THE BRITISH ARMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 September 1939, Page 3

THE BRITISH ARMY

LIE GIVEN TO GERMAN STORIES

NATION NOT LEANING ON ALLIES.

GREAT AND SUSTAINED EFFORT. .

LONDON, September 15

A Ministry .of Information communique, outlining the enormous tasks necessary to bring a modern army into being, states that the lie is already given to assiduous German stories that Britain intends to fight this war by the agency of her allies. Britain did not do so in 1914-18 and shall not do so today. The organisation of the Army in 1939 will mark another big advance even on 1914-18. About five persons were required to keep one soldier in the line in 1918 and probably more are necessary today. It must be remembered that the War Cabinet’s announcement that it is framing its plans on the assumption of a three years’ war reflects the truth that the Army must not only be brought into being but must be kept in being. That is the difference between the English and German preparations. The German preparations, again, apparently were based on the hope of a lightning war. Britain’s are not.

The Ministry of Information also announces that its communique with reference to the German assertion of British casualties at Kiel bping grossly exaggerated concerned a German allegation on September 5 that twelve British machines were brought doWn.