RADICAL CHANGES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10851, 17 March 1921, Page 5

RADICAL CHANGES

BRITISH DEFENCE FORCES OLD REGIMENTS TO GO OUT IN FAVOUR OF TANKS. GENERAL TOWNSHEND’S VIEWS. By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright Australian and g v • \ ■■ •->t-ion. (Received March 16, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 15. In the House of Commons Sir L. AV. Evans (Minister for War), in introducing the Army Estimates, said that the Wax Office was aiming to have an expeditionary force of six divisions, including fast, powerful tanks, which would bo a substitute for the cavalry. Several cavalry and yeomanry regiments would accordingly be disbanded. New light tanks were being developed to assist the infantry. There would be fourteen companies of armoured cal’s, each consisting of twelve cars. General Townsliend appealed to the Government to withdraw its enormous force from Mesopotamia. He declared: “Our present military policy there is ghastly and a strategical blunder. Wo ought to hold Mesopotamia with one division.” He had recently discussed tanks with Generals Mangin, Gouraud and Castelna.u. They all thought tho day of the tank had passed. The Germans at the end of the war found an antidote by spreading mines in the way of the tanks’ advance. The vote' was passed. During the debate several members protested agaipst the disbandment of historic regiments, including the Twen-ty-first Lancers, the heroes of the charge of Omdurman.