CANADA AT WAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 November 1941, Page 6

CANADA AT WAR

IMPRESSIVE STRIDES MADE IN INDUSTRY HUGE & GROWING OUTPUT. ENLISTMENT IN FIGHTING FORCES. OTTAWA, November 6. Canada’s army programme for ,1942. the Minister of National Defence, Colonel the Hon Jas. L. Ralston, informed the House of Commons, is to be considered by the War Committee of the Cabinet. Already a preliminary study of the manpower situation has been made. “Our objective,” Colonel Ralston added, “is an all-out effort to the utmost of our strength, based on a study of the situation and in the light of other calls on our resources.”

The closing days of the adjourned Parliamentary session afforded members of the Government an opportunity to present' a revealing picture of Canada at war. Salient points in ministerial statements were that over 110,000 Canadian soldiers are overseas; reserves in Canada total 150,000; Canadian Air Force 90,000 at home and overseas; Navy 27,000 officers and men. During the two months’ summer recruiting campaign, the Army enlisted 34,000 and the Air Force and Navy 15,500. Since the campaign ended in July the Army has asked for 37,000 recruits. Enlistments total 24,000. A total of 123,457 have been called up for compulsory military training under the Mobilisation Act. Out of a total of 217,588 men examined under the Mobilisation Act up to October 2, 1941, only about 56 per cent were placed in Category A, the only category ( accepted for training by the Defence Department. “This is a serious situation,” said the Hon J. T. Thorson, Minister of National War Services, adding that plans for the reconditioning of rejected men are under consideration by an inter-departmental committee. Total orders placed for ships exceed 500,000,000 dollars. Seventy-seven corvettes have been launched and 50 delivered while contracts are under negotiation for 55 more. Fifty-nine mine-sweepers have been launched, 40 delivered and 25 more are under negotiation. Patrol boats: 11 delivered. Motor torpedo and crash boats: 19 delivered. Ten thousand-ton cargo ships: Two launched —100 cargo ships expected in service by late 1942. Aircraft which have been manufactured or assembled number 3,749. The present weekly average rate of production is 40.

Other details of war production are; Motor vehicles delivered, 150,000. Production of 200 medium tanks each month by early 1942, with infantry tanks, cruiser tanks, universal carriers, armoured scout and reconnaissance cars already produced at an expanding rate. Ten types of heavy guns are under production with the 1942 monthly production estimated at 400 anti-aircraft, 500 field, 150 naval and 1,000 extra barrels. Twelve thousand Bren guns have been produced, with 14,000 extra barrels. The 1942 production of Lee-Enfield rifles is estimated at 200,000. Trench mortars: The 1942 production is estimated at 400 a month. Over 9,000,000 units of twenty sizes of shells have been delivered and there is now capacity of 1,200,000 a month. Cartridge cases: 10,000,000 delivered, present capacity ' 2,000,000 a

month. Fuses: 7,000,000 delivered, production capacity 1.000,000 a month. Primers: 8,000,000 delivered, capacity 13,000,000 a month. Miscellaneous sheil parts: capacity 1,000,000 a month. Small arms ammunition: present capacity 50,000,000 rounds a month to be trebled by 1942. Bombs: 500.000 units delivered. Chemicals and explosives: 150,000,000 pounds delivered; 1942 capacity 70,000,000 pounds a month.