“SACRIFICE SQUADS”

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 June 1936, Page 10

“SACRIFICE SQUADS”

I IN FRENCH AIR FORCE LONDON. May 16. Two more “sacrifice squads.” composed of parachutists whose task in war time will be to drop behind the enemy lines to organise bombing 01 vital objectives, such as power works, have been added to the French Air Force. The formation of these squads of picked men. designated for the most dangerous tasks, has led the French authorities to examine methods ol using giant aeroplanes to drop large numbers of men by parachute into enemy territory. In certain circumstances. these men could be armed and in uniform. In others they might be in civilian clothes, and “plant” bombs in munition factories or other important strategic points. and make their escape as best they could. They might even be picked up again by a ’plane. One squad of these “parachutist chasseurs” is st: ’oned at Chartes and the other at Algiers. Three more are in course of formation. All the men concerned serve for five years and are paid 2000 francs a month, an enormoussum compared with the average conscript’s pay. Each squad is divided into two sections of 13 men, composed of 10 privates, two corporals, and a sergeant. France’s ally, Soviet. Russia, has recently conducted largescale experiments in dropping soldiers from 'planes by parachute.