SOLDIERS LOST

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 90, 18 April 1939, Page 20

SOLDIERS LOST

DRAIN OF BARRACK DUTY

In presenting the Army Estimates for 1937, Mr. Duff Cooper, then Secretary for War, announced a reform which the Army had long desired, namely, some replacement by civilian labour of soldiers whose time was occupied in performing all kinds of non-military work in barracks, wrote the military correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph and Morning Post" recently. The variety of such jobs is astonishing—boilermen, bathhouse attendants, butchers, cooks, cleaners, mess attendants, sweepers, storemen, sanitary orderlies, postmen, office workers, telephone orderlies, to mention only a few.

The number of men per unit in regimental as well as garrison employment and the number daily on fatigue duty cut a large hole in the strength and deprive units and sub-units of essential soldiers for training purposes.

Mr. Duff Cooper's reform was a beginning and 400 civilians were engaged for replacement purposes- in 1937. In 1938 money was found in the Army Estimates for another 400, and if is undertsood that yet another 400 will be provided in 1939, making 1200 in all.. One can only hope that this foreshadows a much larger scale, for even 1200 civilians will only touch the fringe of the difficulty, when one considers the hundreds of units serving at home, both large and small, including regimental depots and other establishments. STILL BELOW STRENGTH. It becomes even more urgent when one considers that after all the immense efforts to increase recruiting the Army is still 20,000 below strength. The present rate of intake only just meets wastage and makes hardly any impression on the existing deficit. Moreover, in the infantry, which has more calls on it for employment than any other arm, every man is now a specialist, and when units are so muchunder strength training loses much of its value. ' There is also the psychological ! point of view to be considered. The extent to which the soldier's time is occupied in these inevitable "housemaid" jobs is a disagreeable revelation to the young soldier and may blunt the edge of his keenness. The financial side also requires consideration. From a scrutiny of the Estimates each civilian employed appears to cost £130 to £150 a year. This "is presumably less than the cost of a private soldier to the country, while it is an avenue for employment for the ex-soldier and saves payment of unemployment relief. Amid the many competing claims for increased .expenditure in the Army Estimates I feel convinced that the provision of civilian labour on a much larger scale than at present planned deserves a high place, as it will tend to fill up the fighting line and add much to efficiency.