10 OCTOBER 1941, Page 4

Field-Marshal Lord Ironside, who is not always entirely happy in

his public utterances (his satisfaction that we had middle-aged generals while Germany had only young ones will be recalled), made a surprising statement on Saturday. We had doubled or trebled our strength, he affirmed, since the attack on Russia, which means within the last fifteen weeks. Never mind about the trebled. Have we in hard fact doubled our strength in that brief period? If so, what strength? Are Army strength, naval strength, and air strength all doubled? Or is the general average doubled, some arms being less and others more than twice as strong as before June 22nd? If so it is singularly heartening news—but is it so?

* *