Jun, Jul, Aug 1962 - Navy League of Australia

•command before the nextelection.The delay* and evident diflReultiesin establishing the newunified command for our forcesin the Far fowl again reflectobjections to the proposal,especially by the local Commanders-in-Chiefin Singapore,In last year's White Taper theestablishment of a unified com­"•"'Quality Goods needmand in the Par Kast was"under consideration"; twelvemonths later and after visitsto the area both by the formerChief of the Imperial (ienernlStaff, and now by Mr. Watktnsouhimself, the new commandhas still not been set up norH Supreme Commander appointed.Vet. as 1 have pointedout so often ill these articles,without an efficient unifiedcommand organisation it willbe impossible to operate theJoint Service Task Forceswhich are now rijrhtly seen tobe the future core of ourMiddle ami Kar Bastern forces.Nevertheless some constructive,it minor, steps have beentaken to improve the commandorganisation; the long-rangecommunications systems of thethree Services arc to he integratedand a common signalsprocedure evolved. Clearly thiswill lead to increased efficiencyand greater flexibility, at tinsametime ensuring that theMeCORQUODALES CROWN FLOURSuppliersTHE IIOVAI. \l VTIIAIJA.V \AVVMcCORQUODALE BROS. Pty. Ltd.Valentine Avenue, Parramatm Phone: 635 SS04lomaximum use is made of theavailable facilities. Tin* amountof joint Service training atstaff colleges is to be increasedand officers introduced tointer-Service problems at anearlier stage in their careersthan before This will build upthe understanding attitude soessential to smooth co-operationbetween the Services.Finally, the White Paperadmits that *'there may wellbe scope for further rationalisationof the administrativeand support functions of' theServices in the interests ofeconomy and efficiency," anda committee is being set upio study the whole question.Here indeed is a ray of hope.for if this committee is allowedto do its work properly, itsrecommendations could wellform the basis for thoseeconomies in civilian administration,especially in Whitehall,without which our forcescan never ''unction to the bestadvantage.The concept of the .JointService Task Force for tperationseast oi Suez is introducedin the White Paper for thefirst time, but the economicrestrictions already referred towill cause delays in the formationof the first of these forces.Although a second assault shipis to be built, there is to beno shortening of the four-yearperiod required to completeSOUTHERN FROZEN FOODSMANUKA, ACT. - Telephone: 91189 CANBERRASouthern Frozen Foods can supply a very wide selection of all types of snapfrozen foods. Only top quality lines are handled and each product is guaranteed.We are suppliers of snap frozen foods to a great number of hotels, restaurants,colleges, hospitals, etc. We are contractors to various Commonwealth GovernmentDepartments and we are proud of our association with the Royal AustralianNavy. We give our immediate attention to all enquiries. Write or 'phone forour list of top quality snap frozen foods.these ships and so it will he1966 before the first one isavailable to replace the slowand ageing Amphibious WarfareSquadron of today. In thesame way, although. II.M.S.ALBION will commission thissummer as the second Commandoship, at first she willonly lie able tu replace II.M.S.M'l.WAKK whilst the latteris taken in hand for a muchneededrefit. Tims our amphibiouscapability in the potentiallydangerous Persian Gulfarea will remain virtually imehaugedfor some years torome.It had been widely forecastthai this year's Estimateswould include provision forthe first of a new generationof aircraft carriers and therehas been some disappointmentover the further delay in thismatter implicit in the decisiononly to put the necessarydesign work for a new classof ship in hand. But the WhitePaper also refers to futuregenerations of vertical andshort take off and landingaircraft for the Royal AirForce which will also he ableto operate from aircraftcarriers, and the basic featuresof any new carrier mustobviously depend very largelyon these revolutionary typesof aircraft which will beembarked in them. It looks asif we are likely to require atype of floating air basecarrying the maximum numberof the new planes and relyingon the accompanying guidedweapon destroyers for defenceagainst close range air attack.Despite the welcome improvementin recent recruitingfigures for all the Services, theArmy has abandoned its targetof a total of 182,000 regularvolunteers as too high, and asa result the Navy has beenallowed to recruit to a higherfigure than had at first beenagreed. A total ol 95.000 forthe Royal Navy ami RoyalMarines is now in mind and anew Marine Commando isalready being formed as aresult of this increase. Thusthe end of national serviceappears likely to benefit theRoyal Navy more than it willthe other Services.During the Defence debatethe real value of our strategicdeterrent force was widelyquestioned, and with both theLabour and Liberal partiesnow officially committed to apolicy of gradually phasingout the British deterrent whenthe Vulcan/Sky bolt systembecomes obsolete, it looks asif we shall hear a great ilealmore on this subjectthe coming months.duringSlowly but inevitably we areapproaching the moment whenthe great decisions about thefuture defence policy of thiscountry must be faced. Do wewish to remain a great militarypower? Are we prepared tomake the necessary sacrificesto do so? What defencesystem is best suited to membershipof the B.K.C.f Theanswers will not he easy tofind; unfortunately, the 1962Defence White Paper doesnothing to signpost the way.(To he Concluded)MOVE OF40COMMANDO40 Commando Royal Marines(Lieutenant Colonel D. P. L.Hunter, M.C.. R.M.) weremoved from Malta to Singaporein April, 1962, in orderto provide a second Commandoto operate with the Commandoship ll.M.S. BULWARK. Themove is a routine one designedto improve the operationalflexibility of the Commandoships. Families will be able togo with the unit.Formed in February. 1942.40 Commando took part in theDieppe Raid in August of thatyear and suffered heavycasualties. In July. 1943, theCommando landed in Sicily —the first seaborne troops intoEurope — and later took partin the Anzio landings andoperations in Italy and Yugoslavia.In 194K. 40 Commandobecame part of the 3rd CommandoBrigade Royal Marinesand it has been abroad continuouslysince then, engagedin garrison and internalsecurity duties. The Commandohas seen service in Hong Kong,Malaya. Palestine, Cyprus, theCanal Z and Malta.SHIPBUILDING IN AUSTRALIA(Continued from page 12)Australia, it is inevitable thatsuch a competitive industry asshipbuilding must receive Governmentassistance until suchtime as it is established on acompetitive basis.As a result of the CommonwealthGovernment's policy ofsubsidising shipowners, anorder was placed on 28thFebruary. 19. r >8. through theAustralian Shipbuilding Boardby Ampol Petroleum Ltd., forthe construction of a supertanker of 32.250 tons d.w. tobe built at the yard of TheBroken Hill Pty. Co. Ltd.,Whyalla, South Australia.This will be the largest shipever built in Australia and willbe completed about October,1962.IJULY. 1962_