NEW ARMY MANOEUVRES

Evening Star, Issue 23753, 7 December 1940, Page 12

NEW ARMY MANOEUVRES

CO-OPERATION WITH AIR FORCE - TROOPS MOVE FAST UNDER RIGOROUS CONDITIONS Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 5. An armoured division participated in a corps-scale manoeuvre this week, when 40,000 troops covered 300 miles in 72 hours, trying out new tactics in close co-operation with the Air Force. The manoeuvre, at which Field-Mar-shal Sir Allan Brooke was the chief observer, was a rapid offensive movement based on the assumption that a corps had made a successful new British Expeditionary Force landing two days before moving into action. An infantry division trudged 40 miles in 36 hours, and the armoured forces, including light, medium, and cruiser tanks, and 100 other fighting vehicles and transports ploughed continuously through mud. Two squadrons of planes closely supported the infantry, which, with the latest 25-pounders, assailed “ the thickest crust ” of the enemy resistance.

Another squadron co-operated with the armoured units, which employed the army’s “ anti-panzer.” A motor battalion swept on where the opposition was thinnest, and seized a town and awaited the infantry. They then swept on to the limit of the advance. All types of planes roared over on a dozen sorties, giving assistance which was demonstrated to be faster than the Luftwaffe’s in either Poland or the Low Countries, and employing a new “ hush hush ” form of co-operation with land forces with outstanding success.

The special correspondent of ‘ The Times ’ says: “ The new British Army, which was largely creator! after Dunkirk, carried out a most ambitious exercise over this country.

“ Nothing like it has been seen in war-time conditions, and I wish I could tell the whole story. It gives a vital meaning to the future offensive of the new English-trained B.E.F. and the best assurance of the failure of any attempt the enemy might make. “ The invasion exercise was carried out .under rigorous conditions and completely satisfied the corps commander, and the lessons will be studied at a week-end conference of senior officers. The supple mobility acquired in a few months by the new British Army is a magnificent achievement, and the new methods of air co-operation are in advance of any the Germans have used.”

SPORT IN BRITAIN PLAY TO BE CONTINUED AFTER "ALERT M i USE OF OFFICIAL " SPOTTERS " LONDON, December 5. The question of continuing football matches, greyhound meetings, and other open-air sports meetings has been considered in'the light of conditions now obtaining, and the Government has decided, where an official “ spotter ” (the employment of a lookout man) is in'operation, that play or racing may, as a general rule, be continued after an “ alert,” and until the alarm has been given by a “ spotter.”