BRITAIN’S ARMY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22582, 10 March 1948, Page 5

BRITAIN’S ARMY

STRENGTH TO BE MAINTAINED KEY ROLE OF TERRITORIALS FLOW OF TRAINED MEN ESSENTIAL (N.Z.P.A.— Reuter— Copyright.) (11 a.m.) LONDON, March 9. The British Army would be reduced to 527,000 men and women by April 1, and 339,000 by March, 1949, said the Secretary of War, Mr. E. Shinwell, in presenting the Army Estimates in the House of Commons today.

Two hundred thousand of the total strength would, it was hoped, be volunteers to the regular army.

L "Since the end of the war, 2,64n,000 officers and men have been demobilised but 1948 will see the end of demobilisation," he said. “Ws must now look to the future. We cannot hope, if war comes, to gain a breathing space in which to build up and train our land forces. The shock will be sharp and sudden.” Mr. Shinwcll said the Government therefore had decided to maintain the army’s strength by stimulating the flow of trained, disciplined men from national service units to the Territorial Army. The national army would thus be composed of regulars, territorials and a national service element. Army’s Value Not Destroyed Mr. Shinwell issued a warning against the idea that the discovery of modern and more deadly weapons had destroyed the army's value. "Scientists may have produced weapons of mass destruction, but none which, so far obviates the need for land fighting," he said. "The idea that in a future war all that will be needed is to press a button is not supported by any evidence we have.” Mr. Shinwell said that if another war came the country must rely on the territorials to provide the bulk of Britain’s anti-aircraft and coast defence, reinforcements for overseas garrisons and probably an equipped field force for service anywhere. Neither the regulars nor the national servicemen would be sufficient by themselves to provide adequate forces to defend the United Kingdom. Mr. Shinwell added that Britain's inescapable overseas commitments wore likely to continue for some time. It would be foolish not to'take precautions to safeguard interests both at home and abroad. Mr. Churchill's Criticism

During the debate on the Navy estimates, Mr. Churchill said the Admiralty statement last year that the Home Fleet comprised one cruiser and four destroyers was a senseless and lying declaration.

“Why that was less than the Chilean Navy and the Chileans noticed this point too,” he added. The statement could not have been more ruinous to Britain. It caused a great shock to the whole of the free, democratic world.

Mr. Churchill added that, actually, the British Navy nad never had more resources of power in peace-time. The Minister of Defence, Mr. A. L. Alexander. and Mr. Dugdale had tried to repair this statement in recent speeches. Mr. Churchill criticised the decision to scrap five battleships. They might conceivably become launching platforms for guided missiles, he said. It was always better to keep old ships. They were symbols of power and every country, friendly or hostile, considered them so.

Mr. Alexander, replying to the debate, said that Britain could provide a balanced naval task force within a week to 10 days if the need arose. “I would like that to be known not only here but to the world," he said. Mr. Alexander added that the Government would not allow the navy to be so weak that it could not meet its commitments.

The Government accepted naval advice and took full responsibility for the temporary immobilisation of certain ships while the country gained a balanced training force capable of manning the ships at an early date.