03 Oct 1935 - TRADOC HQ

[Diarist]

I've spent the last few days visiting aircraft manufacturers from A. V. Roe to Vickers in order to talk to the management, listen to their plans and make my own assessment of the situation. I realize now that there won't be any substantial increase in the number of aircraft being produced for the next 18-24 months. Most factories are producing at or near full capacity and changing car production to aircraft production is not an ideal solution because we shall be needing more trucks too. Encouraging is the progress in aircraft design. In six months we shall several promising prototypes flying. I also arranged to meet Lord Beaverbrook at Bristol Aircraft. The conversation with him and the engineers about engine development was very constructive. I now have to look forward to preparing a number of reports this morning. This afternoon we shall be discussing the upcoming exercise.

[Diarist]

This afternoon key personnel met to discuss the many projects TRADOC is currently involved in. A major issue for Britain is the threat posed by German submarines. We have no doubt that there will be an extensive U-Boat program and that it will be an important offensive weapon in the Nazi war machine. The design of an anti-submarine weapon, preferably several weapons, is paramount for the defence of our nation. The projects include extensive submarine nets, underwater minefields, a network of microphones listening for ships which aren't visible on the surface, forward-firing mines and listening to the sound of a ship's screws in order to identify the ship. Basically, one has to detect the submarine first, ensure it's not a friendly one then destroy it. At least there is progress being made. I didn't know that all ships sound different, even if they are of the same class. Each has its own fingerprint. Very interesting.

There wasn't much to say about the training exercise because our first intelligence information from the vacationers won't be received until next Monday. All our forces have been selected, we have a basic plan and we have an up-to-date detailed map of the exercise area.

Of special interest is the umpiring of an exercise. It is desired that the exercise be as authentic as possible but the current manual, both for umpires and units involved, is totally inadequate for mobile and airborne warfare. Our army section has prepared a draft copy of a new manual. It is a vast improvement, much easier to understand and has useful tables outlining the many coloured flags used in an exercise. It has been approved here and will be forwarded for approval. That means I will be taking it to London tomorrow.

Our AEF members gave an after-action report on the NW Italy campaign. The biggest problem was supply therefore we need very mobile supply columns. Another area of concern was the lack of infantry firepower. I mentioned that at the Annex we are already working on a squad automatic weapon, (SAW), project based upon my experiences in Eritrea and Libya. The Thompson SMG's gave us a huge advantage against the Italians.

I've already included all the news about aircraft in previous entries in my diary so I won't mention the discussion here. The naval section reported that funding has been approved for the conversion of two heavy cruiser hulls to light aircraft-carriers. I'm naturally pleased to hear that Vickers has the contract so my half-brother Robert Mitchell can buy champagne the next time we meet.

The biggest disappointment was the turret design for the new tank. It has a shot-trap, i.e. an incoming shell would be deflected downwards to the turret ring, where the turret sits on the hull, and that would probably blow the turret off the hull with a devastating effect on the crew inside. That design has been sent back to the drawing board.

That was most of the meeting done. We finished at about 16:00. Time to clean up my desk.