RAPID DEMOBILISATION

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 62, 13 March 1919, Page 5

RAPID DEMOBILISATION

OF NEW ZEALAND FORCE. UNDER 3000 MEN LEFT. DRAFTS HEADING FOR HOME. March 4. Demobilisation proceeds apace. The disbandment of the following units has been completed:—The rirst, second, and third brigade headquarters; the divisional ammunition column; the brigade ainmflnition column; No. 2 and No. 3 field companies; No. 1 and No. 3 companies divisional train; No. 1 and No. 3 lield ambulance; the mobile veterinary section; No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 light truoch-mortar batteries; the artillery brigade signal sections. The following are the units now remaining:—Division?! signal company; headquarters engineers: No. 1 iield company; headquarters divisional train; headquarters company, «nd No. 2 company divisional train; No. 2 lield ambulance; one company of the machine-gun battalion; North Inland battalion (Lieu-tenant-Colonel Turnbull) ; South Island battalion (Lieutenant-C'oionel Stitt) : Kifle Brigade battalion (LieutenantColonel Jardine) : artillery cadets. Two hundred artillery remaining are at Tcutz. opposite Cologne. The remainder of the division is now concentrated at Mulheim. a few miles further north. All aro comfortably quartered, mostly in German houses. All the animals, excepting a few awaiting shipment to New Zealand, have been disposed of. Three thousand were sent to Dieppe and Rouen for shipment to England. 200 evacuated sick, and 350 killed locally for meat. Permission was obtained for the men accompanying the animals to the base to bo demobilised there, by which means 600 of all ranks were cleared.

Practically all vehicles, harness, sad dlery and ordnance equipment have al ready been handed in in good order.

Another draft heads for Home to-day, reducing the strength below 3000. The remaining artillery leave on March IS. The Artillery and "Rifle Brigade Bands are still with us, the others having been dispatched. The last of the theatrical companies is proceeding to Paris, and will not return here.

Demobilisation from this end has proceeded smoothly, and the conduct during the occupation of German territory has been good. There have been very few complaints, and these not of a serious nature. Most of the equipment pur chased in England for the recreational scheme has been disposed of. The remainder will be purchased by the V.M.C.A. The soda water plant and other oddments have been sold. The historic printing press which has done much excellent work both in the battleline and in Germany will be retained for the war museum. —X.Z. Correspondent.)