BRITISH ARMY

Evening Star, Issue 19805, 2 March 1928, Page 5

BRITISH ARMY

IMPORTANT CHANGES

MACHINES REPLACING MEN

(British Official News.) Pree* Association—By Wireless—Copyright,

RUGBY, March 1 (Received March 2, at noon.)

important changes in tbo Army arc announced by the Secretary for War in a memorandum accompanying the Army estimates. It is shown that the Army is becoming smaller in numbers, and that machines are to a greater extent than ever taking the place of men and horses. The regular Army for the coming year is to be 153,500 men, as compared with 166,500 for 1927, or a reduction of 13,000. The decrease of 12,500 is accounted for by tho smaller number of troops employed in China, the withdrawal of the coast defence troops from Bermuda and Sierra Leone, reductions in the British Army of the Rhine, the reorganisation of the troops in Egypt, and economies resulting from the continued revision of establishments at Home and abroad.

During 1927 one medium brigade of the Royal Artillery has been withdrawn from the Mediterranean to Great Britain, and one infantry battalion has been brought home from the Rhine. The remaining decrease of 500 is due to the reduction in Indian troops employed in tho Middle East from 2,000 to 1,500. The strength of the Territorial Array on January 1, 1928, was 6,824 officers and 132,323 other ranks, showing an increase of sixty-four officers and a decrease of 7,439 other ranks, compared with January 1, 1927. MEGHAN ICIS ATIO N EX BEK 1MENTS. LONDON, March 1. (Received March 2, at 11.40 a.m.) Sir L. Worthington-Evans (Secretary for War), in a memorandum accompanying the army estimates, says that a considerable advance has taken place in the provision of armored fighting vehicles. It has been decided to increase tho number of medium and light tank's as funds permit, and to supply armored cars to certain cavalry units! The mechanicisation of the field artillery is proceeding, and experiments are being made with different kinds of tractors to determine which is the most suitable for the purpose. The medium artillery will all be mechanised. Experiments are proceeding with tho artillery of lesser calibres for close support and anti-aircraft work. Experiments are also progressing with a new gun for the Royal Horse Artillery and new field Howitzer. —A. and N.Z. and ‘ Sun ’ Cable.