§ Squadron-Leader Kinghornasked the Secretary of State for War whether any decision has been reached about the provision of officers for the Territorial Army.
363W
§ Mr. BellengerI understand that my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind primarily the provision of commanders, commanding officers and staffs. The position is as follows. I hope to make a further statement shortly as to the provision of regimental officers.
DIVISIONAL COMMANDERS.
Normally, a Territorial division will be commanded by the district commander (major-general) in whose district the headquarters of the Territorial Army division is situated. The district commanders concerned commanded divisions in the war. District commanders, who are also to command Territorial divisions, will in future, as the appointments become vacant, be selected primarily as divisional commanders. Two divisions, with headquarters in London, will be commanded by major-generals who are not also district commanders. These officers have been specially selected for these appointments.
BRIGADE AND SIMILAR COMMANDERS.
The intention is, whenever suitable officers are available and willing to accept the appointments, to appoint Territorial Army or other non-Regular officers as commanders of Territorial Army Armoured, Infantry and Anti-Aircraft brigades, and as commanders, Royal Artillery, commanders, Army Group Royal Artillery and commanders, Army Group Royal Engineers. A number of officers have been provisionally earmarked as suitable for these appointments. In most cases, these officers held similar commands in the war with success, and are between the ages of 40 and 52. They are now being approached to find out whether they are willing to be appointed. A few rather younger non-Regular officers with particularly distinguished war records may also be approached. It is expected, however, that the total number of non-Regular officers who will be in a position to accept these responsibilities will be very considerably short of the number required and it is intended to fill all remaining appointments with Regular officers. A number have already been earmarked so that they can be appointed without loss of time when the number of vacancies is known. They have been drawn from the same field as are officers for similar appointments in the Regular Army. Many of them held Brigade or similar commands during the war.
364WSTAFF OFFICERS.
The headquarters of districts, the commander of which also commands a Territorial division, will receive an increase of staff to provide the necessary staff officers for the division. The headquarters of other districts will also have some addition, as they will have Territorial Army units to deal with. New headquarters are needed for the two divisions in London and staffs are being selected. The number of Anti-Aircraft groups is being increased from three to five. All Anti-Aircraft groups will include both Regular and Territorial Army Anti-Aircraft brigades. The number of staff officers at the headquarters of these Anti-Aircraft groups is being increased. The headquarters of Armoured, Infantry and Anti-Aircraft brigades and commanders Royal Artillery, commanders Army Group Royal Artillery and commanders Army Group Royal Engineers will each be provided with one whole-time staff officer.
All these staff officers will be Regular officers selected from the same staff pools as are staff officers for similar appointments in the Regular Army. The majority have already been earmarked. There may, however, be some difficulty in providing at once some junior staff officers (third grade) at district and divisional headquarters, as at present there is a shortage of officers suitable and trained for these appointments. The staff officers to be provided now are the minimum considered necessary to form and train the Territorial Army in peace. If and when the Territorial Army is embodied, a large number of additional staff officers will of course be needed, and it is hoped to provide most of these from the Territorial Army itself. The provision and training of these officers is now being considered.
REGIMENTAL OFFICERS
(a) Commanding Officers
The intention is to appoint non-Regular officers to command units whenever fully qualified non-Regular officers are available. Lists have been prepared of Territorial Army and other non-Regular, officers between the ages of 34 and 47 who have been recommended for command of units, and commands are to make provisional nominations, which may include names not on the list. When 365W these nominations are received they will be considered by a Selection Board. Lists of potential Regular commanding officers have also been prepared in case sufficient non-Regular officers are not available. It is possible that at a later stage all units with non-Regular commanding officers will be provided with a Regular officer as second in command. In the early stages this will only be necessary when a unit is changing its role or being raised for the first time.
(b) Adjutants and Quartermasters
It is hoped to provide these for all units commanded by lieutenant-colonels (together with other ranks as permanent staff instructors, clerks, storemen, technical N.C.Os. and other specialists). The question how far it will be practicable to fill these posts with Regular officers, including officers with short-service commissions, is under examination. There is, however, a general shortage of Regular officers, and it would not in any case be possible at present to provide Regulars for all the posts, particularly for Royal Artillery units. It is proposed, therefore, to appoint suitable Territorial Army officers to some of these posts, when they are available and willing to serve.