EMPIRE GENERAL STAFF.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 708, 6 January 1910, Page 9

EMPIRE GENERAL STAFF.

GREAT WAR SCHOOL BEING FORMED. orricEßS tor india Tho official announcement that the new title of Chief of the Imperial General Staff has been taXen into n=o 15 practically the beginning of the formation of a General .Staff for the Empire in military defence (sajs tho London "Standard") Tho discussion of the creation of such a , ! staff has been going forward for 6e\oral years, and in Tebruary last a White paper nas issued announcing tome genoral principles Previously ' the Chiei of tho General Staff" has been tho designation ot the post of the strategic director of defence, but now that each dominion is to hai e meinborship on a common staff with the Eegular Army tho word "ImI penal" is udded to tho designation. I Some interesting particulars are noir available concerning this new Imperial General Staff The headquarters are to ba in London, and each Dominion will have a branch under a local chief It is desired to train officers for stafl: work on 1 a common curriculum, so that whon the | forces of tLe Empire aro thrown together for war there will bo no confusion of ideas All will have the same strategic military education, and the leadership Of troops will tliereforo be simplified The ideal to bo aimed at is that all divisions •of tho Empire force should bo capable of acting in war as paits of a whole This can only be realised when all the part sare trained by one brain—the Genual Staff Ihis staff must, therefore, be an entity in touch, with tho whole Empire, and to make it so all membore uill belong to one school of war In a great war, oversea troops will ha\e staff officers selected from the local IG S section Those attached to tho Commander-m Chief will be drawn mainly from the central body But the officers compn s ing this central staff, headquartered in London, will bo the pick of the staff officers ot tho nholo of the Empire. . In order to effect this, staff college', on tho model of those at Camborley and Quotta, will bo established in South Africa New Zealand, Canada, and Australia Officers will bo exchanged between all the various parts of the l!m pno, so that a iery broad knowledge of Imperial requirements can bo obtained by all As a beginning, Australia has nominated several officers to serve , on the Indian staff and gam a knowledge of tho frontier problems, which may some day need tho presence of Australian troops Major Ii M J Pearco, Australian Tield Artillery, who served with distinction in South Africa on the staff, goes from Iscw South Wales Captain HAT Wilkinson, who commands the Western Austruha Infantrj Regiment, also goes as a volunteer representative Two oveisea officers aie already serving on tho staff at the Wai Office, undei Sir William Nicholson, thoso being Captain C B B White, Australia, aniid Captain H Kemmis Butt}, Canada Tho new Imperial General Staff, when fully constituted, mil be as follows — Chief of tho Imperial General Staff War Office) Cioncral Sll William Nicholson (Duties Defence pohev and Prganisa tion for the Imperial Army, training of tho Impoiial Armj, war plans, education, selection.)

Director of Military Operations (War Office) Major Gonenl J S Ewart Director of Staff Duties (War Olhce) Brigadier-General L E Kiggall Director of Military Trailing (War Oftice) Brigadior Goneral A J Muriay Ohiof of tho Impoiial General Staff in India Lieut-General Sir D Haig Chief of the Canadian Section, I G S Major General >Sir I , Lake Chiefs of thu Australian, South Afn can, and Neiv Zealand Sections, 1 (i S

Tho chief of an oveisea section will gi?o advico on local policy, will organise local forces on the accepted State policy, prepare defence plans, train troops, and educate and select officer , ; Ho will bo assisted by a Director of Operations, who will prepare plans for local dofencoand for contingents joining an Imperial Tiold Toice There will also be a Director ot Tiaiwng and Staff Duties, who will train tho troops Ecgular Empire conforeuces will bo hold under the chief ot the Imperial General Staff, who in about two years' time, when the plan is complete, will no doubt bo Lord Kitchener.