London military group disappointed in N.Z.

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33694, 18 November 1974, Page 15

London military group disappointed in N.Z.

(From

CHARLES COOPER)

LONDON. , i A lack of response from New Zealand has 1 disappointed a Londonbased para-military organisation with the selfappointed mission of fighting for the preservation of Western democracy. The 15-year-old “British' Military Volunteer Force”, appealed last month for: “true blue” New Zealanders! to ally themselves to the' cause of stemming the infll-i tration of the Left into!

democratic institutions. The founder and chairman of the volunteer force, 58-j year-old Mr Paul Daniels,: said in London that New! Zealand and other Commonwealth countries should wake up to the insidious undermining of their way of life. His nearly 2000-strong organisation was composed entirely of former military men, pledged, if necessary, to fight to the death in maintaining democracy against the forces of international communism. They had been heartened recently by the affiliation to them of a similarly-orientated group of Canada, the British Commonwealth Alliance, but they hoped, even prayed, said Mr Daniels, that they would be supported, before it was too late, by New Zealand and Australia. Force’s aims The volunteer force had two associated aims — to be rtady to ensure law and order in the event of a disintegration of Government authority and to crusade for a return to the ties of the old “white” Commonwealth. To back their principles, Mr Daniels claimed that 1000 of his members were ready to fight for Rhodesia or South Africa if those countries were attacked.

“Equally, we would fight for New Zealand if it needed us,” said Mr Daniels. “We are a do-or-die people.” Mr Daniels said that his group had had volunteers in the Congo, in Yemen and in Biafra. >

“Formerly, we worked behind the scenes but now we are forced to emerge and stand up and be counted,” This included campaigning against British membership of the Common Market, “In two world wars Europe capitulated while the Commonwealth fought on to the last,” said Mr Daniels. “We have blood ties with New Zealand, none with Europe."

i Recently Mr Daniel’s or-1 ganisation became affiliated i ito the volunteer force “Unison,” now claiming a roll of i 400,000, formed by General ; Sir Walter Walker, a former ; I commander-in-chief of Allied : 'Forces in Northern Europe, j Mr Daniels agreed that in an emergency his men would be prepared to serve under! Sir Walter—“ But we are re-! garded as the more powerful, igroup as we are the only! force.” “Unison is mostly civilian,”! “Said Mr Daniels. ■i “For instance, in an enter-! ■gencv in New Zealand we would be of greater help than! 1 ■ “Unison is mostly civilian,” I

tary know-how and techniques.” Mr Daniels denied that there was anything illegal about his organisation. It was against the law for a private force to train or wear military-type uniforms. But his men, all formerly in British services, were i already trained. Every type • of regiment was.represented. He also denied that there I was any affinity between his I people and the Right-wing National Front. ■ “We have no time for Extremists or Fascists and !we are certainly not antij black,” said Mr Daniels, i He thought it “very sad”

that there had been no response from New Zealand. “If we could get a positive ! reaction we could say to the British People, ‘here is somebody who cares, like we do.’ ' “We are living in the age ' of treason and the people of j New Zealand must understand that we face a life-and-death issue — it is a matter ' of survival, nothing less,” said Mr Daniels, who owns I • a small North London paint: 'and chemical factory and is ; a man who regards General Sir Walter Walker “in the < Hight of a new Churchill." 1