Answer to Tanks

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21653, 13 February 1942, Page 4

Answer to Tanks

NEW HEAVY BRITISH GUN INCREASING PRODUCTION FULL SUPPLY TO RUSSIA (Official Wireless) (Received Feb. 13. 3.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Feb. 12 Lord Beaverbrook in the House of Lords today, spoke of a new heavy tank gun against which no German or Italian tank would be able to withstand. This gun, he said, was being produced a considerable time ago and already the foundations for its production on a very large scale had been laid. Britain already had a good supply of these guns and he hoped they would shortly come into use. They were for tanks and for anti-tank work. The new gun would give British tanks at least equality with German tanks, which carried 4£ pounders. The procuction of tanks, said Lord Beaverbrook, was three times greater in January than in the previous January. The production of twopounders had increased to a rate of 33,000 a year during January—an increase of 10 per cent over December. Reliability of Tanks Speaking of the efficiency and reliability of British tanks. Lord Beaverbrook said that a whole brigade of Waltzing Matildas travelled 500 or 600 miles across the Libyan Desert during the recent fighting and not a single tank dropped out through mechanical trouble. Turning to supplies of equipment which Britain had sent abroad to her Allies, the Dominions and her own troops serving overseas, the Minister said that in 1941 9781 aircraft had been sent out of the United Kingdom, while only 2134 had been brought in. About 3000 tanks had been sent abroad and only 200 brought in. British tanks played a very big part in the defence •of Moscow. “We have fulfilled all our obligations to Russia for munitions of war; all our protocol obligations up to January 31, with the exception of one tank, and that was a misfortune,” said Lord Beaverbrook.

“It is credit we are entitled to take amidst the sacrifices we have made, and we have carried out entirely our bargain with and our pledge and promises to Russia. We have created their faith, confidence and trust in us. We have a very great deal more to do. We must send to Russia shortly under the terms of the protocol immensely increased shipments of tanks and aircraft. The Ministry of Supply and the Ministry of Aircraft are preparing for that additional strain on their resources.”

Concerning the supply of raw materials, Lord Beaverbrook pointed out that many sources of supply had been cut oif. Steps had been taken at Washington for tlu production ,u over 400,000 ions yearly of synthetic rubber. i th.s. 50,000 tons would be available for Britain. It was proposed to increase the United States’ production to 600,000 tons a year. A vast scheme for the production of octane fuel sufficient to meet the growing reeds of Britain and the United States had also been launched in America. Thus the United States had become the principal source of supply of raw materials.