NEW COMMANDER IN BRITAIN

Southland Times, Issue 24184, 22 July 1940, Page 5

NEW COMMANDER IN BRITAIN

SIR ALAN BROOKE APPOINTED RECENT EXPERIENCE OF VALUE GENERAL IRONSIDE TO BE FIELD-MARSHAL (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, July 19. The King has approved the following promotions and appointments: — General Sir Edmund Ironside, Com-mander-in-Chief of the Home Forces, to be Field-Marshal. General Viscount Gort to be In-spector-General to the Forces for Training. Lieutenant-General Sir Alan Brooke, general officer commanding-in-chief

of the Southern Command, to be Com-mander—in-Chief of the Home Forces, replacing Field-Marshal Ironside, with the acting rank of general. Lieutenant-General C. J. Auchinleck, to be general officer commanding-in-chief of the Southern Command. Although the great energy and ability of Field-Marshal Ironside have brought the military organization of Britain against invasion to its existing high state of efficiency, it is considered that it is now essential to place the command of the Home Forces in the hands of a commander-in-chief with immediate experience of command in France and Belgium. Lieutenant-General Auchinleck commanded the Allied military forces at Narvik. Field-Marshal Ironside will remain on the active list, available for employment either in an advisory capacity or in a command. It was stated in London that General Brooke was selected because of his highly successful leadership of the 2nd Corps of the British Expeditionary Force.

As an Irisnman born and brought up in France. Sir Alan Brooke was described early in the war as the "Perfect Ally.” He is 57 years of age, having been born on July 23, 1883.

After four years artillery staff service in France during the' last war, including a period with the Canadian Corps, he became widely known throughout the Army by his remarkable success as Commandant of the school of Artillery from 1929 to 1932. Then he went to the Imperial Defence College as the Army Instructor, and after a year in 'Command of an infantry brigade he went to the War Office to become in turn Inspector of Artillery and Director of Military Training. In November 1937 he was sent to command the Mobile Division on its formation, but just as its first collective training was about to begin he was called away in July 1938 to take over command of the country’s antiaircraft forces, which were being formed into a corps. He had hardly had time to study this new problem before the Munich crisis developed, but since then his grasp and energy have largely contributed to the efficiency which this side of Britain’s defence has now attained. A year ago General Brooke became commander of the Southern Command and on the outbreak of war he went to France in command of the 2nd Corps. He supervised the withdrawal of his men from Dunkirk, spending several days on the bomb-torn beaches. General Brooke should have good opportunity to apply the results of his exceptionally thorough study of artillery methods in his new position, now the most important in the British Army. PARADE OF DEFENCE VOLUNTEERS INSPECTION BY THE KING (British Official Wireless) (Received July 21, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, July 20. The King inspected a large parade of Local Defence Volunteers this afternoon and was shown a variety of the instruction—machine-gun drill, map reading and ju-jutsu—which the members of the “home guard,” as the Prime Minister. called them, receive in their spare-time training. A considerable portion of the volunteers are exservicemen and his Majesty was much impressed with their smartness when they marched past him. A large crowd which gathered outside the parade ground gave his Majesty a great ovation.