THE BRITISH ARMY

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 120, 13 February 1925, Page 9

THE BRITISH ARMY

STATUS OF TERRITORIALS IMPORTANT ALTERATION REAL SECOND LINE OF DEFENCE An important alteration in the status of the British Territorial Army is announced. The secretary for War has approved the principle of making the Territorials the organisation on which future war expansions will be made. By Telegraph-—Press Association Copy-right. London, February 11. The military correspondent oi “The Times” announces an important alteration m the status of the Territorial Army. He says that the War Secretary has definitely approved the principle of making the Territorial Army the organisation on which future war expansions will be made. New units will be formed by the Territorial Army instead of new .armies being created, as was done in the late war. The Territorials will thus become the real second line of defence. —“The Times.’ RECRUITING OF “KITCHENER ARMY” NOT NEEDED BY BRITAIN IN NEXT WAR NEW SCHEME OUTLINED London, February 11. “Britain in the next war will not need to recruit a ‘Kitchener army, when the Regulars and Territorials are exhausted,” said Sir L. Worthing-ton-Evans, War Minister, in the presence of the Earl of Cavan and other Army chiefs. He made this important announcement before the London Territorial Association, when lie outlined a scheme which the Army Council Is framing, so that, in the event of a crisis, the Territorial Army will be required to duplicate itself to th© smallest .detail. The pronouncement gives the Territorials a new status, and removes the ambiguity of their position, which was keenly felt in the Great War. The Minister said he regretted the railwaymen’s opposition to the proposed supplementary reserve, and that he hoped fuller information would change the railwaymen’s attitude. The Government desires to make preparations to carry out the settled policy that in the event of war the Territorials will be the sole means of extending the Army, and can at least duplicate itself, producing 14 fighting divisions with communication troops. “The present Regular Army is much smaller than that of 1914; and whenever it is necessary to supplement the forces the burden and honour will fall on the Territorials, who are now 40,000 under strength.”—Sydney “Sun” Cable. EMPIRE REGIMENTS ALLIES ON BATTLEFIELDS ASSISTING MIGRATION London, February 11. The King has approved of the Wellington West Coast Regiment being allied to the Hampshire Regiment; the Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment to the Durham Light Infantry; and the New Zealand Veterinary Corps to the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. [For very many years past, but particularly since the Great War, the British Government has been encouraging the alliance of British and Dominion Regiments. Up to a period, this association applied to British regiments that had been located in New Zealand, or had fought alongside regiments of this country in the Maori War. During the Great War, New Zealanders served alongside many British regiments. The announcement now made in the cablegrams practically concludes the alliance project, all New Zealand units now having a “kin” regiment at Home. • The British Government hopes that these alliances will be the means of encouraging the migration of » exsoldiers of the United Kingdom to tho Dominions, where they might thus be assured of fraternal interest in their future welfare.]