WAR OF ENDURANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 November 1939, Page 6

WAR OF ENDURANCE

BRITISH WAR MINISTERS DECLARATION CEASELESS PREPARATIONS. ALLIES CAN AFFORD TO WAIT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON. November 22. In the House of Commons, the Secretary for War (Mr L. HoreBelisha) said that in addition to military classes, more than 85.000 volunteers had been taken into ths Army. It would have been impossible to complete the formations in France without the assistance of the Territorial Army, whose peace time training had justified its generous sacrifice of leisure. The Territorials had reached France much earlier, compared with 1914. In order to win, Mr Hore-Belisha added, the enemy must break the Allied defences, an assault on which was awaited with confidence by Marshal Gamelin. The Allied sea, land and air defences were safely covering ceaseless preparations. The Maginot Line was a debt that free nations owed to France’s vindicated caution. The anti-aircraft and coast defences of Britain were continuously’ manned b.v a personnel whose conditions - of service were in many instances lonelier and harder than those of the men in Franco.

It is a war of endurance, the quality for which the British are renowned." said the Minister. “Each day finds us stronger, but the passage of time has not had the same effect on the enemy’s economy. We can afford to choose our opportunity. Our strategy is pro-determined. So is the Issue of this struggle.’’