THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 9, 1939
Pago
REORGANISATION OF ARMY FOR DEFENCE
Five A. A. Divisions In U.K. To Be Increased
New System Of Local Recruiting In Empire
London, To-day.
The striking progress of reorganisation of the Army for protection of the British Empire, was revealed by the Secretary for War, Mr. Leslie Hore-Belisha, presenting the Army estimates in the House of Commons yesterday.
ITALIAN MISSIONARY
MURDERED
Peiping, To-day.
The Italian Franciscan mission- ary, Father Cucci, has been mur- dered at his missionary station in the province of Shansi, 20 kilome tres west of Kuohsien on the rail- way from Tatung to Taiyuan, ac- cording to despatches reaching Peiping.-Trans-Ocean.
DEMAND FOR WORK ON GUAM REPEATED
Washington, To-day.
In spite of the fact that Admin- trative leaders have pronounced in favour of shelving the Guam Fortification Bill, Admiral Mor- rell, head of the department for dockyards and harbours, re- peated his demand for getting the project started without delay when the matter came up for dis- of the Senate's Navy Committee. cussion at Wednesday's meeting
Continuing, Mr. Hore-Belisha Dealing first with the current financial year, Mr. said: "The state of our production Hore-Belisha said that five anti-aircraft divi-safely predicted that the whole of is such that may I hope it can be sions had replaced the two which formerly ex-the regular divisions of our strik- The opposite view was taken by isted and corps headquarters had been estab-ing force will be equipped for ac- Senator David Walsh who hinted, lished to control them.
tion. I cannot say to the last gaiter however, that while it would not button, but to the last skiing suit be worth while antagonizing Japan Whole time administrative and maintenance as-dress-within the coming financial the project might be taken in hand for such I may describe our battle by starting the fortifications now, sistance available to anti-aircraft units had year, except for the new armoured by way of the Civilian Appropria- been increased.
1
More concrete emplacements Singapore by about 1,000, and the had been and were being prepar-Chinese and Indian personnel at ed, and more guns would be kept Hong Kong by the same number. on their sites.
For the first time they proposed of raise Ceylonese soldiers on a regular basis to man part of the coast. and anti-aircraft defence.
The transport system had been overhauled and accelerated, as well as the methods for calling out personnel.
During the coming financial year he proposed to add two more to the five established anti-air- craft divisions, making seven divi- sions..
He would also increase the ex- isting number of batteries by be- tween 50 and 100 per cent.
WAR COMPLEMENT
Every existing medium and heavy anti-aircraft battery would have its war complement of guns, and every searchlight company its searchlights.
A new factory for 3.7 guns had been started, and production would begin in the autumn.
Deliveries of a 40 m.m. gun of Swedish design for light anti-
In other parts of the Empire also they were employing local personnel.
STRATEGIC RESERVES
In order
to secure freedom of manoeuvre for the Fleet and to
re
tion Bill.
car division not yet created."
Units had now received large Admiral Morrell pointed out that supplies of light tanks, considered a similar course had been taken the best of their kind.
with Midway and Wake Islands, Alluding to the Territorial Army, with the result that much valuable Mr. Hore-Belisha revealed that halftime had been lost. the establishment of the Auxiliary Work at Midway Island would Territorial Service for women had not be completed until next year, already been reached.
while work on Wake Island had not been started yet-Trans-Ocean.
Establishment of National De- fence companies was now 6,000, and 500 had to be raised.
A
They would recall this year proportion of the regular reserve, and 16.000 namely 1.000 officers other ranks,
HALF MILLIÓN READY
RAIL STOCK RETURNED
Paris, To-day.
reduce to a minimum calls upon it for escorts, they were strengthen-
All railway rolling stock and ma- ing the defences at overseas ports
terial taken to France by the Cata- and
Dealing with were forming strategic
recruiting, Mr. lan authorities on their flight be- Hore-Belisha mentioned that they fore General Franco has been re- serves in the Middle East, India
had effectives of all ranks, exclu-turned to Spain by the French nu- and the United Kingdom.
The Middle East reserve at pre-Burma, 581,353, representing aned to the Nationalist Government, sive of British troops in India and thorities via Puigoerda and hand- gent included two divisions sta- tioned in Palestine, each consist-
increase of 83,000 in twelve according to a statement issued months. talions each. ing of two brigades of four bat-
They had taken 40,000 recruits in the current financial year period when the demands of the Navy and Air Force more than this doubled since 1936. free
INDIA'S TRANSFERS
It was intended to regard aircraft batteries would begin in reserve as a separate force the autumn, and meanwhile a from the necessity of drawing on quantity had been purchased home resources. abroad.
MALTA RECRUITING
Dealing with defence overseas, Mr. Hore-Belisha said that with
The shortage would be 16,000 on the present establishment on March 81, but a slight improve- It was hoped that the outcome ment in recruiting would overtake of the proposals of Lord Chatfield's this in the next financial year. committee would result in a second conveniently located strategic serve in India.
re-
here.
train was held back.-Trans-Ocean.
Only one Republican armoured.
SOVIET NAVY SHOCK
Moscow, To-day.
The Chief Political Commissar of the Soviet Russian Navy, Saposh- THE TERRIERS
koff, has been placed under arrest. This report was circulated here on The Territorial Army was ac- Wednesday, but no-one is in post- the object of maintaining peace
Already India had transferred to tually over the establishment aution to account for the arrest.—— garrisons at a strength adequate the British establishment four in-thorised at the beginning of the Trans-Ocean. for defence on the outbreak of fantry battalions, all of which were war without trenching upon the now-in the Mediterranean area, and Regular Army, they were wher- a cavalry regiment. ever possible enlisting local per- sonnel.
U.K. STRENGTH
financial year 1988/89.
This had never been the case in peace time before,
Before Mr. Edwards this, morn-
Customs officer in Queen's Road Central last night.
Wu Ching-ping was sentenced to three months' hard labour for B
similar offence.
: With 77,000 recruits in twelve ing, Li Kau, ́81, was sentenced to months, compared with 45,000 the six months' hard labour, for steal- They had arranged an addition
As in the case of the home de- previous year, recruiting for the ing a fountain pen from a Chinese of 1,100 Maltese gunners to the fence army and of the strengthen-Territorials had easily broken all existing establishment, and were also forming a depot at
ed garrisons overseas. the Middle records since foundation of the Territorial Army, and they were' Malta for training recruits both East reserve would not affect the
size of the strategic reserves of the raising the establishment to ap- for Maltese and British units.
United Kingdom from which was
proximately 250,000, drawn the field force which trained and equipped to meet the ́ ́British officers were being des- event of war in the European the patched to Cyprus to ascertain to tro. what oxtent they could meet the This was composed of thirteen desire of the people to play their infantry divisions, three motorised part in Imperial defence.
divialong, three armoured-car divi- They would increase the Malay sfond, two cavalry brigades, and› ̈a and Indian establishments at number of unbrigaded units.
́H.K. FORCE
was
Dealing with mobilisation plans, four days of mobilisation, 200 providing extra Army recruitars Mr. Hore-Belisha said that within tish Legion had offered help in centres would be open to serve all and clerks. the fighting forces.
"FOR DURATION"
All arrangementa at these tres had been made, and
All recruits after mobilisation, excepting those undertaking nor- mal peace (on: enlisted.