STANDING ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26034, 24 December 1945, Page 7

STANDING ARMY

FRANCE’S INTENTIONS DEFINITE TRAINING POLICY (Rec. 9.25 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22. France has decided to maintain a modernised army of 500,000 men and a navy of 65,000, says the Paris radio. One hundred and twenty French generals, admirals, and air marshals attended a conference at which the decision was made that the occupation forces in Germany and the colonies will each be allocated 120,000 men. A total of 100,000 will be used in North Africa, and air, sea, and land forces will be closely co-ordinated under a combined general staff Over which General de Gaulle will preside. Recruits will be called up at the age of 19 to undergo two periods of six months’ training, with two years’ home leave between periods. The barracks type of training establishments will be abandoned in favour of openair camps, and the army will have 25,000 officers on the active list. The promotion of officers by seniority will be discontinued, and the St. Cyr officers' school will be replaced by a school in which the authorities will aim to banish the caste spirit. The conference heard reports that French ports are still able to handle only 10 per cent, of their pre-war capacity. France, at present, has 100,000 tons of warships in active service, and 100 minesweepers will be engaged for the next five years clearing the minefields along the Atlantic coast.

The air force is reported to be the worst hit of all the services. It possesses few aircraft, and has lost skilled men to industry. Practically all hangars and ground equipment have been destroyed.