Problems of 1914 and 1939 Compared

In this section of hi speech Hore-Belisha makes an interesting comparison between the preparedness of the Army in 1914 and the Army in 1939.  He also mentions the Territorial Army of which Frank's Battery was a part.

None of problems existed, excepts in embryo, in 1914.  It was a light army that travelled then.  Nearly 60% of the fighting troops in 1914 were infanrtymen, relying on their rifles and bayonets and two machine guns per battalion.  Now only 20% of the fighting troops are infantrymen, with 50 Bren guns, 22 anti-tank rifles, and other weapons as well, with each battalion.

It will be seen by this one example how much more effectively armed with fire power is the present Expeditionary Force.

There is however, one respect in which our Army has not altered; its relations with our Allies, who have welcomed the men so generously, are as good humoured.  The catchwords of the soldiers are as amusing......

To all those who have co-operated in this military movement, to the various Government departments both in this country and in France, the gratitude of this nation is due.  Especially, however, should the achievement be recorded as evidence that the maritime might of Britain is unimpaired.  The Navy has not lost its secret, and the Air Force had held its protecting wings over another element of danger.

It is not only to France that British soldiers have been transported.  The Middle East has been strongly reinforced, and also our garrisons elsewhere, both in material and in men.

One part of our Army, however, remains stationary in this country, waiting and watching in little groups.  In isolated stations the Anti-Aircraft Units have been on guard since before this war begun, and that their vigilance is not forgotten, under-estimated or unrecognised by this country and by this House must be their great encouragement.

We have a numerous Army.  In that respect we are at the outset of hostilities better situated than we were in 1914.

We had in peacetime taken a precaution, for which we must now be thankful, of instituting a system of universal military training, and thus the even flow of recruits became as well assured to us as to the Continental countries.  We had the foundation on which, after the declaration of war, we could build an even more comprehensive system and we passed the National Service Act, placing under an obligation to serve all male British citizens resident in Great Britain between the ages of 18 and 41.

In peacetime also we had doubled the Territorial Field Army in this country alone, including the Reservists and the Militia, the best part of 1,000,000 men on whom we could call at the outbreak of war.

Never had the total of our armed forces in the United Kingdom approached anywhere near such a total in the time of peace.

When I first introduced Army Estimates to the House in March 1938 we were preparing out of our strategic reserve five divisions - none of them upon a Continental scale.

Subsequently the European tension increased, and in April the plan for 19 divisions became one of 32.  This will not be the limit of our effort.

It is plain that great calls will be made upon our man-power.  How do we intend to proceed?

In the first place we have the method of calling up classes.  His Majesty has already proclaimed the classes between 20 and 22.

Those within the classes proclaimed are being called up in batches, and with each batch we are taking an additional quota of volunteers.  Any man desirious of being a volunteer in the Army, and being above the age of the class called up, may register his name at either a recruiting station or a Ministry of Labour office and he will be treated in exactly the same way as the classes proclaimed....

There is even greater inducement now than in previous wars to join the Army in the way described.  Apart from specialist appointments, virtually all commissions will be given from the ranks.  It must be remembered that the nation is in arms and there is no dearth of ability in the ranks.  On of the best men who has reached the top for the leader's course on the way to a commission is a labourer's son.