ARMED FORCES REDUCTION

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5330, 17 February 1947, Page 5

ARMED FORCES REDUCTION

(Press Assn-

FAR-PLUNG TASKS MOST MODERN FIGHTERS FOR R.A.F. * 9

—Rec. 9.80 p.m.)

LONDON, Feb. 16. A White Paper deals with the sk'ength of Britain's ' armed y rces during the coming year. The aim is stated as a proper h-tlanee between the defence r ieds of Britain and her postvnr requirements. The main hnrden of the immediate vrquirements falls on the Army. Bv March, 1948, Britain's armed "orces will have heen reduced to' 1 087,000 men and women.

An improvement in the international situation may enable a further reduction, but the .number is stated to be the minimum now "ossible. The cost of the Services k»r the ° 1047-48 financial year is viven as £900,000,000. The White Paper speaks of the •"humanisation" of seiwice life; for ■xample, free passages will be given Mnval families to join men overseas. The Fifth British Infantry Brigade • nd a proportionate number of •uJministrative" troc-ps are to be withIrawn from Japan. The reason is iven as a very extensive demand -on British manpower in other parts of he world. The British Army will still be subtantially represented in Japan. TTnited Kingdom naval and air com^.inents will not be altered.

Main Burden on Army It emphasises that the main burden W immediate requirements in various arts of the world will fall o-n the ^ "my. Consequently large numhers >f recruits will still bc required. With •mrld-wide commitments the Army having a difficult job in simultane•uisly building up the pennanent egular Army of the future. The eventual size of the armed '•H'ees will be governed by the degree • ' disarmament achieved through the Tnited Nations. c Araona- its main tasks the Anny vi!l continue to give adequate suport to the Control Couneil in Berm, rctain forccs in Austria until the •ace treatv is ratified, remain in 'enozia Giulia until the Italian peace ' •aty is ratified, preserve law and •"ler in Palestine, safeguard British "nmunications in the Mediter- ■ noan. the Middle East, the Indian Ak*ean and the Persian Gulf, garrison 'fomrkong and Malaya, and contri'•v.te sunport for the Security Couneil '•hen required. » Navy and Air Force _ The Poyal Navy programme for • i'47-18 amounts to little more than nainlenance of the existing- Fleet, ontmuat'on at v reduced raio of the •• nstruction of ships already being !iuilt, and re-equipping theiFleet Air A vm with British aiycraft. The Air Ministry programme proMes for continuatfon of the progresive re-armament of the R.A.F. with he most modern types of jet-pro- • c!ler| fighter planes, and the introduction of modern type British-made transports. To maintain the armed forces at ' '"o minimuni numhers necessary for -scntial commitments, a major dev:md must continue to be made on • o United Kingdom's manpower, •ys the White Paper.