BRITISH FORCES

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20956, 8 November 1939, Page 8

BRITISH FORCES

SUPPLIES IN FRANCE LOW PRICES IN CANTEENS CONFIDENCE OF THE ARMY (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 6 Lieutenant-General Lindsell, the British Quartermaster - General in France, is moving up stoves, leather jerkins, underwear and gumboots, and is providing every man with a second blanket. In an interview he said that each soldier required a third-of-a-ton of supplies a month. The force used 650 tons of petrel daily. The soldiers needed four meals a day and lots of whisky, of which one of the 41 canteens had sold 106 dozen bottles.

“We have established a base depot covering an area of 15 square miles, which will hold 40 days’ reserve of all supplies,’ he said. “We bake 90,0001 b. of bread every day.” A correspondent says the British Expeditionary Force now has reserve supplies sufficient to last 36 days, and ammunition supplies that would enable it to* fight for a much longer period without receiving any more shiploads from England. Now that substantial reserve supplies have been established there is space for Ihe transport of comforts. Fresh meat is delivered in refrigerated trucks, and bully beef is now served only occasionally as a change. 40 Canteens Open More than 40 canteens are open where the men can buy foodstuffs and comforts and can get English beer and spirits at less than half the English prices. As long as the roads can stand traffic, this transplanted army will become more and more comfortable every day; but, if the roads freeze, and frost is followed by a thaw, many of the thousands of motor vehicles that are now streaming along the roads will have to be parked until the roads recover. The Army knows that there is a stage at which mud will defeat the motor-waggon, and nothing except pack animals, will be able to get through. The Army is confident that, when the time comes, it will be able to get all the mules and light draught horses that it needs.