THE BRITISH ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 18

THE BRITISH ARMY

NEW TYPE OF TANKS PRELUDE TO LAND BATTLESHIPS HIGH RESISTANCE TO ATTACK The reorganisation of units of the Army so as to adapt them to modern conceptions of ground warfare has made considerable progress in the last year (states the military correspondent of the Sunday Times). Bren guns, anti-tank guns, trench mortars, 15cwt trucks, Bren carriers, light tanks and cruiser tanks are now being produced in satisfactory quantities. As in other branches of our rearmament programme, once production has begun the rate of output advances at a greatly increasing acceleration. The development of the new weapons, coupled with the information gleaned from observers in Spain, Abyssinia, and China, have necessitated changes not only in the construction but in the tactical handling of army units. Anti-tank Regiments In line regiments, for instance, the mixed battalion formerly consisted of four companies with three ma-chine-gun platoons and one trenchmortar platoon. The machine-gun platoons have now been incorporated into machine-gun regiments—of which we have four—and are equipped with the two types of Vickers gun. There is, however, nothing finite in this organisation, which is internationally being allowed to retain its flexibility. Every change in the establishment of units involves some modification in tactics, and in this the staff and commanders of units are having an experience which should prove invaluable in the rapidly-changing circumstances of a war. This aspect of flexibility of organisation and tactics is' best exemplified in the increasing development of reconnaissance, armoured cars and cruiser tanks as well as that <jf cycle combinations. Germany, Italy and France have developed the armoured car and motor cycle combination as efficient means of carrying out reconnaissance. In our army several cavalry regiments have been converted into cavalry armoured car regiments, comprising three squadrons with a total of 36 armoured cars as well as four-seater cars and motor cycles. The function of the armoured car is to effect long-distance reconnaissance which will be supplementary to the aerial reconnaissance carried out by army co-operative squadrons. In this respect the functions of the car and the aeroplane are the same, the only difference being that the car can carry out a more intimate examination of territory and the disposition of forces, while the aeroplane observer can take a broader but less detailed view. Armoured cars are not be used as tanks, their armament consisting of a Bren gun and an anti-tank rifle. In their place, a battalion now has 52 Bren guns—one in each section—and, instead of the four trench mortars in one platoon, the battalion has two Sin mortars, and each of the 12 platoons has one 2-inch mortar. Defence against tanks, except for the anti-tank rifle, has now been transferred to the Royal Artillery, in which anti-tank regiments are equipped with the two-pounder gun. The likelihood of a great increase in the use of tanks of medium weight has involved the creation of a new type of vehicle for intercommunication between mobile units. Ordinarily wireless is used, but there are occasions when it will be necessary to have a secondary means. For this purpose armoured scout cars have been designed which will take the place of the despatch rider’s cycle. The car has a crew of two. In a demonstration at Aldershot before a large party of M.P.’s two makes of this type of car. were shown as well as several of the latest tanks. The above army weapons which are to be used for defence or in preparation for attack are all of light construction. As far as possible standard commercial chassis and components are used. This, in turn, results in a decrease in the initial cost and a simplification of maintenance. The Cruiser Tank For attack weapons, of which the cruiser type of tank is to form the basis, ordinary commercial construction is impossible. The increased penetrating power of both anti-tank rifles and two-pounder guns makes the employment of heavy armour obligatory. This, in turn, involves greater power in the engines, decreased speed and an increase in cost, which at first sight appears to be out of ail proportion to the quality of the vehicles. It is essential, however, to have tanks which can withstand attack by all the minor weapons, and in future all the medium-tank battalions are to be equipped with cruiser tanks, the development of which is probably a prelude to the evolution of travelling fortresses or land “battleships.” One feature of all types of armoured fighting vehicles is the extreme ease with which they are now able to manoeuvre. Crashing Through a House Expert drivers perform extraordinary feats on them. A medium tank, ‘for instance, properly handled, can crash through a house, and an armoured car or Bren carrier can tear its way through close thickets. In most of the mobile equipment supplied to the Regular Army the drive is by caterpillar “tracks.” , For simplication in training and to save' expense the Territorial Army is being supplied with wheeled tanks which are believed to be almost as efficient as the “tracked” type. The War Office is confident that the tanks and other fighting vehicles being delivered and about to be supplied to the Army are the best in the world, that the training is the most thorough and that the spirit is the highest.