WEAPONS OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1943, Page 7

WEAPONS OF WAR

BRITISH PRODUCTION

SOME STRIKING FIGURES

(Rec. 12.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 29. The Minister of Production, Captain Lyttelton, speaking in Birmingham, said it was roughly true to say that over the whole field of munitions production Britain relied for 20 per cent., either in finished munitions or components, on the United States. The object of his recent visit to America was to obtain definite assurances of help she was able to give Britain in 1943, and he had come back with a firm agreement which enabled Britain to plan on a sound foundation the nature of her production, and also to use all her. Man-power to the best advantage in 1943. The Minister then gave some striking production figures. "Over the whole field," he said, "we produced .about 50 per cent, more in 1942 than in 1941. we pro- ; duced nearly twice the output of artillery, more than twice the output of filled shells and smallarms ammunition, and 15 times the output of small arms. , "The increase is remarkable, but it was not achieved at the expense of quality. We have new guns which have proved themselves in North Africa. We have new tanks now coming off the production line which are much superior to any we have yet produced, and in the air we have succeeded in maintaining our lead. NEW TYPES OF WEAPONS. "Of the total output in several of the main categories of weapons between a third and a half is now represented by weapons not in production a year ago. That process of change and im- ! provement will be one of the main features in 1943. The total structure weight of aircraft produced in 1942 j was about 50 per cent, greater than in 1941. We have also completed a substantially greater tonnage of merchant shipping in 1942 than in 1941." Referring to tanks of type A 22, popularly known as the Churchills, Captain Lyttelton said that the value of these was confirmed by reports received this week on the performance in. the recent operations in Libya. The A 22 was a great engineering feat, and as an infantry tank was among the best available either to the enemy or the Allies. "You will hear more of it," he added.—-8.0.W.