WAR EFFORT IN INDIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 22 February 1941, Page 5

WAR EFFORT IN INDIA

EXPANSION OF ACTIVITY MANUFACTURE OF SUPPLIES (British Official Wireless) Rugby, Feb. 20. As “Father of the Indian Armv,” Field-Marshal Lord Birdwood sent greetings to old comrades who have “ever fought so gallantly for the Empire and with whom I have been intimately associated during 46 years of active Indian service.” These greetings are contained in a foreword to a booklet by Sir George Dunbar on the Indian war effort, which is a valuable record of every kind of activity. Recalling the Eastern Group Conference at Delhi of Ministers from various Dominions and colonies with the object of making the whole eastern half of the Empire mutually self-supporting as regards war supplies, the booklet expresses the opinion that India is the focal point of the British Commonwealth of Nations east of Suez. “Modern developments in aircraft performance have revolutionised ground strategy, and this conquest of time and space has advanced India’s strategic frontiers eastward to Singapore and west to the Suez Canal.

Regarding the Army, the India Government is now engaged in providing as a first step and in a comparatively short time nearly 5,000,000 men of all aims trained and equipped and mechanised in accordance with modern requirements. The large number of officers required is being obtained by widespread recruiting. The process of “Indianisation” is being speeded up and Indian officers will be posted to all Indian Army units instead of to specified formations only.

Indian shipyards are building wellarmed minesweepers and anti-subma-rine patrol boats. Australian shipyards are helping with larger seagoing craft and modern sloops built in Britain for the Royal Indian Navy will shortly be in commission.

Schemes for the expansion of the air force were put into force at the start of the war and various service schools were immediately established. The Air Force technical school has been expanded to train 350 Indian air-

To-day India is estimated to be turning out 90 per cent, of her own war l equirements, and when thq expansion schemes are complete she should even be able to send surplus munitions overseas. India makes rifles, machine-guns, small arms ammunition, artillery up to six-inch guns and howitzers, propellants of all kinds, saddlery, blankets, and uniforms. She has recently been able to meet overseas orders which include 10.000.000 rounds of small arms ammunition, large quantities of explosives and millions of items of military equipment and clothing. Army boots are being sent to Great Britain at the rate of 1500 pairs a month on an order of £750.000.

Aircraft construction is under consideration. The manufacture of armoured vehicles has already begun and one railway workshop is being adopted for the production of tanks and armoured cars.