EQUIPPING THE B.E.F.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 127, 29 April 1940, Page 8

EQUIPPING THE B.E.F.

GREAT ORGANISATION. | REPLY TO NAZI ASSERTION. (United Press Association— By Electric , Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 2b. A sentence in the recent speech by the Minister of Supply (Dr. E. ] Btirgin) to the ell'ect that it had taken ( a little under a month to produce . the equipment which is now being useu - bv the British force lighting in A orday has been seized upon by German > propagandists to prove the accuracy of their claim that Britain was intending to invade Norway before the Gci- ] man aggression, and that the German action was necessary as a countei olfensive. .. f The fact is that a great portion m the equipment provided for the expeibtionarv force now in Norway was assembled lor use in Finland, and it is this equipment which was provide! within a month of the possible need for it being known. Subsequent equipment was supplemented at a e\\ hours’ notice with other articles when it became necessary to send a torce to Norway owing to the invasion by Germany.'There is no truth whatever in the‘statement that the Ministry of Supply had prepared to equip a ioree lor Norway before the acliu invasion of that country by Germany was an accomplished fact. Lord Catto, Director-General ot Equipment and Stores in the Ministiv of Supply, said recently: ‘You have heard that the expeditionary torce to Norway lias gone over I idly equipped to light a campaign under climatic conditions differing considerably rom those experienced in the other spheres of war and have wondered how the necessary equipment was supplied iu such short time. . , . “In the first place the Ministry had purchased some of the equipment lot use in Finland. That had to lye greatly supplemented, and it was supp e men ted through the complete cooperation of the many different trades in this country concerned in the supply of the goods needed and the use in Scandinavia itself of the widespread buying organisation of the Ministry of'Supply. It was indeed an achievement to‘place .that organisation into use at such short notice and an instance of the great resources ot Britain.”