THE BRITISH ARMY

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21040, 16 February 1940, Page 6

THE BRITISH ARMY

1,250,000 UNDER ARMS DOUBLED IN A YEAR ALSO BIG EMPIRE FORCE (Official Wireless* (Received Feb. 16, 3.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Feb. 15 The British Army strength is double what it was a year ago. This, with other interesting figures, was authentically disclosed to-day. Excluding the Indian Army, which is 150,000 strong, the Army in January, 1939, consisted of 600,000 men, serving in the regular, territorial and reserve forces. To-day, the number is 1,250,000. Immense as are the supplies of man-power available under the compulsory service regulations, the increase in the year is due in only a smaller degree to the classes called up, for it is pointed out that over 150.000 volunteers joined the Army since the outbreak of war, while little difficulty was experienced in completing the Territorial establishments. The personnel of the latter rose by over 289,000 in the three years since 1936. These figures do not include the great increase in the strength of the Empire Army, nor take account of the recruitment to the colonial forces. Transport of British Force Tribute has already been paid to the achievement of transporting the British Expeditionary Force to France without casualties, but now it is revealed that between September 9, when the first full convoy sailed, until October 5, a complete force consisting of 158,000 men, 2500 vehicles, and 140,000 tons of military stores were transported to time schedule without serious hitch. Of this number only one-third consisted of fighting divisions, the remainder being the auxiliary supply and other services established to deal with the far greater army destined to follow the original expeditionary force.