BRITISH REVIEW OF WAR

Southland Times, Issue 24001, 16 December 1939, Page 7

BRITISH REVIEW OF WAR

SUCCESS OF SMALL CRUISERS LIST OF CASUALTIES NOW 2100 TRIBUTE TO COURAGE OF ' FINNS . (British Official Wireless), RUGBY, December 14. The Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain) in his review of the war in the House of Commons gave an account of the naval action in the South Atlantic and repeated the denial that gas shells or grenades had ever been made for or used by the Royal Navy. He declared that the German statement that the Graf Spee losses were due to mustard-gas was “characteristic” and without foundation.

“Although details are not yet available,” he added, “I think it already is apparent that a very gallant action has been fought by three comparatively small British ships against a much more heavily armed adversary, the result of which may well be to free the South Atlantic from the depredations of this raider.” The House would also welcome the news that the same British submarine which reported sighting the Bremen later sank a Üboat and torpedoed an enemy cruiser.

Mr Chamberlain announced the sinking of the British destroyer Duchess after a collision with another warship. The complement of the Duchess, a vessel of 1357 tons, was 145. Mr Chamberlain said that approximately 2100 men of aJI ranks had lost their lives on active service in the first three months of the war compared with 12,500 between August and October 1914.

Reviewing the progress of the war on sea, land and in the air, the Prime Minister touched upon the King’s visit to the troops in France. “British troops have now taken their place in a sector of the Maginot line, side by side with the French,” he said. FACING THE ENEMY

“Certain British units are now facing the enemy in an outpost line, from where patrols maintain touch with the enemy. The British commander is under the orders of a senior French formation commander, but has himself French troops under his command, thus giving fresh proof of the mutual confidence the Allies have in each other.”

After a reference to the air arm, Mr Chamberlain proceeded to speak of Empire co-operation and ended with a declaration that the Allies were fighting to defend Christian principles and ideals.

He paid a tribute to the courage and determination of the Finnish defence. By an act of aggression the Soviet Government had outraged the conscience of the whole world. The German Government had publicly ranged itself on the side of the aggressor, whom it had even attempted to assist by a violent campaign against the Scandinavian countries for their moral support of the Finnish cause. At the outset and before the Geneva appeal the British Government had decided to permit the release‘and immediate delivery to Finland by the manufacturers of a number of fighter aircraft urgently needed. The .Government intended similarly to release other material to assist the Finnish Government. Generous help for Finland had been forthcoming from several other countries, including the United States. Several European countries would have supplied more material but for the difficulties made by Germany regarding transit.

OBJECTIVE OF WAR Mr Chamberlain after reviewing the League proceedings, said that the opportunity had been seized by the Nazis —and by many acting unconsciously in their service—to deflect attention from the primary objective of the Allied war effort—the defeat of Nazi Germany. “We must never lose sight of that objective. We must never forget it German aggression paved the way for the Soviet attacks on Poland and Finland,” he said. “Germany alone among the nations is even now abetting by word and deed the Russian aggression. We must give what help we can spare to this latest victim but meanwhile it is only by concentrating on the task of resistance to German aggression—and thus attacking the evil at the root —that we can hope to save the nations of Europe from the fate which otherwise will overtake them.” Mr Chamberlain said that Britain believed that full use should be made of the League machinery for a peaceful settlement of the dispute, but if that were impossible then the machinery should be employed to lend practical assistance to Finland. The Prime Minister said there had been a full and frank exchange of views with the Dominion Ministers, which had proved to be of the highest value, on general, strategical and diplomatic aspects of the war. Britain greatly appreciated India’s war effort and the same applied to Burma. Britain was not overlooking the importance of employing the Empire’s vast material resources. Discussion was being energetically pursued for essential materials and arrangements were being made to increase the colonies’ output of tin, rubber and foodstuffs. Measures had been taken to secure supplies of sugar, cocoa, vegetables and oils from the colonies for the use of the Dominions and the Allies.