The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1917. THE REINFORCEMENTS.

Southland Times, Issue 17732, 9 August 1917, Page 4

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1917. THE REINFORCEMENTS.

As was anticipated by those who examined the figures at nil closely Sir James Allen was able to announce in the House on Tuesday evening that the monthly reinforcement draft will be reduced as soon as all shortages have been made up. This reduction has been decided upon in consequence of a telegram received from the War Office on Monday. The Minister of Defence, referring to the calculations made by members of the House, newspapers and others with a view to showing that reserves have accumulated in excess of requirements, said that sonic of the newspapers who bad been taking stock had

made a mistake. That is quite possible, but so far as we are concerned we think our mistake was on the right side. We

did not know at the time the exact strength of the field force that had to be maintained. The Minister now gives the strength of that force as 23,243 men. This number hj considerably less than we allowed for, and therefore we feel sure that though we were to a considerable extent working in the dark an ample margin was allowed for error. Sir James Allen, who is now taking the country into his confidence with respect (o (he Expeditionary Force more fully than ever before, has promised to make a statement shortly disclosing the exact position, and when the official details are given we shall be able to compare Cm unofficial calculations wdth them. Even after making all allowances for mistakes, however, it was obvious that the monthly draft was considerably in excess of requirements and that the Government was bound to do one of two things: (1 1 either to raise the strength of the forces in the field so as to make full use of the men trained and sent home; or (2) to reduce the monthly draft to the number actually required in order that men migLt be left as long as possible in their occupations in this country. Some of our correspondents have criticised us somewhat strongly for leoving the Government to choose between these alternatives, instead of urging that men should be sent

to the full limit of the dominion’s rapacity and used to increase the strength of the force in the field. ’ That, however, is a question for the Government alone. It has been argued that we should not follow men but support principles, but in this war we have no choice hut to trust men. Behind the Government of ihc dominion is the Imperial War Cabinet ; behind that Cabinet again is the British General Staff, and it is for our Government with Coe advice of the Home authorities to riftf ’e what the strength of our field force should be, the concern of the Government bring to see (hat New Zealand fully discharges its obligations to (he Empire in the wrr crisis. Lie strength of the field for-' ? is not to he in. teased, and therefore the percentage of nimorcements comes down. The quota will be reduced in due course from between 2300 and 2400 men to 1020 men per mouth, a saving equal to more than two full drafts in the year.

As we surmised the percentage of reinforcements required was at the outset fixed in the dark, and it is only now, with the experience of three years’ fighting, that it can he put upon what may reasonably he regarded as a permanent basis. The British Expeditionary Force lost heavily in France in the first, months of the war, and the AVar Office then asked for 25 j>er cent, of reinforcements on the establishment of infantry and mounted rifles. In December, 1914, the calculation was revised and requirements were fixed at 15 per cent, for infantry and 10 per cent, for mounted rifles. Then came the heavy casualties at Gallipoli, where a large number of the mounted men fought as infantry. The reinforcements percentage for mounted men was raised to 15 per cent., as for infantry'. In October, 1915, at the close of the first summer campaign in France, the percentage was raised to 20 per cent. After the winter, in February', 1916. it was reduced to 15 per cent. The losses in the summer of 1916 were severe. In the battle of the Somme the casualties in the New Zealand Division were 8000. This summer fighting began early and has continued with short spells for reorganisation, and the percentage is now fixed at 12 per cent., which may be regarded as permanent. It was to be expected that the demand for reinforcements would vary. In (he first years of the war the Government had no data to work upon; -with three years’ experience it can fix the number with approximate accuracy.

Something was said in the House about the Australian quota. Sir James Allen said that he had no knowledge of the Governor-General of Australia having made the statement that 7000 men a month would suffice to reinforce the five Australian Divisions. We do not know that the Governor-General of Australia made any such statement, but that the Prime Minister of Australia made it,is beyond doubt. In June it was announced that Mr Hughes would take an early opportunity of making an import,ant statement in regard to Australia’s reinforcements. The promised statement was made in a speech at Sydney on 29th June. Mr Hughes then said: “The British War Office, in the light of its experience, based upon the casualties and the wastage during the great Somme offensive, and in particular upon the sanguinary battle of Pozieres, in which the Australian divisions suffered very heavily, advised the Commonwealth Government that 16,500 troops per month were required to keep the five Australian divisions at their full fighting strength. . . . Happily, later experience has proved the estimate of the British War Office to have been too high. The Commonwealth Government, with the experience of the casualties during the recent winter, and the present spring and summer offensive before it, is now in a position to say upon what i basis is the minimum number of recruits j per month compatible at once with nali- | onal safety and honour. . . . After the j most careful consideration, and with due regard to every phase of the question, the j Government earnestly appeals to the people of Australia to raise at least 7000 recruits per month.” This statement is clear enough. It is official, and it justifies us in asking what right Mr Allen has to say i that Australia ought to send 16,231 men I per month. It is true that Mr Hughes I gave 7000 men as a minimum, but his speech made it clear that if the Commonwealth provided 7000 men a month the five Australian Divisions could be maintained at full strength. Furthermore, on Mr Allen’s own statement 1920 men per month will keep up the New .Zealand i F’orce; the Australian Force is five times Ins large, so that if the Commonwealth were to send the same number of men j proportionately as New Zealand the j monthly quota would be 9600. That, howj ever, is a matter that does not concern us very greatly. As ihe result of the full disj mission of the subject in the press we have had the position more fully explained, and a reduction has been derided upon w'hich was clearly justified by the excessive accumulation of men under (he old quota.