27 SEPTEMBER 1940, Page 13

THE ARMY'S PART

Slit,—Many will strongly agree with you in your attitude to a Conti- nental adventure on a large scale. Our weakness so far has not been reliance on the defensive, but unwarranted attempts at taking the offensive. The Norwegian escapade was an instance. So was the attack through Belgium. It was even stated that at one time the War Cabinet were prepared to send troops to Finland, a rather dis- turbing reflection, when one realises the almost inevitable extermina- tion of any British army sent there: Mesopotamia plus Gallipoli in one.

The offensive must, and will, be taken no doubt, at the right time and place, and in superior numbers. But offensive as such is as stupid as defensive as such, as witness Passchendaele, for example,