THE HOME GUARD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 248, 1 August 1941, Page 2

THE HOME GUARD

MINISTERIAL CONTROL CHANGE PLANS FOR REORGANISATION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 31. In future the Home Guard will come under the control of the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. # Jones) instead of the Minister for National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) said the ActingPrime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash) in the course of a statement on the Home Guard in the House of Representatives to-night. Mr Nash added that the Home Guard was to be reorganised and two divisiipns were to be created. The first division would con* sist of about 50,000 of all ranks fit for combat duty and these will be equipped and trained as quickly as possible. Mr Nash said that the membership of the Home Guard was now in excess of 100,000. A general policy regarding the Guard would be laid down, by the War Cabinet and if an invasion appeared imminent the Chief of the General Staff would be empowered fo call out the Guard should he deem it fit. The War Cabinet had laid downno fixed establishment for the force, said Mr Nash. It was probable that a force of about 50,000 would fulfil the essential needs of the country and approximately 50,000 of all ranks would form Division 1, while Division 2 would consist of those remaining members who had a reasonable standard of physical fitness. This . would act as a reserve for Division 1.

Clothing and Arms.

It was intended, said Mr Nash, that. Home Guard officers should hold commissioned rank. Regarding uniform and equipment, each member of the First Division would be issued as quickly as possible with one set of battledress, one field service cap, a greatcoat, a pair of boots, a set of web equipment and two arm bands. For the present only arm bands would be provided for members of the Second Division. The allocation of arms and ammunition would be controlled by the Chief of the General Staff. The Minister also detailed the equipment which had already been issued including 6000 rifles and other material and said there would soon be available some machine-guns and tommy-guns,, etc. Apart from the provision of clothing and equipment and office and store accommodation! there were a number of small items of expenditure which a voluntary organisation like the Guard could not avoid and ii should not be expected to meet out of its own pocket. The War Cabinet had also decided to raise the capitation grant from 4s a member to £1 a year a member immediately. This would amount to about £IOO,OOO.

Director to be Appointed.

The - Minister emphasised the necessity for a high general standard:of training in the use of weapons, and said instructions on this aspect would be issued by the Chief of the General Staff in consultation with the Director General, of the Home Guard. A director-general would he appointed at Army Headquarters to advise the army board on all matters relating to the Guard. The ch’ain of control would run from Army Headquarters, to military districts, military areas, honie guard groups and home guard battalions. At each military district headquarters there would be an officer of the guard known as the district director to advise the military commander on matters connected with the guard in his district. ' The South Island would have two district directors, one for the Christchurch subdivision and one for the Dunedin subdivision. Each director would have a personal staff officer. The next link was the home guard headquarters controlling a group of home guard battalions and the officer in charge would be known as the group director. He would have a paid adjutant and quartermaster and two staff instructors. The Home Guard itself would find all its staffi officers and instructors only when it was unable to do so would they be provided by the army. The director-general of the Home Guard, said the Minister, would have a small personal staff, but would otherwise use the machinery of Army Headquarters and would invariably be consulted before the issue of any instructions to the Guard.