Rankers Promotion in British Army

Northern Advocate, 29 July 1938, Page 3

Rankers Promotion in British Army

’ 1 British Official Wireless.! (Received 2.30 p.m.) ! RUGBY, July 28. Far-reaching changes in conditions of combatant army officers, including a new time scale of promotion (as the j immediate result of which 2000 will receive promotion as from Monday next, were announced by Mr L. HoreBelisha, Secretary for War, in the House of Commons. The changes have been made, he indicated, to make an army career as secure and attractive as possible. Giving a general outline of the proposals, Mr Hore-Belisha said a new system of direct commissioning from the ranks would be introduced in place of the present sysytem of passing candidates from this source through Woolwich and Sandhurst, to any suitable candidate whatever his me'ans. | No Change Whatever, This was a removal of the present limitations on the number of scholarships and it would thus be possible fer any qualified candidates to obtain a completely free education, and no charge whatever would fall upon his parents either for his keep, scholastic material, uniform or equipment. . Another feature of the proposals concerned a guaranteed continuity of service in the army, subject to efficiency. Promotion Accelerated. 1 The method of promotion by vacancy up to rank of major would be abolished and in future every subaltern would become a captain in eight years 'and every captain would bee .me a major in a further nine years, so that every officer entering at the normal age would be sure of approximately ten years’ service in the rank cf major if not previously promoted. Beyond the rank of major, promotion would be by selection to fill particular appointments. The system whereby officers waiting for appointments go upon half-pay. would be abolished 'and the tenure of command and staff appointment generally would be reduced from four years to three. Earlier Retirement. The ages of retireme-.t for each rank would be lowered —General and lieu-tenant-general, from 67 to 60; majorgenerals, 62 to 57; colonels, 57 to 55; lieutenant-colonels, 55 to 50; majors, 50 to 47. The effect of these proposals was to accelerate promotion and thereby give increased pay at lower ages, while in the subaltern ranks, in the years before acceleration began to operate, there would be a substantive increase in pay in the case of second-lieutenants of 1/- per day, and lieutenants, 1/2. Private Means Unnecessary. A further 100 scholarships of £2O a year, tenable for three years, would be distributed annually, and, cumulatively among subalterns on their first commission who need this assistance, it should thus bo claimed that an army career throughout its stages would be possible for an officer without private means. In reply to a supplementary question. Mr Hore-Belisha said that the cost of the measures he had announced was estimated at about £366.000 per year, increasing to about £600.000 per year in about 20 to 25 years.