Men for Home Defence
The War Office announcement that 20,000 men are urgently required for Home Defence Battalions gives an opportunity for men between 35 and 5o to perform military service, mainly in their own county areas. Fifty-seven battalions in all are being formed as part of County Regi- ments. The requisite number of men could probably be obtained from Army ex-servicemen of the last War—men fully trained, and only needing refresher drill to bring them back to form—men with the resourcefulness of veterans and the robust stability that often comes with middle age. To refrain from making use of such valuable material would be folly. The retention at home of considerable forces capable of engaging an enemy was considered essential in the last war and is even more necessary in this. Then the principal concentration was in the Eastern Counties, since provision had to be made against the contingency of an attempted lightning invasion. Today, in view of experiences in Poland and attempts even in France, it would be unwise to rule out the possibility of the landing of men by parachutes bent on sabotage or espionage. For this reason alone there must be forces disposed in all parts of the country capable of dealing quickly with a few desperate men.
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