THE BRITISH ARMY

Otago Witness, Issue 3861, 13 March 1928, Page 28

THE BRITISH ARMY

MECHANISED FORMATIONS. RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS. LONDON, March 8. In the House of Commons Sir L. Worthington-Evans (Secretary of War), in Committee of Supply, in introducing the Army Estimates of £41,050,000, compared with £41,535,000 last' year, said that tbe actual saving to the taxpayeis was over £1,000,000, because the War Office was receiving £500,000 less than last year from the Exchequer for the Rhine army, while £200,000 in respect of the Middle East had fallen to th 2 army instead of the Colonial Office vote.

The time had come, he said, to state the results of the experiments in the mechanisation of the Army. The additional mobility and the carrying power of mechanical vehicles, together with the striking force of tanks in use, created a revolution in the application of Hie principles of warfare, just as the motor ear transformed the business and soc’al life of the nation. Last year’s manoeuvres with complete mechanised formations exceeded expectations. It was too early to say anything positive about the outcome. Possibly ultimately a few soldiers in actual warfare would mareli great distances. The battle might be carried on in the air or by motor •/chicles. The whole organisation of military divisions, with proportions of caval-y. artillery, and infantry, might eventually be replaced by smaller groups, men with various mechanical vehicles and tanks. Meanwhile they had to maintain the forces known to be valuable. Experiments with mechanisation were continuing. The existing formations were being gradually based on the increased mobility and fire power provided by motor vehicles. Many critics accused him of weakness and wastefulness because he did not disband immediately all cavalry. Though cavalry on the western front iu war time was overshadowed by mare important happenings, experience in Palestine showed that in certain countries cavalry was still effective and necessary. He did not propose immediately to dispense with more mounted units, but two cavalry regiments would exchange horses for armoured cars. The heavy and medium artillery were being mechanised. The rest of the field artillery was still horse-drawn. It, was intended to convert the latter as soon as funds were available. The Estimates did not provide for the foree in China.

Sir L. Worthington-Evans said that the Mechanised Squadron at present consisted of six-wheeler lorries carrying eight machine-guns in peace time and sixteen in war time. The six-wheelers also carry the first-line transport. He hoped in future to substitute light armoured vehicles for the six-wheeler lorries. He added that the Air Minister would explain the situation in Iraq. Mr J. J. Lawson (Labour) said that, compared with other nations, the Army Estimates were small, but they bad so much they needed in years after the Great War that Labour would support the vote because it thought that the Army ought to be efficient in its purpose. The gravest revelation was that only onethird of the men offering to recruit were found physically fit. Mr J. Wheatley said that if th-y could have demonstrated on the floor of the House a man being bayoneted there would be less enthusiasm for armaments. Was it all through fear of Russia, which was the only country leading Britain to real disarmament? Mr A. Duff-Cooper, replying, said that Mr Wheatley’s utterance was irrelevant and out of place. Russia’s disarmament proposal was only intended to make the League of Nations look ridiculous. Everyone wanted peace and disarmament, but no peace advocate believed ‘■’u.t complete disarmament was the ideal. The Government’s jioliey was to make the Army as small, efficient, and cheap as possible. CUTS IN THE ESTIMATES. LONDON, March 8. Prospective cuts of £500,000 in the Army Estimates and £75,000 in-the Navy, coupled with £12,000,000 in other civil services, give Mr Churchill a prospect of lopping about £13,000,000 from the Budget. Departrnental commitments and savings in the sinking fund may swell the cut to £27,000,000. ARMY VOTE AGREED TO. LONDON, March 9. In the House of Commons Sir L. Worth-ington-Evans (Secretary of War), closing the debate on the Army Estimates, emphasised th© fact that before the war the strength of the army was 719,000. To-d.iv it is 472,000. The vote was agreed to bv 169 votes to 20. THRILLING POSSIBILITIES. LONDON, March 9 Field-marshal Sir George Mile, referring to. army mechanisation, said it was impossible not to be thrilled by the possibilities opened up. The British Army had now found something which had relegated infantry and horsemen to a secondary place in warfare. Tney would in future be merely moppers- ip or ground cleaners, or else go to fignt in countries which were motor-proof. One absorbing problem of mechanisation was the question of fuel.