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British Requirements for Technical Officers from the
United States.
Gleam Ho, 132 proposed that Technical Officer requirements of the tiiree
Services should be discussed in London with fefajor-General r^eaunont-Hesbitt and
myself and that I should bring back a eta tenant of co-ordinated requirements.
Uajor-c oneral Beaumcrat-Nesbitt and X were accordingly invited to attend
a meeting of the Clement Jones sub-Committee on the 10th October to discuss these
requirements, and also the proposed formation of an American Civilian Tochnioal
Corps.
Technical Officer I?.emiirai.Tants.
Technical Officer requirements fall into two categories, vis:
(i)   Defence Force commissions, and
(ii)   Civilian Technical Officers for the Supply Departments.
Although both needs would be raet from the same source, the differing conditions of
service require a different approach.    ihc primary object of the Defence Forces is
to secure Technical personnel of professional status as commissioned officers in
the forces able to undertake conbatant service If neceai-ary in any sphere of opera-
tions,      oth ajor-H enoral ¦ eebitt and I expressed ;;rave doubts whether there would
be any material response to an offer of commis ions in the lowest ranks of the
three services even if the more favourable Canadian rates of pay were offered.
The Inr representatives (Captain JUA. Jackson and «r. P.E* Arrack)
stated that the Admiralty were prepared to grant commissions on entry in the rank
of Acting Lieutenant at the rate of $5 a day, but the Army and ii.A.F. did not
consider it expedient or feasible to follow the example of the  avy for fear of
creating dissatisfaction on seniority grounds.    The difficulty here is that all
war promotions in the Army and R.A.F. are on an acting basis, whereas the "avy
continuos to sake a proportion of substantive promotions and thus are able to deal
¦-ore easily with the problem of the direct "acting" entrant.
The anticipated probable failure to secure the numbers required by direct
entry into tho services led to the consideration of two alternative possibilities,
vis:
(a) An extension of the "Conant" observer scheme.
(b) An approach to the 1.3. authorities with a view to the creation
of a section of officer status in the projected American C.T.C.
There seemed to be some conflict of opinion among members of the
committee about the real nature of the "Conant" scheme.     The Defence Forces assumed
that "Conant" officers, who are reserve officers of tho 1.3, Forces, were sent to
the U.K. in the capacity of observers for a maximum period of eight months, literally
for the avowed purpose of gaining experience.
The :-&nistry of labour (*.r. iVarkhan) stated that he had understood that
it might be possible to secure an extension of the poriod of servloe on request and
that the serv'ces of the officers could be utilised in active constructive employ-
ment.     If the latter view is correct - and I have been asked to clarify the isst;e -
the Defence s)epart.©nts would welcome assistance in this or a similar form.
The alternative of assistance from an officer section of the C.T.C. was
Generally agreed to offer a satisfactory neons of dealing with the need for
civilian technical officers in the Supply Departments, but the difficulties of the
limitations Imposed by non-combatant status, and the problems of "Towers of Con-and"
would lead to a materially reduced demand for the ..efenoe forces.
Two statements are annexed, (A) detailing the requirements of the
fighting services on the basis either of direct entry eornmiseions or the "Conant"
scheme of observers as tmderstood by the Ministry of Labour, and (B) detailing the
requirements of the Supply Departments for civilian technical officers and tho
reduced needs of ;;efenoo Dopart-lents if made from an officor section of the C.T.C.
It ma emphasised by the rsprsssntativss of the three Defence
departments that the tine fb-otor was of extreme importance end that the assistance,
to be of real value, should be avai lable by 31.3.42.
rewftfl fgnatttt of ttertflMi ClTllian Tttfinlatj Cora*
The committee agreed that the question of establishing as Anerioan
C.T.C. should be pursued by the Met* Delegation.    It was agreed that it
would pro^e ly be found inpractioable to continue recruitment for the British
C.T.C. concurrently with the attempt to develop an American C.T.C, which would
be offering higher rates of jay.    The view was also expressed by the r inistry
of Labour representatives that absorption of the British C.T.C. into its
American cov.nterjart would probably bo necessary in order to obviate dis-
satisfaction araon/ nenbers of the British C.T.C. who would be In receipt of
lower ratoc of my.
Lord Hsnkey, in the ccp rse of conversation following the nesting,
informed no that he was prejared to delegate authority to the H.A.F. Delegation
to decide if and when the appropriate time had arrived to discontinue reorvitment
for the British C.T.C.      canwhiie, it wis the a-.-oepteri policy to onceurage
reer. itiaont into the British C.T.C. and all reasonable nsasures should be taken
to jsaintain the quicker tempo in the flow of recruitment which bed recently
boccme anifeet.
copies tot    V..G. Hayter £aq„ British Inbassy.^
K.A. 5ssl Esq., Bastedo roues, 3055 vnitehaven r treet, B.t.
House, 3055   Mtehaven street,   . ..
wlaap of YytirtWt
Officer
Adi,dralty
ocv.lj-Gr;.onts
Engineer Officer
Electrical Engineer Officer
Radio omoer
Signals Officer
Arraament Officer
Civil Engineering Offioer
250
150
50
150
25
250
100
1-
V
—1 IF*       OKICER SECTION OF TOE C-T.C.
(1) Ad»inllfYT
(a) 12 - highly skilled radio engineers age 30-40 with sound training in
physics or electrical engineering and some years of practical experience
in either research, experimental development or design.
(b) 50 University graduates of a standard comparable to a 2nd Class honours
degree In physios or electrical engiBering who hare specialised
in radio during their course,
(o)   1 experienced man in each of the following subjectst-
Acoustics,
Light current electrical engineering,
Small mechanical design.
(d) 6 Mechanical Designers for design work la fire control gearj
(e) 6 Production Engineers;
(f) 3 Assistant Chief Mechanical Engineers (these should be qualified Mechanical
Engineers of about 28-30 years of age)j
(g) U Technical Assistants in Mine Depots.      Good electrical training la
required in conjunction with general engineering experience)\
(2) Ministry of Supply
(a)   460 Mechanical Engineers composed of the following categories!
PrSIGH DUTIES>
Principal Design Officers 3
Senior n « 9
Design Officers 10
Chief Draughtsmen 13
Senior        ¦ 10 50
Production duties in Ordnance
Factories 80
Services (gas, steam, heating,
etc.) 22. I10
mama gpwmi
Engineers sufficiently qualified
to supervise Inspectors of
finished stores 50 50
IBBffTO ASHSTiHISi
(Headquarters duties)i
Including a proportion capable
of supervising layout, repair
and maintenance at contractors'
works 252 252
TOTAL
c
,b) 60 professionally qualified electrical engineers,
(o) 30 professionally qualified civil engineers.
(d) 6-8 Chemical Engineers
(e) 6-10 Physical Chemists
(f) 6-10 Organic Chemists
12 Physicists (50 per cent. General
(50   "      " Electrical)
(3)   Ministry of Aircraft Production
100 engineers spread over the following categoriesi
30 Aircraft Engineers with experience in aerodynamic constructional
design, or experience of performances in other flight tests.
15 Physicists with experience of instrument design, development
and construction.
15 Electrical Engineers with experience in the design, development
and construction of electrical accessories.
15 professionally trained engineers with experience of aero-engine
design, development and construction.
10 Engineers with experience of aircraft armament and bombs.
50 Radio Engineers of graduate standard or in process of graduating with
experience of airborne and ground communications equipment, television
and valve design.
Reduced Requirements of Defence Departments.
Class of Technical Officer Army Haw R.A.F.
Mechanical Engineers 50
Civil Engineers 10