Wednesday,
HONGKONG" TELEGRAPH
June 11, 1941.
FULL REPORT OF PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH BRITAIN BUILDING HUGE AIR FORCE IN RESOLVE TO HOLD MIDDLE EAST
LONDON, June 10 (Reuter)—Mr. Winston Churchill began his reply to the debate in the House of Commons in an easy' confident tone. The Prime Minister declared that nobody could possibly complain of the tone, temper and matter of the debate.
There
out airfields at home and our
came
which
EAST SUMMER
periority in air power, was able to very accomplished in his profession,
own use.
A3
drive our aircraft from the airfields ho ennnot now and ought not to Greces und, adding this to his know facts as they are understood enormously "superior anti-aircraft at sceret meetings. batteries, he was able to make those At the same time one is appealed airfields rapidly, available for his to ceaselessly to give more informa- tlon to malca the war more interest- Influence of Weather ing to people, and tell them more "Moreover as the season was nd-about what is going on, but it is not vancing, many more airfields became possible for the Hend of the Govern available to him as the weather im- ment or even the Chiefs of Staff to It Was scrutinize beforehand these detailed proved and dried them up. evident, therefore, that an attack on weekly statements which
are made. Crete,
would be certainly in the matter must if it were made,
be for primarily an air-borna attack
reconsidered (lienr, hear). which again a vastly superior hostile have sald, nobody has illusions about the tremendous scale of airborne air force would be available.
"The question arose whether we attack, the greatest ever delivered in should, try to defend Crete or yield the world, and that we should resist it without a fight. Nobody who it without any but the most restricted Air Strength
bears responsibility for the decision air support on our side. to defend Crete was ignorant of the "Another general question which 16,
"Let us look at the anatomy of this may fairly be asked is why have we fact that conditions permitted only not much stronger and much larger the most meagre British air support air forces in the Middle East. I can to be provided for our troops in the battle for. Crete, which was under-
Island or the Fleet operating round taken in bleak circumstances. only say
We that from the moment the
the the island. It was not a fact that hoped that the 25,000 or 30,000 good Battle of Britain was decided in our downed upon the military and other troops-I am molding it a little vague favour in September and October
decision
portion of had with artillery and a last year by the victories of our authorities
tanks aided by Greek forces, would gilder landings by the enemy and prevent him from using the airfelds
"Our
to destroy "Our army was borne attacks while the navy held off and destroyed seaborne attacks. But there was a time ilmit,
"Again we must consider whether "The output of anti-aircraft guns air is at last rapidly expanding, but the factories or ports and elties which fact remains that our outfits are in are under heavy, dangerous attacks comparably inferior in numbers to denuded those possessed by the Germans, and should have been further or stinted of guns in the Inst six a very rent claim has to be weighed months for the sake of the war in against every other claim. the Middle East beyond what we have done.
"Further, everything we send to the Middle East is out of action the best cart of three months as it has to go round the Cere.'
Great Risks Run
Battle For Crete
The kind of criticism we had to-day-some was very searching→→was the kind that the Government not only accepted but welcomed. However, the way in which the debate about was calculated to give a feeling of chúllenge to the security of the administration.
From the viewpoint of advan- and Heinkel aircraft whose depre- uncertainty and disturbance tage to the country, that raised dations have been lessened thereby. Is caused thereby. serious considerations. were all kinds of paragraphs and reports in the newspapers that there was grave uneasiness and demanding a "full accounting."
Therefore, one was bound to take a serious view because of the inter- ests confided to our care. It would be a mistake it the House got into the ambit of calling for explanations on varying episodes in this
fous and widespread struggle and asked for an account to be given when any action was lost or any part of the front was beaten in.
ITs tion could possibly be given without island in order to sustain the war ending alteraft as fast as possible to of a difficult and harsh cholce when be able to destroy parachute
first place, no full explana-
agters, we have been ceaselessly been taken. It was the foundation the Middle East by every route and ther Crete should be defended with revealing valuable information to in the Mediterranean, ond
and nobody
method. every the enemy, not only about a particu- can be judge of whether we should
in the air has grown, we about the general position and also selves to heavier punishment at home have not been hampered as we were on the processes of thought which for the sake of fortifying and multi-In the case of the anti-aircraft guns were followed by our war direction plying the Cretan airfields without by the lack of aircraft. The problem and High Command.
having a full and intimate know has been to send them to the eastern There
was always a danger that a ledge of all our resources and mak-heatre of war, Minister might, in seeking to vin- ing a complete survey of the various Enemy Advantage dicate the course we had pursued, claims upon them.
"Anyone can see how great the Inadvertently say comething which
"We did, however, from the mo- German advantages and how easy it supply the enemy with some ment the Greek Government Invited to for the Germans to move their air and perhaps seemingly In-us into Crete, take steps to defend force from one side of Europe to
after the "We
Mr Churchill continued: have run very great risks and have fuced very serious maulings in this
lar operation which was ended butį have run more risks or exposed our- the present year, as our the Germans should be permitted to or harbours
out effective air support or whether occupy it without opposition.
"Terrible Alternatives "Some say that we should never fight without superior or at least staple air support and ask when this lesson will be learned.
Nooking fact about which the the anchorage of Suda Bay as an another. They can fy along a fine', If you cannot have this essential and aorthern sex gesei d
not
Dictator Governments were under any similar pressure to ex- plain or excuse any il success that! might befall them.
abl
rancan.
ny servant whom they have of being strong nowhere. There arrive.
"I have not heard that Hitler had
re
to
in
"Neither have I heard any con-who thinks that we have large quan- It t is not a
1105
Wherever
preclous
and
the
unch
uir-
"The action of the Navy in main- talning the northern sen guard with- But suppose you cannot have it? out adequate air defence was bound The questions to be settled are not to be very costly. It is known how always between what is good and serious were those losses.
"We could only stand a certain bad. Very often, it is a cholec bo- tween two very terrible alternatives, proportion of naval losses before the
the
Fleet enemy was in doubt and tlius enable important naval base, to develop the of permanent alfields,
destrable air support, must you yield would have to be withdrawn. the enemy to construct a comprehen- nerodrome nearby and provide they alight and refuel, there are per- Important key points, one after an-If, meanwhile, the army could suc- sive and accurate pleture of the way base and drome with the largest manent airfields in the highest state, other?
ceed in biting off the head of the in which we were looking at things. quantity of high and low celling guns of efficiency and as for service out defend ne place that you cannot be borne invasion before the naval time
and! "Others have told me: 'You should whole terrific apparatus of the wir Dictators Advantage which we thought it fit to divert from personnel and all stores, without
other strategic points in the Mediter- which squadrons are quite useless, sure that you can hold. Then one limit or loss limit was reached, then these can go by the Grand Con- must asks: Can one ever be sure how the enemy would have had to, begin tinental expresses along the main Too Many Near Bases.
battle a
will develop before it is even all over again, and having regard to European lines.
fought?'
enormous and unprecedented to compare this "We provided, in fact, a deterrent "One has only
"If the principle of not defending scale of the operation and the losses "Unlike these pretentious, formid- to enemy attack sufficiently to re-process with sending aircraft, packed any place you cannot be sure of he would have to incur, he might potentates, I am, only a servant quire a major effort on his part. But in crates, then put on ships and sent holding were adopted, would not the well for a time have at least broken of the Crown with considerable res- there are many islands and strategie on great occan spaces until they reach enemy be able to make an un-it off-at any rate there would have ponsibility upon me," continued Mr points in the seas, and to attempt to the Cape of Good Hope, then taken limited number of valuable con- been a long delay before he could Churchill The House would not be safe everywhere is to make sure to Egypt to be set up again, tuned quests without any fighting at all? hove mounted it again,
up and put in the air, when they Where would you make wish
stand and
"That was the basis whereon entrusted with such duties to be at it the House were able to go
decision was reached. engage then with resolution? Thus the Germans can do in days might a dis.dvantage to our antagonists. tall into these matters, they
Making Nazis Pay
Key To The East feel that a reasonable and right dis what it take us weeks or even more
ore The further question nrises: "What would our critics' have said attend the Reichstag and tell them position of our forces was made, but to do. This relection has no hear. What would happen if you allowed if we had given up Crete without why he sent the Bismarck on her without going into facts and figures, ine upon possible German movements disastrous cruise when, by waiting which nobody would wish me to do, back from east to west which could the enemy to advance and over-run, firing a shot? We should have been valuable strategic] told that we had surrendered to the few weeks and choosing his oppor- it is quite impossible for the House be executed very secretly if they points? Suppose we had never gone enemy the key of the Eastern tunity when perhaps our capital or even for the newspapers to arrive resolve upon assault on this country to Greece or attempted to
defend
Mediterranean, that our communica Transfer Difficulties ships were dispersed on convoy duty, at a justly-proportioned and level
Crete, Where would the Germans tions with Malta and our power to she might have gone out, accompani- judgment on this affair.
"We have done, are doing and will be now
interrupt the enemy's communica ed by the Tirpitz, another 45,090-ton
A.A. Guns
do our utmost to build up the largest "Suppose we simply resign terri- tions with Libya were grievously ship, and offered us battle.
"But a man must be perfect fool possible air force in the Middle East. tory and strategic Islands without
endangered. matter of aircraft, but Bght. Might they not at this early There is only too much truth in vincing statement by Mussolini why tities of A.A. guns and aircraft lying solely transportation-not In the stage of the campaign in 1941 already all that, although, perhaps, it will a greater part of his African Empire about unused at the present time. sense of shipping tonnage but as to be masters of Syria and Iraq and pre-not in the end turn out undly.
under been conquered and over 200,000 As far as A.A, guns are concerned, the time it takes to transfer
paring themselves for an advance VCrete was an important salient in of his soldiers are prisoners in our large and expanding ns is our pre- the conditions the
of present war. into Persia?
our line of defence, Ike Fort Douhu- "As to the disposition of our air "The Germans in this war have mont at Verdun in 1010, and like "I should feel under a needless sent production, every single gun is
in netion at some necessary point or force in the Middle East, it is disadvantage if I were obliged in other, and all future production for marily a matter for the Commanders-gained many victories. They have Kemmel Hill in 1918. These were
!casily
over-run great countries and taken by the Germans, but in each public debate to give an account of
strong Powers months ahead is cagerly com-in-Chief in the Middle East, though beaten down our operations irrespective of whe-peted for by gival claimants with the Government share full respon-little resistance.
with case the Germans lost the battle, and It is not only a also the campaign, and in the end ther the time was suitable or not very
often massive cases behind ibilty for whatever is done.
question of time gained by @ghting lost the war, but can you be sure It would, for instance, have been a
on between the cach one.
would have nuisance if Parliament had demanded In-March, 1937, 1-mentioned to vices Is
to a very high
important points, but there is also the..been achieved if the Allies had not. in the vitally important principle of stub-fought for Douaumont and Kermel before we had been in a position to
the Com explain the measures we had taken cutly 1,500 mobile A.A. guns which same house in Calro is
be formed into batteries in mander-in-Chief. The Naval Com-born resistance to the will of the Hill?
Airfields Not Mined to secure the destruction of the Bis-nddition to the whole of their static mander-in-Chief has to be at sea very
Fatal Doctrine
"These battles can only be judged marck,
artillery uf anti-aircraft defence, often. He has to be at Alexandria, Choosing The Occasion
king but the very closest association exisis Since then, they have been making
"These are some arguments that in their relation to the campaign as deserve to be considered before you a whole. I have been asked why "I always take very great pains to them at a great rate and they have between these two branches.
.
Full Co-Ordination serve the House and always to 05-
can adopt the rule that you have were the Cretan airfields not mined also conquered more than all they gociate the House with events, and want from the many countries they "The idea that any one of these a certainty of winning at any point beforehand or again why they were It would be betier, if I were permit-have overthrown. So our position is problems would be studied by any and that if you have not got it before-not commanded by long-range gun- one of these Commanders without hand, you must clear out. The whole tanks allotted to their defences and ted, on behalf of the Government, to very different indeed from theirs." choose the occasion for making a Hore-Belisha's Remarks the closest association with the other history of war shows the fatal ab- Go on,
two is quite illusory.
surdity of such a doctrine. statement about the war, which I am "To-day, Mr Hore-Belisha made a
"It has been repeatedly proved 1 do not propose to discuss tactics "I can answer these questions but Here someone queried "Who has most anxious to do (Cheers),
very cogent, moderate, well-informed
fierce and stubborn resistance here because it is quite impossible that why I and thoughtful contribution to the the final say?". "Another general reason
Mr Churchill declared "It isn't so should have deprecated a debate on debate, but he used a very different
exceptional conditions of local dis- beforehand or afterwards from which that I know has arisen,
advantage is an essential element in Whitehall or from the Commons. only one part of very important, he recently delivered in the country.
That makes it necessary for me to factor in the business, and the Fleet
His Majesty's Government, in their obviously the Army is the main vicio decision to Aght for Crete responsibility to Parliament choose complicated campaign which fought in the Middle East and can say that the state in which our army
the security preserving be reviewed one part,
taken with the full knowledge the best generals they can find, sci only see one particular sector of ended his tenure of the Wor
was left when Mr Hore-Beitsha had Army on the seas, and alr support would be at a before them the broad stratégie
Ofice our widely extended front for de- during the greater part of which he command of the seas, and the Air minimum as anyone can sec-apart objects of a campaign, offer them any and from the question whether you have advice or counsel that may seem ill- bale is particularly lop-sided and was also responsible for production Force is assisting the Army
In all their functions. Flect
adequate suppiles or not-who meating, ask the necessary searching misleading method
"But in the event of any differ-sures the distance from our airfields questions and then support them to The vast were short of every essential supply.
Pences,
they can be settled in a few in Egypt and compares them with the best of their power in men and whole and ought not to be debut But most particularly of special hours by reference here. These the distances from enemy airfields in munitions, and also so long as they. piecemeal, especially at a time when aircraft guns, anti-tanic runs and Commanders have to settle it among Greece, and who acquaints himself retain their confidence, they support the operations, which are all re- tanks themselves, which have proved
lands.
scr-
a debate on the loss of the Hood the House that the Germans had al-/The Chief Air Officer Pitch Strongly, even at a disadvantage; for that the same result
enemy.
fre or why there were
not more
the fighting in Crete is that it is mood and tone in the speech which much a final say. No disagreement against heavy odds and under for us to fight battles in detall either
being
of examining and supply, was lamentable, the conduct of the war. scene can only be surveyed no
classes of modern weapons,
We
of
the wa
lated to one another, are wholly in-a vital pecessity of modern war and for Whatevere full with the radius of dive-bombers prid them with loyal comradeship in
complete.
Factor of Time
**
which he is now prepared to suggest
Intervention
enently the Germans would have ment of the troops who went
to
to
made
-
hun-
unless we could And the an!!- | character and these deficiencies made mattere trying to judge these centrated upon any particular point in the font run procltre victory, who
though we
failure or succtas. is done, l'aircraft.
Takes Full Responsibility
Battles of Last War from the effort we have in Greece, which was very "I take the fullest personal ro-
"It is impossible to go into etical we are so purblind and out-dated costly in aircraft, the situation insponsibility for that decision. but details and I never remember in the "Into the general survey of the as not be able to comprehend.
iran and Palestine,
and potentially the Chiefs of Staff, the Defence last war in those great battles which war come all sorts of considerations
in Syria, as well as the winding-up Committee, and General Wavell all cost something like 40,000, 50,000 or about gain and loss of time, and its (Here Mr Hore-Delisha Intervened of the Abyssinian story, have all not only thought that Crete guances of a single day--and in which some- to 70,000 men-I am talking of battles clrcumstances effect upon the future as well as the to point out that in Belgium we lost made very heavy demands upon our be defended in the entire distribution of our available the finest lot of equipment that ever aircraft, and the situation in the which were fully before them but times there were grave errors made resources to meet the many calls left British shares. He asked the Western Desert had also to be con- that in spite of lack of air support, they were not often made the subject
Premier to recall that up till very sidered.
of arraignment of the Government upon them.
we had a good chance of winning in the Commons. "For instance, Sir John Wardlaw recently before the war, the Parlia-
Theatres of War
the battle. Mline asked why it was, when we ment and country were opposed
"It is only where grave strategic "Nobody had any illusions about lind Crete
"Before any rational judgment the scale of the In our possession for more the creation of a Continental could be formed on the disposition attack. We knew that it would be frus bere to endeavour to form a air-borne suca of policy come that it is atting enemy than six months, that we did not which nevertheless he
of our air force and the consequent gigantic and intense. Reconnaissance There is no use in trying to explain
Anal construct numerous airfields and place create).
opinion. Detent 1s bitter. them in the highest state of de- Mr Churchill proceeded: "
to supply adequate air force over Greek aerodromes showed the failure and he reminded us how very dealing not with the particular equip to Crete, it would be necessary, is enormous mass of
defent. People do not like defeat aircraft which and do not like explanations, how- In the case of anti-aircraft guns, to were gathering thero-many know not only what are our whole dreds and it turned out that the only answer to defent is victory.
The lever elaborate done such
or plausible. The uch work Crete had fallen France, who naturally drained the into their hands.
rest of our resources, but the equip-resources, but also what is the situar enemy was prepared to pay an Al- "Everyone
"If, the Government in war-time tion in these thentres which are all most, unlimited price for this con- that it ment of our nomy at that time and udmit would have been a mistake to make at the outbreak of the war; it was intimately inter-related,
quest and his resources, which con- gives the impression that It cannot "It la no great number of airfields In Crete of the most meagre and deficient
without full knowledge. Full often
enres for its explanations? It ought bo overwhelming ut still knowledge cannot be made public.
to go; that is If you are quite sure aircraft guns, both of high and low themselves most marked and
point." celling, and aircraft to defend those make themselves most marked in the argument: I have shown the found- "I come to the next stage of any
that you can find another which can Unofficial Broadcasts
do better, airfields, for that would simply have very type of weapons for which
Referring to statements which had facilitated the descent of the enemy's there is the greatest possible demandations upon which we started, and been, ascribed to spokesmen of the
Steady Governmen: air-borne troops upon the island.
"However, no I now go a step forward,
Government Not Throwing Blame
War Office and Air, Ministry, the conduct a war unless it standa "To answer the question why not
Balkan War "I am not throwing all blame for
Prime Minister deciġrett March we decided to go to the offleers who give these broadcasts knows that it, like a great ship, can
polld and enough guns were provided for the this upon Mr Hore-Bellaha, but he
stable foundation
and two serviceable airfields in Crete, has à crent responsibility in this old of Greece in accordance with our are not acquainted with the control win through a period of storms into one would have to consider whether natter and when he speaks in this Treaty obligations. This, of course, of affairs and with what is decided clearer, weather. Unless there is a we could spare them for that pur-way it is only fair to point out that exposed un to the danger of being or thought or felt in the Chiefs of Impression of solidarity and he is one of the last people who is attacked in the western desert, and Staff Committee.or the Defence
a government in time of entliled to take that ling
also to defeat by overwhelming num- Committee, "I world very much war
support fighting men All Uils time, the Batlle of the Interporod: recrimination." played her part or unless the Greek cases I have reduced them in rum- find their commanders la o dificult Atlantie has been going on and the "Mr Churchill continued: "Ex-army could be extricated to hold ber
period and in a disheartening and vory great number of "guna: which iremely violent and hostile speeches some narrower line,
Access To Information disappointing period. might" mefully have been deployed liave been spread about, doing much "If Greece was over-run by the "It is very risky to ask a profes-" It a government has always to be In Crete, have been and are being haren and about which I have to enchy, it seemed probable that Crete slonal officer to give a weekly ex-looking over its shoulder to mounted on merchant verrelato celved information from different would be the next object of attack, pallation on the war when in the whether it is going to be slabbed in best off the attacks of Fokker Wulf countries and capitals, showing the The enemy, with his vast local nature of things, although he may be TURN to Page 7. Column One
pose.
• Battle of Atlantic
that
that
the
con
on
"That leads us to a wider sphere. The Labour Member, Mr Granville, Ders in Greece unless Yugo-Slayta have liked to them and in some war, a government cannot give the
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