1940-07-26 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIĻ, JULY 26, 1940

CHINA

MA Italy's Fighting Power

WINDSOR HOUSE.

EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK

twenty-one after

months' service as

An Army Weakness

bania is not accurately known but probably does not consist of more than two divisionis:

Colonial Army. The Metropolitan

under the.

On

and

men or-

Obsolescent Planes

present Italian

are very clever, and also that they often have original ideas, some good, some not so good. Italian There is one important branch

production is not yet worked up Feminists in Great Brit-

of the Italian Army of which full

to anything like the scale achieved detail is difficult to obtain. This is

in Germany or in Great Britain: ain have been heartened

the "chemical section?' which de-.

Consequently the best Italian by the winning of a vic- By Brigadier General John devotes itself to the study and By Major F. A. de V. Robertson squadrons are a long way ahead Chartéria, C.M.G., D.S.O. practice of gas warfare and which Italy is the only Power besides of the rest in equipment, and tory, though not a conclu-

The organisation of the Army came into considerable promin Britain which has an Air Force the average Agure of meilt can- sive one, in their long bat-of Italy follows the ordinary ence in the Abyssinian campaign. separate from the Army and the not be very high. There are great Aeronautica is its numbers of machines in service, tle for "equal pay for European model. The liability to

serve in the armed forces is uni-system of the officers and high- Italian name. As the idea of a but probably the majority of the

Curiously enough, the training Navy. Regla equal work" The Indus-versal, and extends from the er ranks of the Italian, Army fol- separate flying service was copied types used are obsolescent. Efforts trial Court has given a de-age of 21 years to 35 years. The lows more closely that of the from Britain, so was the uniform. have been made to re-equip squa- initial service for all arms is for pre-war British Army than that The colour and general arrange- drons with modern types, but cision that women over eighteen months with the colours. of any

ment of the Italian uniform art the process cannot have gone very other European Power. six The men then pass to what is There are two military colleges almost identical with those of the far, as yet.

termed unlimited leave and is in at Modefia and Turin which cor-R.A.F. though the badges of runk The Italian aircraft industry war-effect the reserve. As the popula-pond fairly closely to the Royal are different: and are gilt in col has probably had difficulty of late time omnibus and tramtion of Italy numbers approx Military Academy and the Royal our.

[in-getting all the raw materials it mately 41,700,000 the total rium-Military College in Great Britain. When I was in Venice in 1927 would like to have. It is reckon- conductors are to have the ber of men who can in theory be All officers are drawn from these to see the race for the Schneldered that it will take three years same wages as men.

called to the colours would be two colleges. The ages of entry Trophy (won that year by Flight to complete the The decision is not a about 4,500,000. There is, of course, to each are from 17 to 23 years. Lieutenant Webster in a Super- programme of expansion and re-

nothing like enough armis or For the higher training there is matine seaplane which was the equipment. settlement of the whole equipment for them all.

an engineer training school, or- forerunner of the Spitfire) I could - MACHINES IN USE question at issue because The Army is divided into two ganised with some similarity to hardly.distinguish at a little dis- Among the bombers used by the main groups, one for home service, our School of Military Engineer-tance an officer of the R.A.F. from Regia Aeronautica are the Savola- it is binding only for war-called rather curiously the Metro-ing at Chatham, a gunnery school, one of the Regia Aeronautica. Marchetti types 79 and 81. They Those Schneider contests showed are three-engined low-wing mono- time and only for those politan Army, and the Overseas or and a Staff college.

us that the best Italian pilots are planes, The SM 79 has three 750- engaged in passenger Army serve directly

MATERIAL RESOURCES

very good, and the sporting meet-h.p. Alfa-Romeo engines, which transport. It does not, for war Minister the Colonial]

paper this

organisation ing resulted in very friendly rela-give it a top speed of 270m.p.h. example, affect the Civil Ariny under the Minister for Ita- would appear to give the Duce tions between the British and Ita-Like the German bombers, it is lian Africa. Both these offices are control of a formidable military lian officers. They also showed not strongly, armed, having one Service, where it has been at present held by the Duce. The machine, and it would be unwise that the Italians have a great ad-fixed machine-gun firing forward for the R.A.F, whichland two movable guns to protect a long-standing grievance Army has a permanent cadre of to underrate its possibilities. One miration

thing is certain. The resources of they still regard as the best fight- the tail. These types were used a approximately 260,000 of women that, they re-ganised into nineteen army corps able man-power to be equipped

Italy would not enable the avail-ing air service in the world. good deal in Spain. Caproni bomb- NO AIRCRAFT-CARRIERS ceive less pay than men, including

ers are still in use, though their one armoured army and supplied on anything like the

low according to Italy has not followed Britain's speed is very nor does it apply to or-corps. Over and above these army scale of the German or the French lead in allowing her Navy to modern ideas. The Cant firm sup- dinary industrial occupa-corps there are three divisions of model. The number of tanks in maintain an air arm of its own. plies flying-boats and float-'planes. Aeronautica has to The Cant Z 508 flying-boat has tions where women are carabiniers, approximately 52,000 the Italian Army is limited, and The Regia

men. These are a sort of military she would find it exceedingly dif- work for the Navy, for the Army three Isotta Fraschini 900-h.p. generally paid less, not police with full miltiary training ficult to replace tanks lost in the and, when necessary, on its own. engines, but cannot reach a speed course of fighting. It is, of course, One reason for this is that Italy of 200m.p.h. The Cant Z 506 is a on the ground of their sex, up to battalion training.

used also common knowledge that there has not built any aircraft-carriers, three-engined float-'plane The armoured army corps com- but that they are doing prises two armoured divisions and is a deficiency in Italy's supply Her Air Force is organised for a for bombing.

of oil and petrol.

Mediterranean war, and the argu- The best of the Italian fighters in work of a different grade. motorised infantry divisions. The It will probably be found that ment is that where shore-based use is the Macchi C 200, a single- The case of the bus and 17 normal army corps have 51 Italy wlil place more reliance on aircraft can. be used they are seater with an 840-h.p. Fiat en- tram conductors was a ordinary infantry divisions, five her Air Force than on her Army. bound to be better than ship-gine. As it has only two machine- ivisions of Alpini, and-three so-44-is-not-possible-to have any borne aircraft-As-the whole of guns and a top speed of 313m.p.h. clear-cut issue. A woman called mechanical divisions. These very definite opinion as to its ef- the Mediterranean is within the at 15,700 feet, it cannot compare working for an hour on a mechanical divisions differ from ficiency. It has accomplished some reach of Italian bombers, using the with the Hurricane. tram cannot issue fewer normal infantry divisions only, in notable flying feats, and there ap- chain of air stations at Rhodes 65 can be produced either as a that motor transport takes the pear to be many capable airmen and in the Dodecanese, in Libyajsingle-senter or as a two-seater. as well as The former version has a top tickets to the passengers place of horse or mule transport. In the force. But have they "the and on Pantellarin,

are, in addition, some 24 spirit which quickeneth?" Injin Italy and Sicily, there is no speed of 267m.p.h. The two-seater than a man. She cannot There' of Bersaglieri (now a Spain, where they had, of course, need for ship-'planes of inferior can be used for fighting, for long- make fewer starts and sort of motorised infantry) and no air resistance and very little performance.

some 63 anti-aircraft battalions. anti-aircraft Are ⚫to mcét, Signor Mussolini is Minister for light bombing. It has a 1,000-h.p- stops. The trade union all there is a grand total of they brought off some accurate Air. The Under Secretary is Gen: Fiat or Plaggio engine, and maintained that her work approximately 159 battalions. and effective bombing, but they éral Francesco Pricolo, who is mounts four guns in the wings in this business' was iden-

COLONIAL FORCES have not been tried anywhere in considered a highly efficient staff and one in the observer's turret. The overseas. garrison; accord- the air against reasonably efficient officer. The Regia Aeronautica, In Libya a general-purpose, ma- tical with a man's, and to the estabilshments at the be- opponents. There is certainly no however, made its greatest im- chine called the Bergamaschi the Court accepted the ginning of the war, comprised reason to have any qualms as to pression on the world when it was Ghibli is much used. It is a two- some 35,00 men in Libya, some the result when they are opposed under the direction of Air Mar-engined monoplane with a maxi view-and went further 60,000 men in Abyssinia and to the proved efficiency and dash shal Italo Balbo.

mum-speed of 158m.p.h. by deciding that equality Somaliland, and some 3,000 in the of the British or French Air - The Schneider contests impress- Apart from the units stationed 'ed upon us that Italian designers in Italy, the Regia Aeronautica is of work must be rewarded gean Islands. The force in Al- Forces.

organised in five commands --- namely, equality of pay.

Sicily, Sardinia, the Ægean Islands, Libya, and East Africa.

be rewarded by equality of pay.

Stated in these terms the doctrine is difficult to resist. But the opponents

corps and one motorised

the

ariny

motorised army corps two

1.4

NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

The Breda

distance reconnaissance, or for

Before the outbreak of the pre- sent war it is believed that the Italians were convinced of the power of bomber aircraft to drive a hostile fleet off the seas. They must have been considerably up- set when they found that; in the naval War on patrol the convoy routes and an aqua"). There are twenty of sizes North Sea warships could carry two fronts to wage in the Medi-|area; moreover, within striking ranging from 400 ons to 3,300 out their duties: undisturbed by what women are really de-terranean: To the cast she has to distance for aircraft based either tons (of which eleven have been the attacks of hostile bombers. ·

built in the last ten years) and an

of women's claims have

been wont to reply that, Italy has a

manding is equality of pay deal with the British forces in the on Brindisi or on Rhodes.

endeavour to keep open' her sea- But the operations in the Medi-unknown number of smaller

the

for work that is not equal. borne supplies, particularly of oil terranean will not be exclusively vessels serving the same purpose. The issue to some extent from the Black Sea ports. To the naval, and, indeed, more It is not difficult to see the effecf northern sections of the route, west she has to deal with the dramatic elements of the confllet on the efficiency of Leros if a seri-Tripoli for those operating in the has been clouded by pre-French Navy in an endeavour to are likely to be provided by the ous blockade of the island were southern section.

British enforced by

submarine judice, and it is above all stop all French reinforcements land movements.

The distances, however, must There has been beeri some patrols and the import of water be taken into account. From things this prejudice that and supplies from North Africa.

That is to say, in the one area she anxiety among the people in this prevented. Rhodes does not pre-Spezia to the Gulf of Lyons is feminists in Britain have is on the defensive; in the other country about the security against sent the same problem. The na-some 240 miles (roughly the dis- Jair attack of the British ships in tural water supply is understbodtance from Sheerness to Amster- been contending against: she can take, the offensive.

Italian naval plans are based the harbour at Alexandria and to be adequate, but there again adam), while from Tripoli to the on conjoint operations between Halfa. Actually these ports are blockade would gravely interfere offing of Algiers is about 650 miles WHAT YEAR? the Navy and the Air Force: The farther removed from hostile air with the import of other vital (roughly the distance from Lon- General Staff in Rome has been bases than is Scapa Flow from supplies, and it has yet to be don to Oslo). The advanced base Hitler's seeming bold-convinced for many years past the German airfields, For exam-shown in war that air transport at Cagliari, in Sardinia, is within ness in consoling the Ger-that no enemy warships can with-ple, from Brindisi to Alexandria can permanently maintain a be- 120 miles of the convoy route, and

stard concentrated aerial bom-ls 830 miles, from Tripoli it is 850 ledguered area.

it is to be expected that the Ita man public for delays in bardment, and it has réfused to be miles, and from Benghazi about This water-supply problem also lian small craft will make con- the blitzkrieg against disillusioned by the repeated les-650 miles. The Dodecanese Is- affects other Italian air bases on siderable use of that anchorage.

sons from German experience in lands provide the nearest base, the North African coast. Pantel- It must be assumed, at present, England by further ad-the North Sea in the past eight some 400 miles away. The dislaria, which has been elevated to that Italy will not have the use tances' from Haifa are approxi- the rank of a minor bogy by some of the Balearics as a base. And so vancing the date set for months.

AIRCRAFT AND SUBMARINES mately Brindisi 1,000 miles, writers, has_no_water supply at long as that is the case any Ita the triumphal entry of Consequently we may expect to Rhodes 400, Tripoll 1,100, and all: Tripoli, Benghazi, and Tobruk lian operations against the French

are restricted and could not sup- lines of communication will be. German troops into Lon-find the Italian Air Force enden- Benghazi 900.

vouring to strike heavily at our

ply an enlarged population with- predominantly naval... - don may be easier of ex-naval forces inside the quadrilu- These distances are the core of out import. This is a curious, and There remain to be considered planation than at first ap-teral of which the four corners are the problem, and it is clear that to me novel, instance of the in- briefly the questions of Malta and the Italian bases Brindisi, Tripoli, the Dodecanese Islands provide fluence of sea power on belliger- Gibraltar. The first possibly may pears.

Tobruk, and the Dodecanese Is the base from which it may be ent operations. The Italian effort be assaulted with a view to cap- The date first chosen lands. These attacks will be con-expected that the bulk of the at- to cover the movement of their ture, but it is not possible to see corted as far as is practicable with tacks would be launched. Rhodes water-carriers may”. well prove any prospect of success against for German acclamation intense submarine activity within is a good air base but a bad naval to be the basic cause of an Im Gibraltar, that would lend the Ita- was August 18, 1940. The the same area, but the wide dif- one: the anchorage is shallow and portant clash between the fleets. lian Staff to send an expedition MALTA AND 'GIBRALTAR more than a thousand miles over- date next announced, was ference in speed between the two difficult of approach. Léros, which

arms makes co-operation and the the Italians have been develop- Operations in the western halt seas in an area where it has noth- August 1. And then July timing of conjoint úttacks far too ing as a harbour, is not so good of the Mediterranean will be the ing approaching command of the much a matter of chance except for aerial work and has the grave concern of the French Navy. No seas. By comparison the 150 miles in one form where the sub-disadvantage of an inadequate one needs to be told of the vital to Malta is a more férrying opera- There is a notable omis-marines and the aircraft are water supply. Water has to be importance to France of her com tion, and in view of the political sion; however, from both operating us escorts to convoys. imported to cope with the Inmunications with North Africa, agitation of the past decade the Italian tankers from the Black crease of population that follows and those lines run right athwart seizure of the island would be a dates subsequently an-Sea would have to pass through belligerent development, the string of Italian western bases. psychological success of great One of the features of the Itä-Spezia, Leghorn, Civita Vecchin, value to Mussolini. An attempt of nounced. They do not de-the Egean, Archipelago, an area

thick with potential ambushes Han Navy is its train of water and Cagliari are starting-points that sort cannot be ruled out of fine the year!APRI

from which submarines could carriers ("Navl cisterna ger for calders, against: the centre and consideration.

27

:

WATER-CARRIERS

L