knew. There was only one thing on which there was no doubt. At present, all 55.500. with the exception of higher executives, were trade unionists, and as such they had just wrested a pay rise from the British Army. This meant another £1.500,000 to the British taxpayers’ bill.