DOMINIONS’ FORCES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20115, 8 December 1939, Page 7

DOMINIONS’ FORCES

RALLY TO BRITAIN’S SIDE VALUE OF AIR SCHEME CERTAINTY OF VICTORY (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Dec. G. Replying to a debate in the House of Commons, the Dominions Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, said there was a great improvement in the physique and general health of the men being called up to-day over those in 1914. The Government was taking steps to see how best to ensure good results in the field of nutrition during the war period. Speaking on the war effort of the commonwealth, Mr. Eden said that from the small Dominion of Newfoundland hundreds of men were coming to join the Royal Navy. South Rhodesia had raised hundreds of men who were in training and had offered three squadrons to the Royal Air Force. Each of the Dominions has placed the whole of their naval resources to co-operate with the Admiralty. On land we would soon have the cooperation of Australia, New Zealand and Canada in those fields of war in which they had won imperishable fame 25 years ago. Air Force Members Turning to the air, Mr. Eden said that a large part of the Royal Air Force consisted of personnel from the Dominions, and over and above that the new air scheme was going to bring to our help thousands of pilots and air crews. He believed it was positive faith in Parliamentary government by a free community which called forth these examples of selfsacrifice and loyalty. “It is in that spirit which I find daily in the work which I have to do that lies our certainty of ultimately winning this conflict,” added Mr. Eden. Mr. Eden quoted a reliable authority who expressed the opinion that the German Army was physically inferior to’that of 1914. The reverse was the case so far as Britain was concerned. Splendid types of men had joined up to fight the Prussian spirit of military domination. Hundreds of men from New Zealand were going to Britain to join the Royal Navy, as they did in the last war.