INDIA’S GREAT HELP

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21100, 30 April 1940, Page 8

INDIA’S GREAT HELP

MEN, MATERIALS AND MONEY IMPRESSIVE WAR EFFORT EXPANSION OF SERVICES (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received April 30, 3.15 p.m.) LONDON, April 29 The scale of India’s war effort is most impressive when its many manifestations over the past eight months are seen in perspective. Regular units of the Indian Army are serving overseas in France, Malaya and Egypt. Indian territorials and men of the auxiliary forces are serving India by the side of their professional comrades. The Army is being expanded in all branches of the service, and apart from the growth of the regular units eight new territorial battalions have been formed and more are contemplated. Pilots and mechanics for the growing air force requirements are being systematically recruited and trained in India. In addition to five new auxiliary volunteer flights which already have been brought into being, recruiting has been so successful that the authorities have had to slow up the rate of volunteers. The Indian Princes have been overwhelmingly generous, and, to quote but one instance, the Nizam of Hyderabad gave £IOO,OOO towards the cost of the Royal Air Force squadron which bears his name. So many contributions in money or in kind, from rich and poor alike, have been sent to the Viceroy that he has found it necessary to open a War Purposes Fund, the total of which is approximately £600,000. Generous donations have also been made to the Indian Red Cross, St. John Ambulance Association and other funds. Production of Munitions In the industrial field great ordnance factories are producing munitions at a speed and quantity which a few months ago would hardly have been contemplated. When the expansion scheme are complete it is anticiated that India will become an important centre of munitions production, able not only to meet her own needs but to an appreciable extent those of the Allied forces abroad.