OUTLINE BY MINISTER OF NEW ARMY STRUCTURE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29620, 16 September 1961, Page 13

OUTLINE BY MINISTER OF NEW ARMY STRUCTURE

“The Press*' Spectat Service

WELLINGTON Sept. 15. The organisation of a division would be maintained in reduced form, but could be built up at any time with little change in the pattern of units, the Minister of Defence <Mr Eyre) said today, when outlining the structure of the new Army proposed in the White Paper on defence.

The existing organisation provided for an establishment of 22.000 in the Territorial Force and 8000 in the Regular Force, but in actual strength the Territorial Force was 7644, of whom fewer than 2500 were fully effective and the Regular Force numbered 5400. “Under the reorganisation, the regular field force will provide one reduced brigade group which, together with the reduced territorial brigades, could provide forces progressively to meet an emergency situation as it developed." said Mr Eyre. The Government was providing for two Regular Force and six Territorial Force battalions. To make the change, three of the existing nine territorial regiments would be reduced to a small headquarters depot for regimental administration, a band and two. rifle companies instead of the normal four.

Regiments’ Identity The regiments would not lose their identity, the Minister said. They would retain their insignia and the right and responsibilities of promotions and internal management of their units. The Territorial Force

armoured squadrons and one regular Force squadron would be merged into an armoured regiment, he continued.

Artillery regiments would be reorganised in three years, but everything would be done to ensure that all reduced units would lose as little of their own traditions and identity as possible.

Some small service units would be abolished, as would two major units which had been superseded by rapid developments in the equipment field which New Zealand could not enter because of costs. , Headquarters duties for all units. Regular and Territorial, would be handled by the appropriate military district headquarters which would combine with the infantry brigade headquarters Before detailed changes affecting units were announced publicly they should be announced to the units bv the commanding officers, the Minister said.

The three Territorial officers’ training units would be formed to absorb any sur. plus officers from reduced units. The officers would be trained in the highly-com-plex tactical, logistic and staff problems which arose in modern warfare.

The “dual role” concept whereby some Regular Force soldiers eligible for overseas service served with “static" units for most of the year would be changed, the Minister said. These soldiers would now be posted to active field force units which, in the case

of engineers, signals or service units, might be assigned to assist a static task.

Serving Soldiers “Every encouragement will be given to serving Territorial soldiers affected by the changes to continue with the force,” said Mr Eyre. “For soldiers whose units have been abolished postings to similar units will be arranged if desired." New Zealand must be able to contribute small, effective forces immediately they were called, if the country was to play its part in the collective defence of South-east Asia, he said. The mobilisation of a large citizens' army such as the 2nd N.Z.E.F., called up and trained after the outbreak of hostilties, was completely out of date in current conditions which demanded that defence forces must be poised to meet an emergency in a matter of days.