1938-12-27 — Page 5

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THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 27, 1938.

GREAT BRITAIN TO GIVE "TOKEN" ARMY TO FRANCE

The new British Expeditionary) is liable for service abroad, though,| Force promised by the Premier and unless he volunteers, he will Lord Halifax to the French will be a "token army," writes our military correspondent.

How big will it be, and what will it consist of? I put these questions to leading military authorities.

not actually be sent overseas, until an Act of Parliament permitting dispatch of the Territorial has been passed.

THE NEAR EAST

the Army

On present plans the T. A. might

Two divisions of the Regular be used for reinforcing the Regular Army and thirteen divisions of Ter- Army in all fields-for example in ritorials were the first figures men- the Near East where in the event of tioned. (A division usually consists war, an expeditionary force would of about 12,000 men).

almost certainly be wanted, as well as in France, Belgium, or Holland.

"I think we can do better than two Regular Divisions," said one authority.

The B.E.F. of 1914, consisting of four infantry and one cavalry divi- sion, was sent to France within ten ex-days the outbreak of war.

MECHANISED UNITS "But the effectiveness of an

Earlier this year Mr. Hore- peditionary force in modern war- fare depends entirely on its com- Belisha stated: "From troops raised position. The French can muster 80 in this country under a voluntary to 100 Infantry Divisions. Two in-system there could be mobilised, in fantry divisions from Britain would an emergency for action in the field, be a drop in the ocean. But only or perhaps I should say in the vari- four French Divisions are mechanis-ous fields of our Imperial responsi- ed, and if we sent two mechanised bility, over 500,000 soldiers." divisions it would certainly make a

difference.

"Much depends on where they AIR RAID

would be wanted A British Ex-

peditionary Force used to help the WARNING HOAX

French against a German

would be of no great value.

attack

1

"A British Expeditionary Force in Belgium or in Holland-where it might well be wanted

would be

useful. It would be even more effec- tive in the South of France, where

IN CRISIS

Page 5.

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Telephonist Sent To Prison

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Tel. 21311

the Franco-Mussolini threat to the JUDGE ON “WICKED"

French frontier is partly our

Government's responsibility."

own

Military experts agree that war-

ACT

fare of the 1938 pattern, with а A Post Office telephonist, who highly mechanised army as its ideal admitted sending out an air raid weapon brings Lord Haldane's con-warning of the approach of enemy ception of a British Expeditionary aircraft during the crisis, was sen- Force into the region of practical tenced at Leeds Assizes to BIX strategy.

months' imprisonment in the second division.

Considerations to be weighed, however, are that the sending of an Expeditionary Force would create a line of communications needing air and naval defence, and would diminish the effectiveness of these other two arms.

He is William Henry Wood, 26, of Leopold-street, Leeds, who pleaded guilty to effecting a public mischief,

Mr. Justice Lewis said to Wood: "I consider that you not only did a mischievous thing, but an .ex- tremely wicked one.

But, it was generally agreed that a "token" army will have to be sent "The most serious aspect of your! for the sake of its psychological ef- offence, in my view, was the send- fect on the French, who are very ing of such a

message when the properly alarmed by the loss of the whole of England was in such a 35 Divisions of the Czech Army. state of anxiety that you might have caused almost irreparable harm, and created a serious public panic." SECRET CODE

THE NEW STRATEGY The decision to agree in principle to a new B.E.F.on the continent means an almost complete revision Mr. H. B. Hylton-Foster, prosecut- of the General Staff's attitude to the ing, said that Wood was instructed probable strategy of a future war. about his duties in the event of an It is to be assumed that most of air raid, and was given a secret code the five anti-aircraft divisions of the to be used for the sending of such Territorial Army would be retained a message if it became necessary. in the United Kingdom. This would On Sept. 23, on leaving the Post leave, when present re-organisation Office late at night, he entered a is completed; 12 Territorial Field call-box and sent a message in code Divisions, which are now looked upon to the Post Office intimating that as possible re-inforcements for the enemy aircraft were approaching. Regular Army.

The result was that all 260 in- The present strength of the T.A.dividual telephone calls were sent is 194,000.

| out, fire brigades throughout a large area in Yorkshire stood by, and police at 69 different points were kept on duty until it was discovered that, the call was hoax. Almost as much work was necessitated to send out the cancellation.

Current Territorial Army Regula tions state that every officer and man

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Wood at first denied sending the message, but later said: "I do not know why I sent it, but I just thought I would."

Mr. G. Raymond Hinchcliffe, for Wood, said that it was difficult to give any satisfactory explanation of his conduct, It might be that, he had affected by the anxiety then prevail- Ing. Wood desired to express his re morse.

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