GRADUAL EVOLUTION OF OUR MECHANICAL ARMY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6863, 19 March 1929, Page 6

GRADUAL EVOLUTION OF OUR MECHANICAL ARMY

Staff Officers’ Impressions DIFFICULTIES IN WAY OF FULL MECHANISATION Tun fact that the mechanisation of the British army must necessarily be a gradual and experimental process, was stressed to a “ Times ” reporter yesterday by Major W. G. Stevens, the recently appointed officer commanding Central Command Royal New Zealand Artillery, who has lately returned from England where he has been taking a three* years course of study at CamberIcy Staff College. “The post-war British Army is very progressive in its ideas and is most certainly moving with the times,” said Major Stevens. “The need for economy, however, imposes a curb upon revolutionary ideas and the progress is thus Cautious though none the less sure.” In reply to a question anent the ‘Mc-eh-mical Army,’ Major Stevens stated that there was no doubt that mechanisation, as a principle, had come to stay. At the same time, however, it should be realised that the army was still liablo to be called upon to light in many areas in which, at any rate in the initial stages, animal transport alone was possible. As an instance, mechanical units could not be employed to effect on the north-west frontier of India, and in consequence, the Indian army could not progress fast in mechanisation. It must be remembered that, in all, some fifty per cent, of the British army served' abroad, and that therefore, a problem arose when units, which had been completely mechanised in England, were transferred for service overseas. Progress of Mechanisation.

As far as the progress of the mechanisation was concerned, a few regiments of cavalry were now being turned into armoured car units, while the remainder of the cavalry units were all to have six-wheeled lorry transport. The use of thelorrios had made it possible to carry much heavier loads and this step had been the means of reducing the weight carried on each trooper’s horse by some two stone. All medium artillery, six iuch and 60 pounded, were now mechanically drawn. Field artillery traction, however. was passing through a transition stage and it appeared unlikely that all units would scrap their horses for many years to' come. All infantry regimental transport would bo mechanical in the course of time, and to this end the sixwheeled lorry would again be employed. It was also intended that machine guns should have some kind of carrier but the type to be employed was by no means certain as yet. Tho purely mechanical tank corps was also progressing fast, and in this direction, Major Stevens was of the opinion that tho British army was two years abroad of that of any other nation. A Gradual Process.. “A completely mechanised force of all arms has been in existence on Salisbury Plain for two training seasons, and has of course, proved invaluable for experience generally, but the results show that the early problems are not yet solved and that others constantly ariso” said the Major. However, the supply of petrol to such a force is alone a problem of the first order. In fact, as I said before, progress cannot be too revolutionary.” “On tho whole,” he concluded “No finality in the types of vehicles to be employed for tho various purposos has yet been reached, and it can bo understood that no Dominion can afford to spend large sums on equipment that may bo obsolete in five years.”