1941-09-01 — Page 18

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 1 1041.

BRITAIN'S MILITARY POWER

Enormous Increase Since Invasion Of Poland

Over Three Million Men Under Arms

(In the following article, specially written on the second an- niversary of the war, Reuter's military commentator reviews the development of Britain's military strength during the past two years),

WHEN BRITAIN TOOK UP THE CHAL- LENGE OF THE NAZIS, WHO SET FORTH ON THE MARCH TO DOMINATE THE WORLD TWO YEARS AGO, HER MILITARY POSITION WAS EXTREMELY WEAK. HER STRENGTH HAS ENORMOUSLY INCREASED SINCE THEN THOUGH IT HAS STILL SOME WAY TO GO BEFORE REACHING FULL POWER.

When Hitler started the war by his un- provoked invasion of Poland, the British Army was weak in numbers and equally de- ficient in the equipment necessary for war.

All Territorial units lacked the southern shores of Asiu as for training. Vital garrisons on Our as Singapore and Hong Kong into communications all over the world the Pacific Ocean. equally were on an Insufficient scale.

We had some difficulty in equip ping even a token force to go to France and this was submerged by the flood which temporarily destroyed France in May and June last year. Owing to the heroic efforts of our Navy and Air Force we rescued most of our men but lost the whole of their equipment. Norway and Greece further de- pleted our resources.

Different Picture To-day

We extricated ourselves

from

this extremely critical situation,

Though the Army as a whole has not yet stepped on the stage to play the great decisive part in the offensive strokes which it will have to do to complete our vic- tory, it is collecting and massing in the directions which is dictat- ed by sound strategy for the location of our reserves, namely in the British Isles and in the Middle East.

In The Pacific

THE NECESSITY OF STOP- PING JAPANESE AGGRESSION IS CAUSING US TO COLLECT A THIRD RESERVE IN THE PACIFIC. ›

our

however, by the splendid fighting, The Army is getting ready to of our Air Force and the bold and strike anywhere when the mo- resolute face

with which the ment arrives, but though people of Britain met the dangers military forces have so far only under the inspiring leadership of been employed in small bodies, Mr. Churchill, also by the whole- they have gained some glorious hearted

in manner

which the victories and won successes which people responded to the call to cannot be surpassed by any arms by creating the Home Guard.] army.

How very different is the pic- Thus our first campaign in ture to-day of Britain's growing Libya, the Abyssinian campaign military might. The Army Itself and the conquest of Syria were has been expanded till we have all carried out brilliantly against at least 3,000,000 mon under an army numerically far super- arms and these mon are now ior and equally well; if not bet- well organised and commanded | ter equipped. from generals to corporais.

Arms Massing

To-day our forces are reaching

a high standard of motorisation all over the world, and tanks are arriving in good and increasing

FFICE

FIRST MOBILE POST OFFICE-The new mobile post office, which can be constructed in twenty minutes, was opened by the Postmaster General, Mr. W. Morrison. This is being tried as an experiment in event of local post offices being put out of action in any part of London so that postal facilities can be restored almost immediately, Staff of mobile, post office consists of five counter clerks and messenger boys.

JUDGMENT OF HISTORY

BRITISH PRISONERS HAVE TOUGH TIME

in

M. Lozovsky, Direc- tor of the Soviet In- formation Bureau, in a review of the Russo- German war, said that in 10 weeks Germany had made territorial gains but she had paid

"After their capture the officers a heavy price; her were sent away In an Air France military power

'plane Was

(incidentally an Italian machine) which made a forced weakening and the landing on Scarpanto Island in

the Dodecanese. Russian resistance was gaining strength.

'T HAVE SPOKEN to the British prisoners who were wrongfully removed from Syria by the Vichy authorities and who have returned here from France," writes Reuter's Special Correspondent in Beirut,

He added: "Hitler and his flock shall perish: that is the judgment of history."

-Reuter.

MR. ALEXANDER'S MESSAGE

"They stayed there for a month under very bad conditions being particularly annoyed by files, sleeping on dirty mattresses on the floor with macaroni boiled in water twice daily as the staple

rations.

"From Scarparto they wore.

ALL OUT

WAR FOR

EVERYONE

transferred to Rhodes where Giving one answer to conditions were a little better the question, "Why have

With them were 50 Greek pri-

soners who were badly treated we not been invaded?” by the Italians but who car Mr Clement Attlee, Lord tainly showed marvellous

Priyy Seal, yesterday said. After ten days in Rhodes, the Hitler has found our air Our losses have been made numbers.

prisoners proceeded to France via The First Lord of the Admir Riviera in buses and being guard proposition than he had Brindisi, crossing into the French force a much tougher good, we are powerfully armed In Britain itself, the Home alty, Mr. A. V Alexander, in with anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank Guard, composed of civilians, is message of congratulation to darmes.

ared in France by French gen- weapons and field artillery, which engaged in every kind of work, Queen Wilhelmina on the occa-At the French frontier people

ever imagined. protect our towns and factories and has reached that stage in Sion of her 61st birthday, ex smiled and waved to them. They and our many widely-flung naval training and, equipment at which pressed profound admiration and air bases stretching, as they it must be seriously reckoned the splendid services which the itself and

of were only one day in France do, from Iceland down the west with In case of any attempt at Dutch navy was rendering in the for Beirut early last month.

embarked at Toulon and east coasts of Africa along invasion. *Reu

war.-Reuter.

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#

HUNGJAO BLOCKADE

He added that Hitler had ma

a mistake in turning against Ru sie whose resistance was far stronger than he had believed,

Mr. Attice emphasised that the people of Britain were engaged in a fight in which everybody had to go all out and any relaxation, even if only for a short time, might make a difference of the course of the fight, wh

We want to free ordinary men and women from the haunt- ing fear that some time or other they are going to have their homes and afamilies attacked,"

bald Mr. Attlee,

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL

The Japanese are constructing barbed wire, barricades. in the Hungjao area of Shanghai and are to put into force stringent re-

"We want to free men and strictioris on entry and exit. women from the fear that they Foreign residents have been in- may be deprived of the opportun- formed by the Japanese authori-ity of carning their living and we tles by letter of the pending want to prevent again the folly of action, giving them time to move a world of potential nlenty sta out into the foreign areas. Inter-ing itself by the mud, fever of mi national News Service.

turism, which infects i

V

AUSTRALIANS

AND SOVIET

The Congress on friendship and ald to Russia, held in Sydney yesterday passed a resolution

ter

FULL-SPEED ORDER

BY O.P.M.

urging" "Australian',, röpresentation (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL, at all. Anglo-Soviet talics in which 2 The US, Office of Production the Pacific and Middle East are Mairagem

Involved RETA

It diso advocated an Cof numb sauctors. (v und

Soviet.

Reuter.

Unlimited.

Service:

assordered th Foduction of tricks

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