AGAINST AIR ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 June 1938, Page 9

AGAINST AIR ATTACK

EXPANSION OF BRITISH DEFENCES WAR SECRETARY’S SURVEY. FORCES BEING INCREASED RAPIDLY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 28. Important changes in Britain’s antiaircraft defence organisation, including the doubling of territorial antiaircraft personnel, was announced in the House of Commons today 7 by Mr Hore-Belisha, War Minister. “In 1935 the entire responsibility for anti-aircraft defence at home was vested in the territorial army,” he said. “At that time the actual strength of air defence formations in the territorial army was under 2000, all ranks. On January 1, 1936, the first anti-aircraft division was formed. Its strength at the beginning of 1936 was 5200, all ranks. By the beginning of January, 1937, the second anti-aircraft division was formed, its strength being just under 7000. By the present month of this year the total strength of the two divisions has risen to 43,000 and it is now proposed to more than double this figure. Existing Territorial anti-aircraft units, with the addition of others about to be created, will be formed into five divisions instead of two. These five divisions will be under a corps commander with the rank of lieutenant-general, who will be responsible for the training.,.He will be responsible to the air officer commanding fighter command for operations. At the War Office an officer with the status of Deputy-Chief of the Imperial General Staff and with the rank of lieutenant-general, to be designated Deputy : Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Anti-Aircraft Defence, will be appointed. He will be responsible for anti-aircraft defence through the Chief of the Imperial General Staff to the Secretary of State, and he will devote his whole time to this important service. An Under-Deputy-Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Anti-Aircraft Defence, to be the new director of antiaircraft training and organisation with the rank, of major-general, will also be appointed. The purpose of this reorganisation, said Mr Hore-Belisha, is to ensure that undivided attention may be given to every aspect of the details of anti-aircraft defence. Replying to a question, Mr HoreBelisha indicated that he expected no difficulty in obtaining the necessary additional recruits, who would be furnished with appropriate equipment. The rate of production of guns at present, he observed, was “quite remarkable.”

One result of the changes announced by Mr Hore-Belisha is that the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Fighter Command, will be in operational control of all measures of defence against attack by aircraft. AUSTRALIA’S POSITION IMMUNE FROM SERIOUS ATTACK. ACCORDING TO BRITISH EXPERT. ' SYDNEY, June 29. In an interview given to “The Sun” today, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Edward Ellington, who is on a special mission to Australia to advise on air defences, said that no Power could make a serious air attack on Australia. Any Power desirous of launching an air attack would have to establish very efficient lines of communication. Seaborne aircraft would be the only 7 means of attempting such a raid by any nation other than Holland, and even this method could not be effective under present conditions. Sir Edward praised Australia’s air force personnel.