BRITISH ARMY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 142, 12 March 1938, Page 11

BRITISH ARMY

Important Changes To Be Made RAPID MECHANISATION Higher Pay, Less Drudgery For “Tommies” (British Official Wireless.) (Received March 11. 5.5 P-m.) Rugby, March 10. A notable speech on the Army Estimates Mas given by the War Secretary, Mr. L. Hore-Belisha, in the House of Commons. The speech contained a survey of leading problems of Army organisation which are engaging the attention of the Government, and an announcement of important changes, as M’ell as » large number of improvements affecting service conditions for all ranks. Mr. Hore-Belisha said that from the troops raised at home under the voluntary system there could be mobilised in an emergency over 500,000 soldiers for action in various fields of Imperial responsibility. In reference to the Increase of those seeking enlistment, he asked if it was realised that applicants were trying to join the Army at the rate of nearly 60,000 annually—a total far in excess of the country’s requirements. Such difficulties as confronted the Government were not of man-power but of its correct organisation. The principles underlying the proposed reorganisation were summed up by Mr. Hore-Belisha in a striking passage: “The strength of a navy is assessed in ships and not in personnel; that of an air force in squadrons and not in ground staff. Following this line of thought, the strength of a modern armv is based not only’ on the individual but rather on the fire units, which combine fire-power and mobility. Why alone in the army should heads be counted and fire-power and mobility discounted?” Every man in a unit above the number needed to man and serve the weapons was an additional target and strain on the service, which had to feed and maintain him, including the diversions of naval and air forces, which had to protect his passage. Mechanised Standard. The Minister called attention to the suitability and advantages of a mechamised standard to a great industrial country like Britain, since employment in the* Army was closely related with men's normal avocations and interests, and since rapid and effective expansion was accordingly made easier. The speed with which the Army was being mechanised and supplied ■with modern fire-producing weapons was best revealed, the Minister thought, in the fact that the provision of over £43,000,000 for this purpose in the present estimates was greater than the whole Army estimates, including pay and pensions, in 1934. . . . The House "listened attentively tff the Minister’s disclosures of ar variety of proposals ranging from those affecting higher strategy to those relating to the smallest details of soldiers’ routine, and including inter-departmental re-exgmination of the Cardwell system of reorganisation of divisions based on the progress of motorisation and mechanisation; reorganisation of artillery; enlargement of • the numbers and responsibilities of warrant officers ; reconsideration of factors determining service conditions of officers; the introduction of enlistment for long-term service in addition to short-term, as at present, designed to supplement measures already taken to make the Army a career for those who wish to adopt it; modernisation of barracks and improved living conditions for soldiers; and increased financial benefits in the way both of family allowances and increments of pay after periods of completed service. After discussions of the role of the Army first in home defence —in which ground the defences against air attack are now first in priority—and secondly in the discharge of overseas commitments for the defence of British territories and bases, the Minister came to itg third role as a strategic reserve, and under this head its use in co-opera-tion’in the defence of the territories of allies. Changes Since 1914. He said: “A mere description of the role of the British Army' disclosing how under stress of new methods of warfare a fresh allocation of our forces is called for, affecting on the one, hand their distribution and on the 1 other their responsibilities at home, empha-sises-how the factors in the situation have altered since 1914. The extent toi which we might be required or expected to send or have available assistance for an ally, and.what form it should take, must be related to these considerations. It must be remembered that support on land is not the only support we can offer.” There followed an account of the proposed reorganisation of divisions and of artillery with the aim of providing a thoroughly flexible organisation, and as regards artillery greater tactical flexibility and increased facility for control of fire. There were to be two types of division and varieties within the types, he said. The first type—a motorised division based on the light machine-gun—-when used for internal security operations such as the present operations in Palestine, might consist of six battalions with the necessary ancillary troops for maintenance and communications. but when used for war might consist of nine battalions supported by artillery and other arms according to need. These battalions would each possess 50 Bren guns, of which a proportion would be borne in armoured carriers, so that they would in fact be light machine-gun battalions. ’The second type would be mechanised armoured divisions based on the tank. Machine-gun Units. A proportion of the heavy machinegun battalions would be kept as corps troops—one per division—the rest being converted to light machine-gun battalions to form the nucleus of motorised divisions. Anti-tank guns, formerly handled by heavy machine-gun 'battalions, would in future be manned by divisional artillery. The Minister announced the reorganisation of the field artillery of the Regular Army on the basis of 12 gunfire units instead of six—implying an organisation comprising brigade headquarters and two fire units, each of three Or four-gun batteries. The total number of guns normally supporting a division would not be affected, but, with fewer personnel and more ten--

tralised control, fire power would be better concentrated.

Coming to what lie called the more human side of the. changes proposed or contemplated in the conditions of the army itself, with the intention of making it in all respects the embodiment of businesslike practice, he offered, as earnest of that intention the progressive elimination from soldiers’ drill of all superfluous postures requiring rehearsal, and, from his kit, all superfluous gadgets requiring polish. A most important change announced wag the introduction of the rank of warrant officers, class 3, which would increase the prospects of other ranks, effect a reduction in the number of subaltern officers, and aid more rapid promotion for all officers. The Minister touched briefly on the success of an experimental physical development depot established to bring applicants for enlistment, who were below the high standards of the Army medical boards, to a better state of health by diet and exercise, and mentioned that 92 per cent, of those attending the depot subsequently passed into the Army ars fully fit. Higher Pay. According to a Press Association message. Mr. Hore-Belisha announced increases in pay for private soldiers amounting to £859,000 yearly and marriage allowances of £300,000 yearly. Privates’ pay will be iucreased by 3d. at the end of the first year’s service and a further 3d. at the end of the second year, with further increases at later Intervals. It is also announced that Sir Isidore Salmon, described as “director of a famous catering organisation,” has consented to become honorary catering adviser to the army, and that the present arrangements for cooking will be reviewed.