POWERFUL CORPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24834, 6 February 1942, Page 5

POWERFUL CORPS

FORMATION IN BRITAIN UNEQUALLED IN ARMAMENT (Rec. 0.30 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 5. The formation in Scotland of a powerful new’ arm of the British Army was announced to-day. This is the Reconnaissance Corps, which has a Scale of armament and mechanisation unequalled in military history. Details of this force have now been released by the War Office. One battalion will be attached to each infantry division, and each battalion has over 250 mechanised vehicles, including armoured cars, Bren-gun carriers, troop-carrying trucks, and motor cycles. These vehicles would make columns 13 miles long. Their armament includes anti-tank artillery .55 rifles, grenades, batteries of mortars, and a large number of tommy guns, and light machine guns. The training of the troops, who have been specially selected, is extremely hard—somewhat similar to that of the commandos.

The main function of the corps, as the name suggests, is to obtain information from the enemy. They do this, if possible, by cunnin" and stealth, but if they have to fight they will possess fire-power equalled by no other battalion.

Each selected man is given basic training and then sent to the specialist companies, according to his particular aptitude.