Mr. De la Bèreasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will contact the authorities directing the training of the American forces, in a locality of which he has been notified, so as to avoid injury to waterworks and mains in view of the disastrous consequences to a large number of residents should these become damaged; and whether he will direct attention to the large expanse of open country over which these armoured training operations could take place in the immediate vicinity but outside the area of these waterworks and mains.
§ Sir J. GriggDetailed reconnaissances were made by the American military authorities, accompanied by British officers, before application was made for the use of this particular area for American armoured training. Consideration has been given to the possibility of excluding the area of these water works and mains, but this would mean reducing this particular training area by approximately 1,000 acres and seriously interfering with the training. In consultation with the Ministry of Health arrangements have therefore been made with the American authorities for safeguarding this water supply. These arrangements provide (1) for the publication of Standing Orders dealing with the urgent need for conserving water supplies and preventing their contamination, (2) for the placing out of bounds of special52W points needing particular protection, and (3) for the provision of military labour to be made available if the pipelines are inadvertently damaged.