British Army’s Realistic Methods

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 49, 27 February 1943, Page 5

British Army’s Realistic Methods

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Feb, 25. The reorganisation and training of the field army in Britain required by the change from a defensive to an offensive role was the chief interest in a speech made by the Secretary for War (Sir James Grigg), when introducing the Army Estimates in the House of Commons.

The past year, the Minister said, had seen disaster turn into the beginning of victory. It had revealed the great resilience of the Russians, and tho enormous resources of the Allies, and had renewed on the battlefield that great union of the British, American and French troops which, saw its first expression in 1918.

Sir James referred to the Eighth Army as the finest instrument of war so far fashioned in the history of the British Empire, and ho specially mentioned General Alexander’s masterly withdrawal from Burma, which, had prevented the Japanese from reaching Assam before the rains came.

The movement of American troops to Britain had involved tho rehousing of a considerable part of the British Army and had thrown a heavy burden on works and services. Arrangements would be made to furnish for the United States forces everything that could be handed over without seriously impeding supplies for the British armies.

All classes of supplies had to be provided, and the day-to-day maintenance of tho British forces all over the world made continuous demands on our resources. Millions of tons of stores and half a million men had been sent overseas. Everything had been done to ensuro that the Army would go into action organised, equipped, and trained in accordance with a doctrine in advance of the enemy’s. The process of decentralising the administration from the War Office to commands and from commands downwards continued steadily. The objects of this policy were to speed up decision and action, to encourage initiative, to avoid unnecessary reference to a higher authority, and reduce paper work. Half the returns hitherto called for from the field forces would be abolished. The most notable innovation in the new training had been the introduction of realistic battle training, which was the best prelude that could be devised to actual warfare. When the Army rwent abroad, it would have to be selfcontained, and every effort was being made to supply all its requirements. Sir James also referred to the training of the Army Co-operation Command forces, aerodrome forces, and airborne troops, and paid a tribute to tho part played by the Home Guard and women’s services.