Volunteers’ Reasons For Joining Malaya Battalion

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28889, 8 May 1959, Page 12

Volunteers’ Reasons For Joining Malaya Battalion

The desire for permanent em-| ployment is uppermost in the minds of many men who have applied to join the New Zealand regiment's second battalion for Malaya, according to army recruiting officers in Christchurch. "A whale of a lot want a permanent job and a number are finding things a little stiff outside on civvy street, particularly married men.” said the officer commanding Area 10 (Major H A Colquhoun) yesterday. A variety of reasons had been given by men wanting to join the force, he said. A considerable number liked the outdoors and wanted a sort of long-term deerstalking and fishing expedition.

“A big proportion want to go to Malaya and see some of the world and gain experience at State expense—travel on the cheap That is for mainly the younger ones.” he said. The Southern District recruiter (Major J R. Spence) agreed ”1 would say the largest percentage have a desire to travel, have a change of living and get some adventure.” he said. • change.” one labourer answered when asked why he had with the battalion.

“I want to get a taste of the military before I decide whether to make it a career,” said one man signing up for three years. Another man said he knew of two or three men who had recently returned from Malayan service and from what they had told him he thought that his own engagement with the force would be "a good thing.” A former Regular Force cadet who had been discharged from the Army on compassionate grounds has joined the battalion keen to have active service to catch up on what he considers he lost in seniority and experience since then. Another man said he w*as joining the force because he wanted “to fight the communists” whom he considered were “a threat to the free world.” An admission that he had moved from job to job was made by one recruit who said he hoped Army service would steady him up. A similar reason was given by a second man who had had 28 country jobs, mostly driving, and thought that after a term with the force he might be able to make something of himself. One recruit wanted to get away Zealand where he said i he had family problems; a Christ-

church man who had been a nava) stoker came specially from Australia to join the battalion for service with the electrical and mechanical engineers: and a 24-year-old rifleman with the Ist Battalion who has decided to make the Army a full-time career reengaged for five years. When the Ist Battalion was being formed one South Islander applied to join but was told he was too late. He did not miss out for the unit now being formed. Although the battalion does not go overseas until next November he went into camp on Monday this week to begin his training. ”