EVE OF BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 July 1940, Page 5

EVE OF BATTLE

BRITAIN’S MIGHTY WAR EFFORT LOSSES OF EQUIPMENT MADE GOOD. GREAT SCHEME OF NATIONAL DEFENCE (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 8. For the last five weeks the War Office has been intensely pre-occupied with preparing for the “battle of Britain.” During this period responsible circles here observed great reticence, but it can now be stated that Cabinet and its military advisers are satisfied with what has been achieved under stress and difficulty, and are confident that the dislocations suffered in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Belgium and northern France and subsequently in the great efforts which were made to bring the maximum possible assistance to Britain’s ally, France, for the battle of the Somme and the final evacuation of the B.E.F. have been rectified. The nine divisions which were brought home from Dunkirk have been reorganised and brought up to strength and these, with all the other divisions at home, which likewise have been brought up to strength, are now at the disposal of the Commander-in-Chief. Simultaneously the intake into the Army has been increased and large numbers of new battalions are being formed. The losses of equipment on the Continent have been made good and new equipment is being allocated steadily, in accordance with a carefully formulated programme. In the meantime, and particularly in the past fortnight, admirable progress has been made with the system of defensive works. REORGANISED ARMY. Today, therefore, a reorganised Army, which has already shown its mettle face to face with the enemy, stands ready, beside its comrades, who have not yet been in battle, but are all the most eager to prove their quality, to repulse any invading force that, reaches the shores of Britain. Behind them is the ever-growing force which is in training and preparing, and the whole Army, from seasoned troops to the rawest recruits, is being imbued with offensive spirit and with the will to carry the war against the enemy, wherever he may be, at the appropriate moment, until victory is achieved. These great forces, trained and training, are reinforced by important contingents from the Commonwealth, which are proud to take their part in the protection of the Motherland, and by many Allied units—French volunteers under General de Gaulle, and Polish, Czech, Dutch, Belgian, and Norwegian soldiers —which are determined to, throw their weight against the enemy wherever and whenever they can contribute to his eventual defeat and so avenge the wrong and humiliations inflicted upon their own homelands and bring back freedom to their own people. (Continued on page 8.)