1941-09-01 — Page 2

THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 1, 1941.

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- commentator reviews the niversary of the war, Reuter's military

past

two development of Britain's military strength during the pears).

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.

scale.

All Territorial units lacked the southern shores of Asia as far training.

Vital garrisons on OLIT as Singapore and Hong Kong into communications all over the world the Pacific Ocean. equally were on an insufficient Though the Army as a whole has not yet stepped on the stage We had some difficulty in equip-to play the great decisive part in ping even a token force to go to the offensive strokes which it will France and this was submerged have to do to complete our vic- by the food which temporarily tory, it is collecting and massing destroyed France in May and June in the directions which is dictat last year. Owing to the heroic ed by sound strategy for the efforts of our Navy and Air Force location of our reserves, namely we rescued most of our men but in the British Isles and in the lost the whole of their equipment. Middle East.

Norway and Greece further de- pleted our resources.

Different Picture

To-day

We extricated ourselves

In The Pacific

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

this extremely critical situation,

our

any

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

arrives, the ment

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 hested manner in which the victories and won successes which

be

by peuple responded to the call

surpassed to cannot urms by creating the Home Guard. army.

How very different is the plc-|

campaign our first 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 til; we have all carried out brilliantly against at least 3,000,000 men under an army numerically far super- now ior-and equally well, if not bet- well organised and commanded ter equipped. from generals to corporais.

arms and these men are

Arms Massing

Thus

in

To-day our forces are reaching

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

OFFICE

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,

1000000000000000000

JUDGMENT OF HISTORY

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 o heavy price; her military power was weakening and the Russian resistance was gaining strength.

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

-Reuter.

MR. ALEXANDER'S

a

to

BRITISH PRISONERS HAVE TOUGH TIME

“I HAVE SPOKEN to the British prisoners who were wrongfully removed from Syria by the Vichy oúthorities and who have returned here from France, writes Reuter's Special Correspondent in Beirut.

"After their capture the officers were sent away in an Air France 'plane (incidentally an Italian machine) which made a forced landing on Scarpanto Island in the Dodecanese,

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

rations.

"From Scarpanto they were. transferred to Rhodes where conditions were a little better.

ALL OUT

WAR FOR

EVERYONE

Giving one answer to

With them were 50 Greek pri- the question, "Why have soners who were badly treated we not been invaded?" by the Italians but who cer.

morale....

tainly showed marvellous Mr. Clement Attlee, Lord Privy Seal, yesterday said: "After ten days in Rhodes, the prisoners proceeded to France viaHitler has found our air Brindisi, crossing into the French force a much tougher Riviera in buses and being guard-

darmes.

· MESSAGE NO

Our losses have been made numbers,

The First Lord of the Admir

ed in France by French gen- proposition than he had good, we are powerfully armed In Britain itself, the Home alty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, in

ever imagined.” with anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank Guard, composed of civilians, is message of congratulation weapons and field artillery, which engaged in every kind of work, Queen Wilhelmina on the occa- "At the French frontier people protect our towns and factories and has reached that stage insion of her 81st birthday, ex- smiled and waved to them. They and our many widely-flung, naval training and equipment at which pressed profound admiration of were only one day in France embarked at Toulon and air bases stretching, as they it must be seriously reckoned the splendid services which the itself and do. from Iceland down the west with in case of any attempt at Dutch navy was rendering in the for Beirut early last month."

Reuter and east coasts of Africa along invasion.. Reuter,

war-Reuter.

HUNGJAO

AT YOUR SERVICE BLOCKADE

CATERERS FOR

EVERY

OCCASION

The Managements

HONG KONG HOTEL PENINSULA HOTEL

PHONE 30281

'PHONE 68081

REPULSE BAY HOTEL PHONE 27775

WILL BE PLEASED TO QUOTE FOR ALL REQUIREMENTS

Functions, irrespective of magnitude, at our Establishments or any place, accorded the same dependable attention.

Inviting your enquiries !

THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI HOTELS, LTD.

He added that Hitler had made. a mistake in turning against Rus sla whose, resistance was far stronger than he had believed..

Mr. Attlee 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 course of the fight.

"We

want to treat

the

ordinary

men and women from the haunt- ing fear that some time other they are going to have, their homes and families attacked," said Mr. Attlee.

(SPECIAL TO "CHINA MALL), 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 strictions 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 authority of earning their living and we ties by letter of the pending want to prevent again the folly of action, giving them time to move a world of potential plenty stary- out into the foreign areas.Inter-ing itself by the mad fever of mil- national News Service.

itarism-which infects it..

AUSTRALIANS

AND SOVIET

"The Congress on friendship and " aid to Russia, held in Sydney, yesterday passed a resolution:

ter.

FULL SPEED ORDER

BY O.P.M.

urging Australian representation (SPECIAL TO "CHINA MAIL atvall Anglo-Soviet talics in which: The US. Office of Produ the Pacific and Middle East are Management has ordered involved.

es unlimited production of trucks to

It also advocated an exchange |mest (heavy. ritish.” Chinese Lund- of ambassadors and military, Russian as well mával and air missions with the demands. Internationa Smiet:

Service.