1939-04-15 — Page 11

મા બાપના આ

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 15, 1989.

MORE AIRCRAFT NEEDED FOR NEW FIELD FORCE Heavy Call On The R.A.F. In War BIG EXPANSION

LIKELY

An increase in the latest R.A.F. expansion pro- gramme is likely to be necessitated by the Govern- ment's decision to create a field force of 19 divisions available for service overseas if required.

The programme announced in May, 1938, aims at providing 2,370 first-line machines at home by March, 1940.

It has been officially announced on several oc- casions that this programme is to be accelerated and expanded, though to what extent has not been precisely indicated.

Fredric March, who stars opposite Joan Bennett in "Trade Winds,"

· now showing at the King's Theatre.

TEA WITH MADAME

CHIANG

Twelve prominent local Chinese women, representing the Hong Kong Branch of the National Women's Relief Association and the National Association for the Care of. War Orphans were en-. tertained at tea by Mmé. Chiang Kai-shek on Thursday afternoon.

The delegates reported on the work of their organizations after which Mme. Chiang gave a talk on the progress of relief work in the interior. She revealed that a new nation-wide body, the New Life Women's War Service Corps, had been formed. This corps consists of girl middle-school graduates who assist in nursing the wounded, writ- ing letters for the illiterate, and generally adding comfort and In- terest to the life of China's injur- ed fighters.

As a result of yesterday's con- ference, the National Women's Re- lief Association in Hong Kong un- dertook to support two teams of the Corps, while the Hong Kong Chinese Womens' Soldiers' Relief Associa- tion will also finance a group. The cost of keeping a team in the In- terior is $400 a month.

There are now seven regular, and It would be most unwise to as- two auxiliary, army co-operation|sume that Germany will have fewer squadrons in England. These than 4,000, 'excluding ship-borne were sufficient for the peace-time machines, by the end of this month, training of the Army, and for a when according to official state- small expeditionary force of, per-ments, the British 1986 programme haps, two divisions on the out of 1,750 aircraft, at home will be

This figure excludes the tish and German operational units break of war and two others some achieved. months later,

Fleet Air Arm, but includes 20 at the end of March, would be:

Germany Britain squadrons They are totally inadequate for Auxiliary Air Force

1,500 750 a field force of the size now en- which, efficient as they are, should Fighters

1,200 600 800 175 visaged which, when fully deployed, not really be counted as the equi-Army co-operation

General reconnaissance 500 would require about 25 army co-valent of full-time regular units. operation squadrons.

4,000 1,750 A reasonable estimate, based on There is, therefore, every reason A considerable number of figh-the Air Force List and such in- to suppose that the Government has ters would also be needed to pro- formation about the. German. Air in mind very much large additions tect the Army co-operation

Force as is obtainable, of the dif-to the 1938 programme than any chines and the base at which the ferent types of aeroplanes in Bri-lyet indicated in official announce now being achieved.

BOMBERS REQUIRED

ma-

field force disembarked. A number of medium range bomber squadrons would undoubtedly be needed to at- tack troop concentrations and lines,

It would probably be impracti- cable to count on the French being able to supply such machines and, if special provision for them was not made, they would have to be ob tained by withdrawing squadrons from the fighter and air striking forces now intended for the defen- ce of England.'

Major-Gen. A. C Temperley pointed out that some four months must elapse before the Territorial divisions of the field force would be ready to take the field,

It is pos sible that a major operation, such as the despatch of a large expedi- tionary force to France could not, in any event, be undertaken in face of air opposition until the first phases of air warfare had passed and some degree of air superiority had been obtained.

divisions

The 13 Territorial might, therefore, be able to rely on cadre Auxiliary Air Force Army co- operation" squadrons, which would be fully manned and trained by the time the divisions were able to leave.

GERMAN STRENGTH Apart from the Air Force pro- blems arising from the creation of this large field force, it has been apparent for some time. that the 1938 programme of 2,870,machines at home will not suffice to fulfil Earl Baldwin's pledge that "in air strength and in air power this

ountry shall no longer be in

ition Inferior to any

filing distance

FORCES COMPARED

Bombers

ments, and that this should shortly be possible owing to the steadily increasing output aircraft which is

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