SOVIET'S RED ARMY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22518, 8 September 1936, Page 9

SOVIET'S RED ARMY

LARGE-SCALE MANOEUVRES BRITISH PARTY TO ATTEND MOSCOW, Sept. 6 The first British military mission to visit Russia has arrived at Minsk to attend the most extensive manoeuvres ever conducted by the Red Army. The party comprises Major-General A. G. Wavell, Aldorshot Command, Lieutenant-Colonel Giffard Martel, inventor of the one-man tank, Major E. C. Hayes, of the Imperial General Staff, and Wing-Commander C. G. Wigglesworth. One hundred thousand troops will take part in the manoeuvres, which will consist of a mimic battle for Minsk against an "invader," probably including the dropping of many soldiers, armed with automatic rifles, by means of parachutes from troop-carriers. French and Czechoslovakian missions also will attend the manoeuvres.

The Vice-Commissar of Defence, Marshal Tuchachevsky, announced at a session of the Central Executive Council on January 15 that the Soviet Army then consisted of 1,300,000 men, of whom 77 per cent had already completed their training and were actually under arms.

FRENCH ARMAMENT millions to be spent PARIS, Sept. 6 The French Cabinet has approved of M. Daladier's armament proposals. These involve an expenditure of £13,150,000 in the course of several years.