YOUNGER MEN AS ARMY LEADERS

Southland Times, Issue 23375, 6 December 1937, Page 5

YOUNGER MEN AS ARMY LEADERS

Purpose Of Changes

At War Office

“FIGHTING SOLDIERS” IN HOME COMMANDS

COUNCIL TO HAVE EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright)

(Received December 5, 7.5 p.m.)

LONDON, December 4.

Presenting prizes to the Manchester Regiment, the Secretary for War (Mr Leslie Hore-Belisha) declared that the recent changes at the War Office might disappoint some, but they had brought hope to many. Field-Marshal Sir Cyril Deverell and General Sir Harry Knox, who resigned as Chief of the Imperial General Staff and Adjutant-General to the Forces respectively, had set a fine example by retiring to facilitate the promotion of younger men. “The new appointments can only be regarded as unconventional if rotation is taken as a standard,” said Mr HoreBelisha. “We deliberately left some of the best fighting soldiers in the commands, as it is right that they should spend their days among the troops they may one day have to lead in the field. These commanders will, however, be associated with the • formulation of policies. , j “Thus responsibility will be snared among those inside and outside the Army Council. We aim at decentralization, and to give those leading the troops a maximum of responsibility and those on the General Staff a maximum of freedom from details of administration.” A British Official Wireless message Under the changes at the War Office Major-General Viscount Gort, who succeeds Field-Marshal Sir Cyril Deverell as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, is first military member of the Army Council; Major-General Clive Gerard Liddell is second; and Engineer ViceAdmiral Sir Harold A. Brown is fourth. The third military member, who is not affected by the changes, is LieutenantGeneral Sir Reginald May, Quarter-master-General. The other members unchanged are the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for War (Lord Strathcona), the Financial Secretary to the War Office (Sir Victor Warrender), the Director-General of the Territorial Army and the Permanent Under-Secretary for War (Sir Herbert Creedy). Engineer Vice-Admiral Brown will be assisted by Lieutenant-General M. G. Taylor as Deputy Master-General of Ordnance. Major-General A. P. Wayell, General Officer Commanding the British Forces in Palestine and Transjordan, will succeed next April General Sir John Burnett-Stuart as’General Officer Commanding-in-Chief the Southern Command, and Major-General R. H. Haining will succeed Major-General Wavell. The Press pays tribute to the progress made in the face of many difficulties under Field-Marshal Sir Cyril Deverell’s regime, and The Times adds: “For that no less , than for his last graceful act the Army and the country will always hold him in the highest regard.”