§ 2.37 p.m.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, I beg to ask Her Majesty's Government a Question of which I have given them private notice—namely, whether they have any further statement to make on the course of military operations in Korea.
§ THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE (EARL ALEXANDER OF TUNIS)My Lords, there has been no significant change in the military situation or the strength of the opposing land forces in Korea since my visit, and there is not much to add to the statement I made on my return. There are still no signs that the enemy is making any preparations for an offensive, but, as I told your Lordships in my last statement, they remain capable of launching a major offensive from their strongly prepared defensive line without much advance warning. Meanwhile, the Communists are continuing to improve their deeply entrenched position across the peninsula, and, of course, our own troops are constantly increasing the strength of their positions.
During the last month the United Nations forces have made a number of raids and probing attacks. Some of these raids on enemy positions have resulted in sharp fighting and casualties to both sides. The Communists have also initiated a number of attacks against our outpost positions. They made use of their increased armament of guns to fire over 40,000 artillery rounds and almost 60,000 mortar bombs against the United Nations forces during the first half of July. Over the past few weeks the Commonwealth Division have sent out a number of raiding parties of platoon or company 298 strength, but they have not been engaged in any heavier action.
To-day is the anniversary of the formation of the Commonwealth Division. I was very proud to read General Van Fleet's commendation of their "high courage, unwavering determination and all-encompassing combat excellence." I think your Lordships would wish to join with me in paying tribute to the fine record of the Division. We are very proud of them, and we are confident that, whatever may happen in Korea, they will acquit themselves most worthily.
The United Nations Commander has continued to make full use of his superiority in air and sea power to limit the capacity of the Communists to undertake an offensive with the forces they have built up during the last twelve months.
Your Lordships are already aware of the details of the co-ordinated attack of June 23 on the power plants serving airfields, military installations and armaments industry of North Korea. This was followed by a number of subsidiary attacks on these and other power installations. Examination of the photographs taken after the raids suggest that about nine-tenths of the North Korean generating capacity has been put out of action.
On July 11 and 12 a sustained air attack was made against military targets in the Pyongyang area. Pyongyang is a large enemy garrison city, communications centre and arsenal. The targets, which were carefully identified beforehand by air photography, included antiaircraft installations, tank and vehicle repair shops and parks, supply installations and factories engaged in war production. Leaflets were dropped in advance, warning the civil population that military targets would be attacked and urging them to move away. In addition to these heavy raids, the interdiction programme has continued unabated, and supply areas and depots in other parts of North Korea have been frequently attacked. The Commonwealth air units in Korea have, of course, played their part in these operations.
During the last month, naval aircraft have participated in the air attacks on military targets in North Korea. By sea, naval units have continued to bombard enemy dock areas, rail communications 299 and factory areas. The Royal Navy, in conjunction with the other Commonwealth Navies, has continued to play its full part in these operations. In particular our aircraft carrier, H.M.S. "Ocean," has maintained a consistently high standard of Naval air operations, flying an average of eighty sorties a day.
I should like to enlarge on the casualty figures which I gave your Lordships after my return from Korea. Since the armistice talks began a year ago, the United Nations forces, including South Koreans, have suffered over 80,000 casualties, and 16,000 of these have been killed. The Commonwealth casualties during this period total about 2,500, including over 400 killed. During the first three weeks of this month, when no major operations were in progress, the United Nations casualties amounted to nearly 4,000. We need to bear in mind in all our discussions on Korea that these casualties on our side are continuing day by day.
The Armistice talks are still centring around the question of repatriation of prisoners-of-war, and the United Nations' negotiators are standing firm on the principle that prisoners should not be forcibly repatriated. Every effort is being made to find a solution acceptable to both sides.
On July 1, I informed your Lordships that the United Nations Commander, General Clark, had made a request, which was subsequently agreed to by the United States Government, that an officer from the Commonwealth should be appointed as a Deputy Chief of Staff at General Clark's headquarters, with duties in connection with operations in Korea. The request was for an officer drawn from one of the Commonwealth countries providing combatant forces in Korea, and it has been agreed with the Governments of those countries that the post should be filled by a senior United Kingdom officer. The officer selected, after consultation with the Commonwealth Governments, is Major-General S. N. Shoo-smith. It should be made clear to your Lordships that General Shoosmith will be appointed by the United Nations Command and will be in all respects an ordinary member of General Clark's staff with responsibility solely to him. By making this officer available Her Majesty's Government accept no more 300 responsibility for the conduct of operations than they bear at present as a member of the United Nations who have entrusted to the United States Government the conduct on their behalf of the Korean operations.
There will continue to be only one channel for consultation about Korea, and that is between our representatives in Washington and the United States Government and military authorities there. It is, of course, necessary for us to be kept informed of the progress of operations and of the many technical military matters which arise in the course of the daily work of Her Majesty's Forces in Korea. All this liaison work will continue to be carried out by the Chiefs of Staff's representative accredited to General Clark's headquarters. All other Governments whose forces are engaged in Korea have liaison sections at headquarters in Tokyo, and these arrangements will not be disturbed in any way by the new appointment which is being made to General Clark's staff.
§ EARL JOWITTMy Lords, I am greatly obliged to the noble and gallant Earl for the, statement which he has made, and on behalf of noble Lords on this side of the House I should like to identify myself completely with the tribute he paid to the Commonwealth Division. May I ask him this further question? In that there are considerable air forces involved on each side, and in that we have been informed that Russian fighters have been supplied in considerable numbers to the Chinese, can he say how our Air Force is competing—with what success, or otherwise—against the corresponding air force which the Chinese have at their disposal?
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF TUNISMy Lords, I will try and answer the noble and learned Earl from the knowledge I gained when I was in Korea. It appears that no enemy bombers have crossed the Yalu River to do any bombing on our side of the lines, but when our bombers and fighters go over the Communist lines into North Korea, they are—I will not say generally, but quite often attacked Russian M.I.G.15 planes, and have been attacked in increasingly strong numbers. According to the Americans, they are well able to hold their own with the M.I.G.15 although it is slightly faster 301 than the Sabre jet. The Americans calculate—this is only their calculation—that they shoot down seven M.I.G.s for the loss of every one Sabre jet.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEMy Lords, may I ask the noble and gallant Earl a question? There was a statement a few days ago about some naval operations against the coast of China, and there was a definite statement a few days ago about an air demonstration just outside the territorial limits of the Chinese coast. Can the noble Earl make any comment on those statements?
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF TUNISMy Lords, in answer to the noble Viscount's question, may I say that I also saw the statement which appeared, I think, in the Press? I have no official knowledge of it whatsoever, and I should very much doubt whether it is correct, because when I was with the Royal Navy I was shown their plans and orders, and they were very limited indeed in regard to where they could go in the direction of China. So, as I say, I should not think there is any truth in the statement which the noble Viscount has mentioned. But I will look into the matter.
§ VISCOUNT STANSGATEShould I be right in assuming that no attack on the Chinese mainland would be made by the united Nations Forces without the consent of our Government?
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF TUNISMy Lords, I think I can give that assurance. I am quite certain that no action against the Chinese mainland would be undertaken by the United Nations Command without first consulting us.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKMy Lords, as I raised the question of the chain of command in the debate which took place on July 1, perhaps I may be allowed to ask the noble and gallant Earl a question on that subject. I may say that what has been said by the noble Viscount, Lord Stansgate, arises out of a Question put in another place by Mr. Arthur Henderson which was answered by the Prime Minister. We shall all be glad to receive the assurance of the noble Earl that no operations will be undertaken by any unit of Her Majesty's Fleet without the direct consent of Her Majesty's Government—I think we may take that as being what the noble Earl said.
302 On the question of the chain of command, the noble Earl will remember that I raised that matter in debate on July 1. I then pointed to the fact that, so far as the United Nations were concerned, through its military committee—that is, the representatives of the Chiefs of Staff at the United Nations—that contact and control had broken down. I think it is a fact. Now the noble Earl tells us to-day that a Deputy Chief of Staff is to be appointed to General Mark Clark's Headquarters. He also tells us that any reference there may be—
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE. MARQUESS OF SALISBURY)My Lords, I am loath to interrupt the noble Viscount but he is making a speech, not putting a question. The noble Viscount is not entitled to make a speech.
VISCOUNT ELIBANKThe noble Marquess is, of course, quite right. I apologise to the House. I was led away by the fact that I have not long been a member of this House. May I ask the noble Earl whether, if there is any difference of opinion about a prospective operation, the Commonwealth Deputy Chief of Staff will refer that matter to the military Chiefs of Staff in Washington, or will he refer it directly to Her Majesty's Government?
§ EARL ALEXANDER OF TUNISThe Deputy Chief of Staff will be the same as any other Deputy Chief of Staff working for a Commander-in-Chief. His loyalties are to that Commander-in-Chief. He would not, of course, refer any matter outside his Headquarters without the consent of his Commander-in-Chief. But the noble Viscount must not imagine that the liaison and contacts between ourselves and the Americans have broken down. The place where the contacts are is Washington, where we have a joint mission which is in constant contact with the Pentagon; and any questions of policy as regards operations in Korea are, of course, settled at the highest level. To go back for a moment to the Deputy Chief of Staff, although he is a British-born officer he will be one of General Mark Clark's Chiefs of Staff and will be entirely responsible to his Commander-in-Chief. I hope that that makes the position clear.