UNITY IN ALLIED WAR CONTROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24836, 9 February 1942, Page 5

UNITY IN ALLIED WAR CONTROL

NEW COMMAND POST WASHINGTON AS CENTRE ANZAC NAVAL FORGES NOW IN AMERICAN CHARGE (United Press Association). V Electric Telefraph^Conyright) (Ret. 10 P.m.) WASHINGTON, Feb. 7. A Navy Department communique to-day announced that the combined naval forces of Australia and New Zealand have been placed under the command of Vice-admiral Herbert F. Leary, with the title of Commander of the Anzac Forces. The i communique also announced the creation of a new ' naval command, designating the forces which were fonnerly the Asiatic Fleet as the United States ■ Naval Forces in the South-west Pacific. ■• ; The Navy announced that Vice-admiral William A. Glassford will command[thenaval forcesin the south-west Pacific. Both Vice-admiral Leaiy and Vice-admiral Glassford will be subordinate,to Admiral T C. Hart, Commander-in-chief, South-west Pacific. The reorganisation of t6e>Hnited Nations' forces in the Australia-New Zealand area, brings naval operations under a unified command, and is intended to satisfy the Australian and New Zealand requests for a more closely knit war organisation. The* Wm Department announced the establishment of a " combined ?!OmiKJsed of the highest United States and British military officials, to co-ordinate the war/effort The department added "that this " amounts to a. combined command .post for the conduct of all joint operations of the two Governments in the war." The combined staffsi'-will have headquarters .-at Washington and will provide for full 7 collaboration with the'Other United Nations. The group will have two principal subdivisions,' one of the United States chiefs-pf-staff and the military; and naval officials represented in Washington.

STAFF GROUP PERSONNEL ANNOUNCED OUTLINE OF DUTIES WASHINGTON; <Rec. 10.30, p.m.X V teb. 7. The -American representatives in the group will be'—' *"* '."■'■■7 ~,;•.,..,.:, Stark,Chief of the Naval Staff. ' •:.■'.■;,■.-■>'-.;.''■ General George C. Marshall, Chief of '.'■-.': the Army Staffs Rear-admiral J; T. King, commander-in-chief of the United StatesrtNavjv Major-general Henry-Arnolds Chief -of *:■„ the Army Air-Corps. vThftv,-Britishv-representatives -4will ber%v:%j \yy.-- :}*■<.?;' '' : '7.; 4 .; ■■■'_■■ Field^marshal: Sir John Dill, former, ■ Chief of Imperial General

; T -?rtaff.'. ' : .-\.-:-':-"' A ■' -' , Admiral -Sir Charles. Little, a Lord '■'-' Commissioner of * the Admiralty

'-' arid Chief of Naval Personnel, lieutenant Sir ' Colville; Wemyss,; adjutant-general to the /forces,; ; :■.'■' ■■•■:' '■■ ■:--•■:' Air Marshal A. T. Harris. . The*'War Department said the new frdun would " provide machinery for adjusting joint operations involving in a unitea movement other nations,, such as China, the Netherlands East Indies, Australia and New Zealand." Majorgeneral James Burns, an Army Ordnance expert who served on the-United States lend-lease; mission to Moscow, will be secretary to the United States ■.' Assignment Board: : ■ ' ■-' The department's statement added that representatives of Australia, New Zealand; the Netherlands East Indies arid; China will participate with the Combined Chiefs of Staff. The British secretary to ; the Combined. Chiefs: of Staff, is Brigadier' V. Dykes, ,iyho for, several years, was secretary to the Committee of Imperial Defence and the War Cabinet in London. While action on broad strategical questions will be in the form of joint recommendations to the American and ,-.' British Governments, the board is empowered to act without delay in minor and immediate matters relating to current operations. The. department added that the*. group : has.been established to ensure, the complete co-Ordination of the war effort including the production and distribution of supplies, and to provide full British-American collaboration in the - prosecution of the war against the Axis; The integral and important facto* will be the Munitions Assignment Board, headed by Mr Harry Hopkins, which will have a counterpart in London, both with British and Uhited "States membership. The board's nroposals will be. submitted to the Combined Chiefs of Staff for their recommendation to the heads of their" Governments. '-: It is pointed out that the" British representatives in. Washington will be in constant comjpuniCation with the British chiefs.;of staff in London. ,>'-".-'-v,, PLANES FOR PACIHC WAR AMERICA'S MOUNTING OUTPUT WASHINGTON, Feb. 6. ■ ■<■".. The. United Slated will send ; an in - creasing number-of bombers to the South-west Pacific," says the New York Post: * "The output of planes in the United States has reached a new high level, and is\ growing rapidly. The January production showed an enormous increase on the Deceiriber figures, and th£ months ahead will bring even' happier'reiults: " The new bomber assemo#7plahts;ht'^the''Middle' ,W A est of, flie'United States "wilF come into production'in the nexf three months, arid by June the production may jump by $0 per cent,; , . > "Washington is confident that by August, and September the United States will be able ; ,to-meet the major - on'a'ctive'fronts 1 at' least ip terms of..adequate defence. In "production, will' be great warrant gigantic air offensives 'wherever we choose to 'make . them." U...;.;.. ■■..- /■:'■-:.•.; '.■■.. ~■'■-■■ ■,■'■".■ : <,