J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-11-03-04 on 1 September 1908. Downloaded from 253 STAFF TOURS. (Continued.) By MAJOR F. J. WADE-BROWN. Royal Army Medical Corps. ON June 2nd and following days, I had the pleasure of attending a Staff Tour carried out by the Officers of the Senior Division of the Staff College, CamberIey. By the kindness of the Commandant, Brigadier-General H. H. Wilson, D.S.O., I am permitted to publish the" general" and" special" ideas and also one of the" narratives"; I regret their taking up so much space in the Journal, but unless 'published in extenso they are apt to be valueless. The theatre of operations was intended to represent that of the 1859 campaign, in the valley of the River Po, between Austria on the one side and France allied with Sardinia (Lombardy) on the Protected by copyright. other. An account of this campaign will be found in "L'Histoire abregee des Campagnes modernes," by Colonel J. Vial, vol. ii. SENIOR DIVISION, 1908. STAFF TOUR, JUNE 2ND TO 5TH. Reference: t inch and t inch Ordnance Survey Maps. GENERAL IDEA (SEE MAP). (1) Four countries are concerned in the operations about to take place :- (a) NORTHLAND, i.e., all that part of England lying north of a line joining the mouths of the Rivers Mersey and Humber. http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ (b) EAsTLAND, i.e., all that part of England lying south of a line join­ ing the mouths of the Rivers Mersey and Humber, and east of the Counties of Cheshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Oxfordshire, the River Thames from Reading to the sea being the southern frontier. (c) BLUELAND, i.e., all Wales plus the Counties of Cheshire, Shrop­ shire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Ox­ fordshire and Gloucestershire, the southern frontier being the River Avon from its mouth below Bristol, the Avon and Kennet Canal, and the River Kennet to its junction with the River Thames at Reading. (d) REDLAND, i.e., all that part of England lying south of the Bristol on October 1, 2021 by guest. Avon, the Avon and Kennet Canal, the River Rennet and the River Thames. (2) REDLAND has often attempted to conquer and absorb BLUELAND, but the assistance which NORTHLAND has extended to BLUE LAND has J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-11-03-04 on 1 September 1908. Downloaded from 254 Staff Tours always prevented REDLAND from succeeding. EASTLAND has invariably been, and is, a neutral. (3) During the present year N ORTHLAND and BLUELAND have made an alliance with a view to crushing REDLAND and putting an end to the constant state of menace on BLUELAND'S southern frontier. (4) During the month of May all three powers mobilized, and RED­ LAND, coming to the conclusion that it was impossible to avert a war any longer, sent BLUELAND a peremptory order to demobilise by June 1st, failing which she threatened to move into BLUELAND. (5) No answer having been received by 12 mianight on June 1st to 2nd, the REDLAND columns moved across the frontier. (6) The following information is common property to all three countries :- (a) The REDLAND army is about 100,000 strong, and is standing ready to move across the River Avon. This army is likely to be rein­ forced by another 30,000 to 40,000 men in the next two or three weeks. (b) The BLUELAND regular forces amount to between 60,000 and 70,000 of all arms, about one-third being on the left bank of the River Protected by copyright. Severn, covering Bridgnorth about Worcester; the remainder being on the right bank of the River Severn, in the triangle Brecon-Cardiff­ Gloucester, some light troops being in observation of the southern frontier. Bridgnorth is not only the capital of BLUELAND, but it is also its greatest manufacturing town, its most important arsenal, and its seat of government. (c) The NORTHLAND army, about 200,000 strong, is destined to co­ operate with BLUELAND by advancing both from the NORTHLAND frontier on Bridgnorth and from Milford Haven (the only possible landing-place on the west coast) via Brecon. Owing to the physical difficulties of these lines of advance, and the time necessary for disembarkation, the NORTHLAND troops are not expected to exercise an important influence http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ on the operations before June 8th. (d) Plans for field fortifications to be erected along the Worcester­ Birmingham Canal have been prepared. Ross and Tewkesbury are pro­ tected by semi-permanent fortifications, those at the latter place embracing both sides of the River Severn. Some old field works stand opposite Gloucester on the right bank of the River Severn, but these are not of a. serious nature against modern artillery. The Severn Tunnel does not exist. The only bridges over the Severn are those now standing at Gloucester, Tewkesbury, Worcester, Stourport, and Bridgnorth. (e) The BLUELAND troops, for various reasons, are inferior in all respects both to those of the enemy and to their own allies. on October 1, 2021 by guest. (f) The railways and telegraphs are available as they would be in a. theatre of war. (g) The inhabitants of BLuELAND are not all loyal to that country. Those on the left bank of the River Severn, from the Worcester­ Birmingham Canal down to Bristol, are friendly to REDLAND. J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-11-03-04 on 1 September 1908. Downloaded from F. J. Wode-B1'own 255 --7--,7'------ --------1 ~. ~ NORTHLAN D {J 'ry o Protected by copyright. REDLAND I I http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ I Scale. about 75 Miles to I Inch . i . -------..------------~ SENIOR DIVISION, 1908. STAFF TOUR, JUNE 2ND to 5TH. Reference 1 inch and! inch Ordnance Survey Maps. REDLAND. SPECIAL IDEA. (1) The Commander-in-Chief, REDLAND, has been fully aware for some on October 1, 2021 by guest. days that war would break out any moment, and the Emperor of REDLAND has continually impressed on him the fact that it is of great importance that the BLUE LAND army should be destroyed before the NORTHLAND reinforcements can reach their allies, and also that the capital should be captured before the arrival of large northern reinforcements would J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-11-03-04 on 1 September 1908. Downloaded from 256 Sta.U' Tours render such an operation impossible. A brief extract of the Emperor's last letter, written from the REDLAND capital on May 29th, and received by the Commander-in-Chief at Bath on June 1st, will perhaps make the state of affairs clearer. After referring to previous dispatches received from the Commander­ in-Chief, in which the latter had clearly stated the particular difficulties of operating by the left bank of the Severn, or the right bank, or astride of that river, and after fully admitting the difficulties imposed by each course, the Emperor went on to say: "You are given a free hand in the coming operations, but I would again impress on you the importance of crushing the BLUELAND field force" before they can be reinforced by the NORTHLAND troops. All my information here leads me to the belief that the greater portion of the reinforcements will reach the lower Severn Valley by Milford Haven and the Brecon. On the other hand, you are to bear in mind that a large number of the inhabitants of the left bank of the Severn are friendly to my cause. The BLUE LAND troops are of inferior quality. The immensely important capital of Bridgnorth and its stores and manufactories are therefore peculiarly susceptible to your Protected by copyright. attack, and its capture and occupation would have a marked effect on the course of the coming campaign." (2) No further information regarding the enemy or his intentions has reached the Commander-in· Chief, REDLAND, than that already contained in the" General Idea." (3) The REDLAND reinforcements mentioned in the "General Idea" will reach the present frontier about Bath as follows:­ Two Divisions by train on June 18th. Two Divisions by route march on June 25th. (4) The positions of the REDLAND troops are as shown in the accom­ panying Table A. (5) It may be assumed that all troops are in camp or billets, and http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ ready to move on receipt of orders, which, however, cannot be issued from Army Headquarters until 12 midnight on June 1st to 2nd. Establishments. Strengths are as laid down in War Establishments, 1907·8. TABLE A. REDLAND FORCE. Distribution! on the afternoon of June 1st, 1908. Army Headquarters and Army At Bath (left bank of River Avon). Troops First Army consisting of 1st and On left bank of River Avon at 2nd Divisions Bristol. on October 1, 2021 by guest. I The detailed location of these troops is left to the Commander· in· Chief. They are in camps on the left bank of the River Avon at and near the places indicated above. The Commander-in·Chief will detail Staff Officers to go to Bath and Bristol, a.nd to bring him back definite information as regards the camps or billets, and also all necessary details as regards the River Avon, its bridges, &0. J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-11-03-04 on 1 September 1908. Downloaded from F. J. Wade-Brown 257 Second Army consisting of 3rd and On the left bank of River Avon 4th Divisions at Bath. Cavalry Brigade, Mounted Brigade On the left bank of River Avon and 13th Infantry Brigade at Devizes.