ARMY IN FRANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 October 1939, Page 8

ARMY IN FRANCE

THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE NOTABLE CONTRIBUTION TO ALLIED CAUSE. MR HORE-BELISHA'S SURVEY OF PREPARATIONS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received This Day, 11 a.m.) LONDON. October 11. In the House of Commons, Mr L. Hore-Belisha (Secretary for War) describing Britain’s military contribution to the Allied cause, said: “ Within five weeks of the outbreak of war, we transported 158,000 men to France. Hitherto convoys across the Channel have averaged three each night. This has been made possible by the willingly observed reticence of the Press, but silence is .now not needed and the first body of war correspondents has gone with the forces.

“A small body of specially selected officers, with confidential clerks, worked out the whole of the details of the transport of the Army and Royal Air Force to France. There was not a single casualty.” They had transported 25,000 vehicles, including tanks, some of fifteen tons apiece, the Minister added. Special ships were required to carry them. The men were transported in small groups and landed at scattered points in France. Infantrymen constituted sixty per cent of the forces in 1914, relying on rifles and bayonets and two machine-guns per battalion. Today only twenty per cent of the forces were infantry, with fifty Bren guns, twenty-two anti-tank rifles and other weapons per battalion. This showed how much better equipped the troops were with fire power. “I would like the men's parents and wives to know that they are in fine spirits,” said the Minister. The only present shortcomings were the inadequacy of cigarettes and slowness in the delivery of letters. The Commander-in-Chief and corps commanders reported the highest pride in the men, who at present were busily fortifying positions in the line. The’ Middle East also had been strongly reinforced, as well as garrisons elsewhere, in material and men.

Mr Hore-Belisha added that England had at present the best part of a million men who could be called on. In view of the prospect of a three years’ war it was essential that all reserves should not be used immediately. The Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service was already 20.000 strong and was being augmented. The Minister announced that General Dill, commanding the First Corps, said unity of command had been assured. The British Army was under French command, but the British Com-mander-in-Chief had the right to appeal to Cabinet, which in normal circumstances was unlikely to be necessary, because the understanding was complete and whole-hearted in every particular. It was even possible that French troops might be under the British Commander-in-Chief. Mr Hore-Belisha added that while the world was reading of the German advances in Poland, British soldiers, resolved to rectify this wrong, were passing silently and in unceasing sequence across the Channel. Sons were now treading soil in France made sacred by their fathers. “We may be assured,” he said, “that they will acquit themselves with the same tenacity, courage and endurance.”

BASE ESTABLISHED

FURTHER FORCES TO GO IF NEEDED. ASSURED FLOW OF SUPPLIES. 4 (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 11.35 a.m.) RUGBY. October 11. A point emphasised in Mr HoreBelisha’s statement in the House of Commons was that contingents of the British Expeditionary Force at present in France were not the last that would arrive there. A base had been created and lines of communication organised to assure a regular flow of supplies of munitions and the reception of further contingents as and when it might be decided to send them. The Minister cited the neutral testimony of American observers to the excellence of the equipment possessed by the force. "I have been asked whether we have enough reserves to keep the forces in the field,” he said. “V7e shall send no divisions to France until we are satisfied they can be kept in the field. Wo shall not make the error of putting them into battle when supplies are likely io run out.” The Minister announced the formation of Home Defence battalions and auxiliary military pioneers corps, consisting of those now serving in National Defence companies, those found permanently or temporarily unfit for service overseas, those awaiting drafting and young soldiers not available by age for service in theatre operations.