OFFENSIVE SPIRIT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 10 August 1942, Page 5

OFFENSIVE SPIRIT

U.S. FORCES IN BRITAIN CO-OPERATION WITH LOCAL FORCES (Ree. 11.10 a.m.) Rugby, Aug. 10. The offensive spirit of the United States forces now pouring into England was emphasised by Major-General M. W. Clark. He said : "Wo are not here to sit on the defensive. We are here to take the offensive. As to a second front, the sooner the better so far as we are concerned lam unable to say how fast troops are arriving but we are ready to handle them in training as fast as they can come. Every British unit in the areas we are occupying has a combat mission in case of invasion. As British troops move out ours must fit in the British scheme of defence and gradually we shall be responsible for these things. United States troops arc prepared to carry out the same duties in air raids as British troops Our forces will co-operate with the local Home Guard. It is highly desirable that we should work with the R.A.F and the British Army in the matter of communications. In conjunction with the British we hope to carry the war to the enemy. It needs knowledge of amphibious warfare. “One of the things we must appre ciate is to have troops trained so they know how to embark and disembark Part of the specialist training here would be on British battle school lines. The best way infantry can gain confidence in their artillery is by having artillery firing over their heads as close as they can. A few will get hurt, but it will have many more in battle 8.0 W.