§ 25. Brigadier-General WIGANasked the Secretary for War why it is considered necessary to continue to maintain a staff of one brigadier-general, two lieutenant-colonels, and ten other staff officers to administer and train personnel of the Tank Corps at Wool, whose strength is under 5,000 all ranks, in view of the fact that a brigade staff in peace time is only about one-fourth of that now em- 1299 ployed at Wool and that such staff frequently has to administer other details in addition?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe Tank Corps cannot properly be compared with an Infantry Brigade. The general officer commanding the corps, besides his normal duties of command and administration of the personnel at Wool, and his responsibility for a considerable amount of valuable equipment, is concerned with the administration of a number of units and detachments in Great Britain and Ireland, the work in connection with which must in the present circumstances of the corps to a great extent be centralised. As regards the staff, apart from the necessity of having specialist general staff officers to superintend the training of all personnel in this entirely new arm, additional officers attached to headquarters are required in connection with demobilisation and for duties relating to the care and maintenance of tanks and other equipment held on charge. A reduction of three staff officers is, however, to be made in the near future, and probably further reductions will be possible when all Army of Occupation personnel has been dispersed.