British Emergency Fore Mobilized as War Test Measure:
\ifa Harbour Phone Our Muszany Comzsrovoex?
London, Oct. 1.
The Interest of the Army is now centred on the Mediterranean where we have, Including Egypt, the equlvalent of ten brigades. Maha and Gibraltar dispose of four Egypt six (shortly to be el talfons) and Palestine has an army corps, tess artillery. Boths ends of the Middle Sea are in a state of disturbance and. while the" Palestine trouble is one for our own control, the Spanish war envisages complica-ons independent of any action of Seq ours.
There is no doubt that Itoly wants 'a base. on Spanish territory as near: {o the Straits of Gibraltar as possible In order to neutralize our position.
And with fair strength in the eastern G-5.0.
Mediterranean she hopes to establish some sort of challenge to our right nazareth): Brig. of domination over this artery 15th Brigade (Haifa); and our Empire communications. Her Yen Brigade (Nalblus). East African adventure makes it necessary that Ttalian naval power 'Live or Conenrenacarions shall "Keep open" the Canal and if Col, Utterson-Kelso, Commander: and he can also' attempt to close the Capt. J. G. B, Hickson, Loyal Rest, Straits of Gibraltar in war, her prot Star" Captain.
Jem. under certain' circumstances Troors would be made easier. What it Hussars, 11th Hussars, Divistonal means to us is that Gibraltar and LO, Divisional Signals and 2 bomber Maha must be more strongly held, Cyprus created into" an east base, fand Alexandria and Haifa. brought Into relation with the general scheme of, defence.
With regard to Palestine itself the facts are interesting When the ist Division was recalled from the] Sussex training area to prepare for embarkation the order lent itself to f test, of mobility on. the way back to Aldershot. The test was to get Sand ancillary units. back in as few hours as possible and 40, assuming a more urgent necessity than really" existed, a fleet of 100 motor buses was concentrated on the thugs te o24. Cant, Sustex camps and in halt a day the Jomnion (G03), aa. B, Hobsay Yat Division was moved back, to Wagwer, ea. 8. Wey Aldershot. Tt was a smart perfor~ {ADALS) Capt, 0. C. Wingate (intell., mance but better was to come.
Hour. Ht. 5." Willams din tell)," Capt. 3. Mexerchar Cntell), Capt.
Rapid Embarkation Work 'On reaching Aldershot preparations for a minor mobilization beg "Field stores were drawn, _clothin fand issued, inoculation carried out, emergency' reservists received and dealt with, draft men and under-age soldiers provided for on being left behind, leavemien recalled and all the rest of It. "To cut a Jong story short twelve battalions stood ready on the fourth day to move to the docks had that been necessary. Corollary to this a' fleet of transports was assem= bled in Southampton Water. The were ten of them and had' it beet necessary to bring all twelve battal-Tons down to the docks in one day in' the walting special trains, the Ist Division could have been of sea on il. The mor ment fand when Maj.-Gon. Armitage in Laurentie was reaching Halta, the lst of the battalions was a day out from Southampton in The whole thing was but the real lesson underly! the rapidity in "which the Divston could have been moved it eireum~ stances had decreed swift action. ni G." Wilson Roweroft, (RASE), Eurdon. (6502), Eartwrgn (6.8.03), and Capt. Lieut, 3. of.
Saver' (Star Captain}.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.