§ 58. Brigadier Smythasked the Minister of Defence if an exercise can be arranged in the near future, either with troops or without, to test our defensive arrangements in the United Kingdom against bombing and airborne landing attack, and to ensure that the rôles of Regulars, Territorials, Civil Defence and Home Guard are fully understood and co-ordinated to guard against such emergencies.
§ Mr. ShinwellAir defence exercises are held at least annually to test the defences of the United Kingdom against bombing or airborne attacks. In addition, defence arrangements against airborne landings are part of the collective training of the Armed Forces. The co-ordination of the rôles of Regulars and Territorials with Civil Defence was studied in Exercise "Britannia" held in May, 1949, and various similar local exercises have been held since. Plans for the organisation of the Home Guard and its rôle in any future emergency are now being worked out.