GREAT ARMY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23818, 20 November 1940, Page 10

GREAT ARMY

BRITAIN'S HOME GUARD CHANGE IN STATUS PABT OF MAIN FORCE LONDON. Nov. 15 The Parliamentary Under-Secre-tary to the War Office. Sir Edward Grigg, announced in the House of Commons that commissions would be granted to Home Guard officers, enabling them to command all troops in any locality in the event of emergency. A director-general of the Home Guard, ho said, would replace the Inspector-General, Major-General T. R. Mast wood, on the Commander-in-Chief's staff, but the post of Inspector-General would be retained. Full Armament Rifles, automatic rifles, machine-guns and hand grenades, representing full armament for 1,000,000 men, would shortly be available. The'change in the status of the Home Guard means that it will be Britain's garrison when the present vast trained armies go abroad for the offensive action predicted by the Prime Minister, Mr. Churchill. It is recognised that unless Germany collapses—a remote possibility which must not ho permitted to enter into the calculations of future strategy—the mighty German Army must be defeated before victory can be achieved. Providing Battle Dress The Home Guard numbers 1,700,000 men. which is five or six times the size of the peace-time territorial army, and includes many veterans of the Great War capable of splendid leadership. They will be given commissions, and the Home Guard, now merely a civilian part-time volunteer force, many without uniforms or arms, will become a recognised part of the Army, wearing the same battle dress. The Home Guard is at present engaged on much unnecessary picketing of factories, railway stations, and bridges. Attention, henceforth, will be concentrated on army training. Compensation will be paid for the loss of wages when the men are engaged on full-time service. Probably more than 1.000,000 men will be attested, and enlisted for the duration of the war, the remainder continuing with their present status and present duties.

ATTEMPTS AT SUICIDE GERMAN SHIPMASTER SEQUEL TO SCUTTLING By Teleprraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received November 20, 1.15 a.m.) MEXICO CITY, Nov. 19 It is reported that Captain J. Sliurt, master of the scuttled German motorship Phrygia, made two unsuccessful attempts to commit suicide at Tampico, being frustrated each time by sailors. It is stated that the German Government has ordered a disciplinary investigation into the apparently needless scuttling of the vessel, which was set on fire by the Germans when destroyers which were thought to be British but turned out later to have been American were sighted after the Phrygia and three other German ships put to sea from Tampico.

ARDUOUS JOURNEY BRITONS FROM ESTONIA HONGKONG, Nov. 18 British evacuees from Estonia, numbering 176 men, women and children, have arrived at Hongkong from Vladivostok. The party, which left Tallin on October 26, was transferred to a British vessel at Vladivostock. DEATH OF GENERAL LONG EMPIRE SERVICE (■Received November 19, 5.35 p.m.) VANCOUVER, Not. 18 The death has occurred of Lien-tenant-Goneral Sir Percy Lake, aged 85 years. Lieutenant-General Sir Percy Lake joined the Army in 1873 and served in the Afghan War of 1878-79, the Smlnn Expedition and the European War. For a number of years lie held important military posts in Canada and from 1912 to 1915 he was Chief of the General Staff in India. During the last war he commanded the Mesopotamia!! Korea in 1916. Since his retirement from the Army he had lived in British Columbia.