BRITISH ARMY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20114, 7 December 1939, Page 11

BRITISH ARMY

J EFFICIENT TRAINING i YOUNG SENIOR OFFICERS HITLER’S WAR MACHINE DURATION OF HOSTILITIES (Per Press Assorint.ion.) AUCKLAND, this day. Impressions of Britain’s war activities, which he described as a triumph of organisation and skill, were given by Brigadier P. M. McFarlanc, C.8.E., Australian Staff Corps, who is returning from furlough in England pending his retirement. Brigadier McFariane was commandant of the Western Australian forces until he reached the age of retirement in May. When war was declared the Military Board of Australia, at his request. placed his services at the disposal of the War Office, but a war appointment could not be found for him with the British forces. He hopes to return to England next year and take up an appointment. Brigadier McFariane, who has had about 40 years’ military service, including two years in the Boer War, stated that commands in Britain have ali been given to younger senior officers, few ot whom are over the age of 45 years. They have been very carefully selected from the regular forces and are alert and extremely efficient. Marvel of Organisation Although on furlough, Brigadier McFariane was in close touch with the mobilisation activities of the British forces, which, lie stated, were a marvel of organisation. The training of the new British soldiers was being carried out very thoroughly by highlytrained experts, all of whom were young, alert and tit. There was not the contusion or the waste of manpower which obtained in 1914. "It is considered that Herr Hitler lias the largest and most superb lighting force in the world,” said Brigadier McFariane. "Its training and morale is no better than lire armies of the Allies, bill it is thought to be superior in two higlily-important things—medianira 1 !ion and .skill in using it Skill is especially important for the use of sub-machine guns and other modern war weapons and is not like the tiring of an ordinary army rifle. Thorough Training "To put untrained British youngsters up against the Nazis with modern weapons would he .suicidal,” he continued. "Therefore, the training must be complete and thorough before drafts are sent to the front. Everything in Britain seems to be highly organised and the enormous force resulting from this will presently overwhelm the enemy. The opinion of some high authorities is that the duration ot the war will be much shorter than was at first expected, and it goes without saying that we shall be victorious.”