HALF-MILLION MEN

Evening Star, Issue 25674, 24 December 1945, Page 5

HALF-MILLION MEN

FRANCE'S STANDING ARMY FUTURE DEFENCE MEASURES LONDON, December 22. Prance has decided to maintain a modernised army of 500,000 men and a navy of 65,000, says Paris radio. One hundred and twenty Drench generals, admirals, and air marshals attended a conference at which the decision was made that the occupation forces in Germany and the colonies will each be allocated 120,000 men. A total of. 100,000 will be used in North Africa, and air, sea, and land forces will bo closely co-ordinated under a combined general staff over which General de Gaulle will preside.

Recruits will be called up at the ago of 19 to undergo two periods of six months’ training, with two years’ home leave between periods. The barracks type of training establishments will be"abandoned in favour of openair camps, and the, army will have 25,000 officers on the active list. The promotion of officers by seniority will be discontinued, and the St. Cyr officers’ school will be replaced by a school in which the authorities will aim to banish the caste spirit. The conference heard reports that French ports are still able to handle only 10 per cent, of their pre-war capacity. France, at present, has 100,000 tons of warships m active service, and 100 mine sweepers will be engaged for the next five years clearing the minefields along the Atlantic coast.

The air force is reported to be the worst hit of ail the services. It possesses few aircraft, and has lost skilled ipen to industry. Practically all hangars'and ground equipment have been destroyed.