SOUTH AFRICA’S NEW ARMY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 85, 4 January 1940, Page 8

SOUTH AFRICA’S NEW ARMY

Remarkable Progress

COMPLETE UNITY IN COMMON CAUSE (British Official Wireless.) (Received January 3, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, January 2. An official survey oi military preparations in South .Africa states that the Union's new citizen army is making' remarkable progress. Reports from town and country in all quarters of South Africa reflect the enthusiasm with which volunteers are coming forward. A single example is the Botha Regiment, which has risen from a peacetime strength of -100 to a wartime strength of more than 900. The formation of another battalion of this regiment is in progress. New units are also being formed in such typically rural areas as Mecsian, Barberton, and Veretighig. ‘‘A spirit of cordial co-operation dominates all activities," the survey continues, "and tiny sectional differences have been set aside. Everywhere (lie fact is appreciated that till are South Africans and complete unity is expressed in the common cause.” The survey points out that the lie is given to Nazi propagandist insinuations that discrimination against Afrikaans-speaking members of the defence force obtains, by the fact that by far the larger number of senior oflicers permanently serving in South Africa’s army are men bearing Afrikaans’ names, and they, like officers bearing English names, are bilingual.